THE NOUN : NUMBER
NOTICE THE CHANGE IN THE FORM IN THE SECOND OF EACH PAIR.
TREE BOX OX MAN
TREES BOXES OXEN MEN
THE FIRST WORD OF EACH PAIR DENOTES ONE THING, THE SECOND WORD OF EACH PAIR DENOTES MORE THAN ONE
A NOUN THAT DENOTES ONE PERSON OR THING IS SAID TO BE SINGULAR NUMBER
EXAMPLE:- BOY,GIRL,COW
A NOUN THAT DENOTES MORE THAN ONE PERSON OR THING IS SAID TO BE PLURAL NUMBER
EXAMPLE:- BOYS, GIRLS,COWS
THUS THERE ARE TWO NUMBERS IN ENGLISH --- SINGULAR AND PLURAL
HOW PLURALS ARE FORMED
( I )THE PLURAL OF NOUNS IS GENERALLY FORMED BY ADDING -S TO THE SINGULAR.
( II ) BUT NOUNS ENDING IN -S ,-SH,-CH( SOFT), OR -X FORMS THE PLURAL BY ADDING
-ES TO THE SINGULAR.
( III ) MOST NOUNS ENDING IN-O ALSO FORM THE PLURAL BY ADDING -ES TO THE SINGULAR.
( IV ) A FEW NOUNS ENDING -O GENERALLY THOSE WHICH ARE IN LESS COMMON USE.
AND ABBREVIATIONS, MERELY ADD-S
( V ) NOUNS ENDING IN -Y PRECEDED BY CONSONANT,FORM THEIR PLURAL BY CHANGING -Y INTO-I AND ADDING -ES
( VI )SEVERAL NOUNS ENDING IN-FOR-FE FROM THEIR PLURAL BY CHANGING -F OR
-FE INTO V AND ADDING -ES
CREDIT BY WREN AND MARTIN
REVISED BY N.D.V. PRASADA RAO
A.N . KAPOOR AND R.K. JAIN
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