Using Singular Nouns
English nouns can be divided into two categories: count nouns and noncount nouns.
A count noun is singular when there is one of the person, place, or thing it names.
When a noun is singular, use a or an before it.
Use a if it begins with a consonant sound; use an if it begins with a vowel sound.
Use a or an before a singular noun to answer the question "What... ?"
- What do you do?
I'm a secretary.
I'm an actor.
- What is it?
It's a banana.
It's an apple.
- What do you want?
I want a house.
I want an apartment.
Use the number one before a singular noun to answer the question "How many ... ?"
- How many cars do you have?
We have one car.
- How many English classes are there?
There is one class.
Use "There is . . . " before a singular noun to indicate that it exists.
- There is an accountant in my family.
- There is a library on the corner.
- There is only one bus stop on this street.
Using Plural Nouns
A count noun is
plural when there is
more than one of the person, place, or thing it names.
To make a singular noun plural:
• Add -s:
- one tree- three trees
- one word- four words
- one sister- two sisters
• Add -es to a few words that end in -o:
- one echo- two echoes
- one mosquito- three mosquitoes
- one tomato- four tomatoes
- one hero- four heroes
- one potato- two potatoes
- one tornado- two tornadoes
• Add -es to nouns that end in -ch, -sh, -ss, and -x:
- one beach- two beaches
- one dish- four dishes
- one dress- two dresses
- one fax- three faxes
• Add -ies to nouns that end in a consonant followed by -y, after dropping the -y.
- one city two cities
- one country- four countries
- one family- two families
- one puppy- six puppies
• Add -ves to nouns that end in -for -fe, after dropping the -for -fer.
- one calf- two calves
- one half- two halves
- one leaf- three leaves
- one knife- five knives
• Use an irregular form for certain nouns:
- one child- two children
- one man- four men
- one person- three people
- one tooth- four teeth
- one mouse- three mice
- one woman- three women
- one foot- two feet
• Use the singular form for the plural for certain nouns:
- one deer- three deer
- one sheep- four sheep
- one fish- two fish
Use are there and a plural noun in a question to ask if any exist and how many:
- Are there any cars in your driveway?
- How many cars are there?
- How many houses are there on this street?
- How many pages are there in this book?
Use there are followed by any number from
two on up before a plural noun to tell how many of them exist:
- There are two cars in the driveway.
- There are ten houses on this street.
- There are 208 pages in this book.
Use there are before the word
no when it indicates
zero. No is followed by a plural noun:
- There are no cars in the driveway.
- There are no houses on this street.
Not any can be used instead of no to indicate zero:
- There are not any cars in the driveway.
There aren't any cars in the driveway.
- There are not any houses on this street.
There aren't any houses on this street.
