Nouns:The Formation of Plurals Lesson & Exercise

 English Lesson and Exercise:
CHAPTER 13.  Nouns: The Formation of Plurals
1. Proper nouns
    2. Countable nouns
    3. The formation of plurals
       
      
A noun is a word used as the name of a person or a thing. In the following examples, the nouns are underlined.
      He opened the parcel.
      She is a student.
      The weather is warm.
      A cat is sitting on the steps.


1. Proper nouns
Names of individual persons or things are referred to as proper nouns. In English, proper nouns must begin with a capital letter. The underlined words in the following sentences are proper nouns.
e.g. The capital of England is London.
      My friend, George, is an American.



2. Countable nouns
Countable nouns are nouns which can form a plural, and which can be preceded by a, an, or a number. In the following examples, the countable nouns are underlined.
e.g. A bus is coming.
      You may need an umbrella.
      Here are two books.
      Twenty students are present.



3. The formation of plurals
In general, when a countable noun refers to two or more things, it must be put into the plural. In English, the plural of most countable nouns is formed by adding s. For example:

Singular	Plural
hat	hats
letter	letters
pencil	pencils
student	students

It has already been explained that a verb must agree with its subject. When the subject of a verb is a singular noun, the verb must be in the third person singular. The third person singular is the form of the verb used with the personal pronouns he, she, and it.

When the subject of a verb is a plural noun, the verb must be in the third person plural. The third person plural is the form of the verb used with the personal pronoun they. In the following examples, the verbs are printed in bold type and their subjects are underlined.

Singular Subject: The book is interesting.
Plural Subject: The books are interesting.

Singular Subject: A duck was flying overhead.
Plural Subject: Two ducks were flying overhead.

Singular Subject: One student lives here.
Plural Subject: Three students live here.

  Exercise 1.

1. For each of the following sentences, change the subject of the verb to the plural, and change the verb so that it agrees with its subject. For example:
      The room is large.
      The rooms are large.

      The letter was delivered yesterday.
      The letters were delivered yesterday.

      The tourist has a map.
      The tourists have a map.

      The girl studies hard.
      The girls study hard.

1. The book was heavy.
2. The train has left.
3. The bird was singing.
4. The door was closed by the superintendent.
5. The shoe fits well.
6. The parcel is being opened.
7. The newspaper is read by many people.
8. The flame is flickering.
9. The ship has been sighted.
10. The street was being cleaned.

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