A
Sometimes we use a plural noun for one thing that has two parts. For example:
Pants (two legs)
also jeans / slacks
shorts / trousers
Pajamas
(top and bottom)
Glasses
Binoculars
Scissors
B
Some nouns end in -ics, but are not usually plural. For example:
economics
electronics
gymnastics
mathematics
physics
politics
- Gymnastics is my favorite sport. (not Gymnastics are)
News is not plural (see Unit 68B)
Some words ending in -s can be singular or plural. For example:
| – | – | – |
|---|---|---|
| means | a means of transportation | many means of transportation |
| series | a television series | two television series |
| species | a species of bird | 200 species of birds |
C
We use a plural verb with police:
- The police are investigating the murder, but haven’t arrested anyone yet. (not The police is … hasn’t)
Note that we say a police officer / a policeman / a policewoman (not a police).
D
We do not often use the plural of person (persons). We normally use people (a plural word):
Singular verb:
– Twenty thousand dollars (= it) was stolen in the robbery. (not were stolen)
– Three years (= it) is a long time to be without a job. (not Three years are)
– Six miles in a long way to walk every day.
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