There are a number of noun groups in English that sound plural in the singular form.
Nouns are a shortened form of 'a pair of...' (pair is singular). Those include such things as pants, shorts, scissors, shears, eyeglasses, binoculars, etc. The plural forms are pairs of pants, pairs of binoculars, pairs of tweezers, etc.
Nouns that end in -is in the singular and -es in the plural; for example axis to axes, basis to bases, crisis to crises, oasis to oases, etc.
Nouns that end in -us in the singular and -i in the plural; for example alumnus to alumni, cactus to cacti, octopus to octopi, radius to radii, etc. (note that cactuses, octopuses, and radiuses are now also being accepted as the plural forms)
Nouns called aggregate nouns; words that are used for the singular and the plural; for example, accommodations, archives, communications, congratulations, stairs, news, etc.
The main group of nouns that are always plural in form and meaning are aggregate nouns, words representing an indefinite number of elements or parts; aggregate nouns have no singular form. Examples:accommodationsamendsarchivesarms (weapons)bowelsbrains (intellect)clothescommunicationscongratulationscontentscorpsethicsgoodsintestinesmeaslesnewsspeciesthanksAnother group of nouns that are always plural in form are the binary nouns, words for things that are two parts making up the whole, they are a shortened form for 'a pair of', for example:one pair of glasses, two pairs of glassesbellowsbinocularsforcepsjeanspajamaspantspliersshearsshortsscissorstightstongstrouserstweezers
Yes, most abstract nouns do have a plural form; for example:hope - hopesfashion - fashionsidea - ideasfreedom - freedomsfear - fearsSome abstract nouns rarely, if ever, need a plural form, for example:the rich or the poorindependencecourageousnessagility
Two kinds of nouns are common or proper, singular or plural.
Nouns that are uncountable plural nouns that denote'pairs' are called binary nouns, words for things that are made up of two parts to make a whole.These include trousers, pants, scissors, tweezers, tongs, binoculars, glasses (for eyesight), pajamas, shorts, etc.The singular form of a binary noun is 'a pair of trousers'.The plural form of a binary noun is 'pairs of trousers'.
The two numbers of nouns are singular and plural.
cats, dogs, apes
plural-singular nouns
Examples of nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning:pajamaspoliticsnewsglassesbinocularsscissorspantsshortstrouserstongstweezersmathematicsspeciesclothescongratulationsmolassesmumpsphysicseconomicscivicsaerobaticsgymnasticsmeasles
Examples of nouns that are plural both in form and meaning include scissors, pants, and tweezers. These nouns do not have a singular form as they refer to items that naturally come in pairs or multiple parts.
Examples of nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning include "scissors," "pants," "physics," "politics," and "gymnastics." These words refer to singular items or concepts even though they are grammatically plural.
"Children" is the plural form of "child," denoting more than one young person.
This statement is not entirely accurate. While many nouns that have plural forms do indeed indicate a plural meaning (e.g. dogs, cats), there are exceptions. For example, the noun "news" is plural in form, but it is used to refer to a singular concept or piece of information. Similarly, the noun "pants" is plural in form, but it represents a singular garment worn on both legs.
Examples of nouns that are both plural in form and in meaning include "scissors," "pants," "glasses," and "shorts." These words refer to items that consist of two parts or items that come in pairs, making them plural in both form and meaning.
Examples of nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning include: news, economics, mathematics, physics, and measles. These nouns are used in the singular form even though they appear to be plural.
No! Consider: trousers jeans pyjamas pants scissors spectacles glasses (meaning spectacles).
The plural form of "divertido" in Spanish is "divertidos" when referring to masculine nouns, and "divertidas" when referring to feminine nouns.
The main group of nouns that are always plural in form and meaning are aggregate nouns, words representing an indefinite number of elements or parts; aggregate nouns have no singular form. Examples:accommodationsamendsarchivesarms (weapons)bowelsbrains (intellect)clothescommunicationscongratulationscontentscorpsethicsgoodsintestinesmeaslesnewsspeciesthanksAnother group of nouns that are always plural in form are the binary nouns, words for things that are two parts making up the whole, they are a shortened form for 'a pair of', for example:one pair of glasses, two pairs of glassesbellowsbinocularsforcepsjeanspajamaspantspliersshearsshortsscissorstightstongstrouserstweezers