Words that are only in the plural. Plural of nouns in English

Nouns are the main component of our speech. From the many possible words, we always choose those that are more suitable for us in style and color. The way a person constructs his speech can say a lot about his personality and mentality to his interlocutor. Therefore, it is very important to be able to express your thoughts competently and clearly. To do this, you need to know the basics of Russian grammar and be able to apply them in real life while communicating with people. In this article we will analyze such a category as the number of nouns.

A noun in Russian can be used in one of two forms possible forms- in singular or plural. Number is one of the main characteristics of a part of speech called a noun. But there are Russian nouns that can be used in speech only in the singular or only in the plural. Let's figure it out in order.

Singular nouns

With singular nouns, in general, everything is clear and understandable even without grammatical rules: they denote one thing or person, that is, any (for example, a pen, a book, a house, a cat). Such singular nouns have their own gender (feminine, masculine or neuter; sometimes common), and also, regardless of number, are declined according to cases.

Plural nouns

The same nouns can also be used in the plural (pens, books, houses, cats). These are nouns that denote several things. Very often in the Russian language there are nouns that have only a plural form. You can read about them below.

Plural nouns that are often misspelled

About the most common mistakes in everyday speech in Russian it would be possible to write more than one full-fledged article, but here we will focus our attention only on not correct use nouns For nouns plural And proper education forms are very often questioned.

Be sure to pay attention to the spelling of the following words in genitive case: boots - boots, felt boots - felt boots, boots - boots, soldiers - soldiers, places-places, apples - apples.

And errors in the use of these words in the genitive case can be heard very often in grocery stores: tangerines - tangerines, nectarines - nectarines, tomatoes - tomatoes, oranges - oranges. Nouns that have only a plural form differ somewhat from the data in terms of case declension.

Formation of plural forms: features

Sometimes some difficulties arise in forming the plural form for a certain category of nouns. In the Russian language there are no rules as such that determine what ending is required for the plural of nouns that we need to apply at a particular moment. Therefore, it can be quite difficult to use the word correctly. Let's pay attention to special cases relating to the plural of nouns. It’s better to just memorize them so as not to make mistakes and not doubt the correct use of words.

First of all, these are masculine nouns (s in the singular), with endings -ы, -и, most often denoting professions. For example, a trainer - trainers (not trainers!), a contract - contracts, an accountant - accountants, a lecturer - lecturers, cream - creams, and so on.

The next group is the same nouns as in the previous one, but with the endings -a, -ya: professor - professors, doctor - doctors, director - directors, anchor - anchors and so on.

Nouns, always used in the singular

In the Russian language there are many nouns that do not change in number and are always used exclusively in the form singular. Let's consider the groups into which the following nouns can be divided:

Denoting different feelings, characteristics of the state and human qualities (tenderness, anger, malice, hatred, lust, dependence, security, weakness, kindness);

Denoting characteristics of an object (grayness, blueness, redness, thinness, fullness, density);

Material (oil, gold, steel, tin, silver, nickel, sugar, sour cream, butter, pearls);

Denoting several identical objects in the aggregate (dishes, foliage, children, animals);

Denoting objects that exist in all of nature in a single copy (Sun, Earth, sky, Moon); This group also includes geographical names (Argentina, Stockholm, Moscow, Irtysh, Novosibirsk, Crimea, Ob).

Nouns that have only plural forms

The following nouns exist only in the plural in the Russian language:

Denoting various kinds substances (blush, perfume, ink, yeast);

Indicating objects in a pair (jeans, rakes, rollers, trousers, leggings, trousers, leggings, glasses, sleds, sleds);

Denoting games or some processes (checkers, tag, hide and seek, blind man's buff, catch-up, elections);

Denoting natural phenomena or time periods (days, holidays, twilight, weekdays);

Which are geographical or astronomical names (Sochi, Alps, Kuril Islands, Libra).

So, let’s summarize: in the Russian language there are two forms of nouns - singular and plural. Most words have both forms, but there are also nouns that have only a plural form, and, of course, those that are used only in the singular.

These are countable items. They can be used in combination with Such nouns have forms of both numbers: singular and plural: table - tables, desk - desks, cloud - clouds. These forms have different endings and combine differently with other parts of speech.

Meaning of plural forms of nouns

If the singular number is used to denote a single object from a series of similar ones, then the plural number denotes a set of homogeneous objects.

Mechanism of plural formation

Nouns that are used only in the plural

In contrast to nouns that do not form a plural, there are words in the language that exist only in the form of a plural. These are nouns

distracted (twilight, holidays);

material (cream, cabbage soup);

names of some chess);

items that include several parts (scissors, trousers, jeans, scales, etc.).

Nouns are presented that are used only in the singular and only in the plural.

As in the Russian language, in English there are nouns that are used either only in the singular or only in the plural.

1. Uncountable nouns, as a rule, are used only in the singular. For example, salt - salt, copper - copper, patience - patience. That is, this series of nouns usually includes abstract and real nouns.

2. B English language a number of nouns are highlighted that can only be used in the singular, although in Russian we can also use them in the plural. Remember the following series of nouns:

Knowledge - knowledge, knowledge
advice - advice, advice
progress - success, progress
information - information, messages, information

Look at examples with these nouns.
Give him the benefit of your knowledge - Share your knowledge with him.
Father's advice helped me - Father's advice helped me.
You make progress in football - You are making progress in football.
We have information that you were there yesterday - We have information that you were there yesterday.

3. Remember that a noun news - news, news refers to the singular, although the word has a plural form. Study the following example.
Don"t tell me the bad news - Don't tell me the bad news.

4. Sciences that end in -ics must be used in the singular, despite the fact that they have a plural form. For example, such nouns include physics, mathematics. Study the following example.
Statistics is a necessary branch of learning for an economist - Statistics is a necessary discipline for an economist.

5. In Russian, the words hair - hair and money - money are used only in the plural, but you should remember that these nouns in English are used only in the singular form.

Consider the following examples.
My hair is curly - My hair is wavy.
This money is yours - This money is yours.

6. In Russian, a noun holidays has only a plural form, while in English this noun can only be used in the singular.
My vacation was wonderful - My vacation was wonderful.

7. Word fruit in Russian it can have both singular and plural forms, however, in English this noun is used only in the singular.
Fruit is healthy - Fruits are good for health.

But in this rule it must be taken into account that if we're talking about O different types fruits, then you need to use the plural form - fruits. Study the following example.
I bought peaches, pears and other fruits - I bought peaches, pears and other fruits.

8. In the Russian language there are a number of nouns that are used only in the plural. These nouns usually denote paired objects. For example, scales, trousers, scissors etc. In English they are also used only in the plural form. Study the following examples.

These scissors are made of steel - These scissors are made of steel.
My trousers are black - My trousers are black.
These scales are wrong - These scales are inaccurate.

9. Study the following series of nouns:

Arms - weapons
goods - goods, goods
proceeds - revenue
clothes - clothes
riches - wealth, riches
stairs - stairs.

The above nouns in Russian are usually used in the singular, but in English they are used only in the plural form. Study examples with these nouns.

These arms are highly explosive - These weapons are explosive.
The goods were counterfeit - The product(s) were counterfeit(s).
The proceeds of our shop were in a bank - The proceeds of our store were in the bank.
Your clothes are dirty - Your clothes are dirty.
The riches are not so important for some people - Wealth is not so important for some people.
The stairs are made of wood - The stairs are made of wood.

10. In Russian nouns wage And content are used only in the singular form, while in English these nouns are usually used in the plural form - wages, contents.

The contents of the book are not understandable for reader - The contents of the book are not clear to the reader.
My wages are low - My wage low.

11. Study the following nouns:

oats - oats
potatoes - potatoes
carrots - carrots
onions - onion.

The nouns listed above are used in the plural, although in Russian they have a singular form. Study sentences with these nouns.

Oats were imported a month ago - Oats were imported from abroad a month ago.
Potatoes are used for different dishes - Potatoes are used for different dishes.
Carrots are necessary ingredient for palaw - Carrots are a necessary ingredient for pilaf.
Onions were cut an hour ago - The onion was cut an hour ago.

But you should remember that these nouns are used in the singular if we mean one unit of something. For example, a carrot - carrot (one root).

12. Final Rule this topic refers to the noun people - people. In English it is used in the plural.

There are very many people in the theater today - Today there are a lot of people in the theater.

If the word people means nation or people, then this noun can be used in both the plural and singular. In the plural it sounds like peoples. Study the following examples.

The people of a neighboring country is on strike - The people of a neighboring country are on strike.
During the war the peoples of our country combined their efforts - During the war, the peoples of our country combined their efforts.

Most nouns in Russian are countable objects. They can be used in combination with cardinal numbers. Such nouns have forms and the only one, And plural: table - tables, desk - desks, cloud - clouds.

These forms have different endings and combine differently with other parts of speech.

If the singular number is used to denote a single object from a series of similar ones, then the plural number denotes a set of homogeneous objects.

In most cases, plural nouns have endings -s, -i, -a, -ya(trunk - trunks, girl - girls, place - places, tree - trees). In some cases, alternation or loss/adding of vowels is observed at the base of the word ( friend - friends, wreath - wreaths, piece - pieces).

It should also be noted that in the singular nouns of each of the three genders have different endings. The plural hides gender characteristics, so, for example, nouns wall, night, village (female) And stump, table, knife(masculine) have identical endings in this situation: walls, nights, villages, stumps, tables, knives. This reveals a peculiarity of language, when in this case the main thing is to show the number of objects, and not their type.

Some nouns in Russian indicate plurality with a singular form. Such words do not form a plural. These are the nouns:

real ( milk, cereal, butter, silk, gold and etc.);

collective ( humanity, students, foliage);

distracted (patience, pressure, kindness);

own ( Moscow, Paris, Rhone).

There are cases of using words from this list in the plural: cheeses, cereals, sausages etc. But here the plural denotes different varieties rather than quantity, for example:

"The meat processing plant produces different kinds sausages."

In contrast to nouns, which do not form a plural, there are words in the language that exist only in the form of a plural. These are the nouns:

distracted ( twilight, vacation);

real ( cream, cabbage soup);

names of some games ( hide and seek, blind man's buff, checkers, chess);

items that include several parts ( scissors, trousers, jeans, scales and etc.).

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