In this article ‘Nouns Rules for Competitive Exams’, we will study the rules for using ‘Nouns’ in English grammar. We have read about the definition of nouns and their different types in the previous article. If you have not read that article then its link is given below.
Rules of Noun
Today we will learn the rules related to the use of nouns and their gender
and number. These rules are very simple but you must practice them.
English grammar-related questions are asked in various competitive
exams, it is very important for them to understand these rules.
Rules of Noun
Rule - 1 - The uncountable
nouns given below are used in singular forms and the singular verb is used with
them.
Such as Knowledge, wastage, haltage , poetry, advice, baggage, luggage, dirt,
dust, machinery, breakage, jewellery, vacation, sultery, percentage, scenery,
evidence foolish, polish, traffic, clothing, money. Music, tea, coffee, fuel,
baggage, postage, crockery, stationary, bread, furniture, etc.
For example-
1. He is fond of music.
2. I purchased new stationary.
Key points to be noted –
1. The article a/an is not used before these nouns.
2. There is no plural of these nouns.
3. When this noun comes before any preposition / adjective clause,
then article ‘the’ is used before these definite nouns.
4. In the singular sense, an article of /an item of/a piece of/ an act
of etc. is used before them.
5. In the plural sense, pieces of/items of/articles of/ will be used before
these nouns
6. A lot of/much/some/little/most will be used before these nouns to
indicate quantity.
7. Adjective of numbers – few/several/many should not be used before
these nouns.
Rule -2- The following nouns are generally used in the plural form with plural
verb.
Such as Surrounding, alms, amends,
credentials, bowels, archives, orders, customs, savings, outskirts,
congratulations, embers, pioneers, arrears, spectacles, remains, scissors,
troops, assets, measles, odds, eaves, annals, proceeds, ashes, stairs, braces, lees, guts, spirits, tidings,
entrails ,statics, athletics, particulars, hearings, binoculars, belongings,
refreshments, bellows, pantaloons, wages, glasses, mumps, billiards, funds, pioneers, articles of dress like undefined
trousers, jeans etc , earnings, works, thanks, troops, riches, guts, tactics,
aborigins etc.
For example-
1. My spectacles are
very costly.
2. My earnings are
small.
3. Funds were issued.
4. His scissors are not
sharp.
Key points to be noted –
1. These nouns should not be made singular by removing ‘s /es’ from them.
2. These nouns are accompanied by plural verbs.
Rule-3- If definite numeral adjective and noun are joined by
hyphen (-) and form a compound word. When a compound noun works as an
'adjective', then it is used as singular.
Such
as
-Fifty-rupee, ten-year, five-day, etc
For example
i. A fifteen- year girl.
ii. A ten-day
iii. A ten-rupee note
iv. A five-year plan
Key points to be noted –
1. ‘s /es’ should not be
used with these compound nouns.
2. Singular verb is used
with these compound nouns.
Rule-4- Some nouns appear
as ‘singular’ but are used as plural. Plural verbs are used with these.
Collective nouns do not have s/es with them.
Such as Cattle, gentry,
peasantry, poultry, clergy, people, majority, folk, family, team, staff, public,
police, audience, crowd, mob
For example-
i. Cattle are grazing in the field.
ii. The people of India are hardworking.
iii. The committee is unanimous on the proposal.
Key points to be noted-
1. Do
not use s /es to make these collective nouns plural.
2. If
collective nouns are used as a single body or group, then singular verb is used
with them.
3. If
collective nouns are used as members of individuals, then plural verb is used
with them.
Rule-5- some nouns have one meaning in singular
but in plural, they have other meaning.
Such as -
|
Noun |
Used as |
Noun |
Used as |
|
Wood |
material |
Woods |
Forest |
|
Advice |
Suggestion |
Advices |
Bills/information |
|
Water |
Material |
Waters |
sea |
|
Air |
Element/matter |
Airs |
Behaviour |
|
Asset |
quality |
Assets |
Property |
|
Alphabet |
Letters in English |
Alphabets |
Languages |
|
Sand |
soil |
Sands |
Desert |
|
Compass |
Limit |
Compasses |
A device |
|
Iron |
Material |
Irons |
Chains |
|
Good |
advantage |
Goods |
articles |
|
Cloth |
material |
Clothes |
Dress |
|
Return |
Come back |
Returns |
account |
|
Abuse |
Indecent words |
Abuses |
Misuses |
|
Effect |
Result |
Effects |
Goods |
|
Custom |
Habit |
Customs |
tax |
|
Fruit |
Edible thing |
Fruits |
Results |
|
Arm |
An organ |
arms |
Weapons |
|
wit |
Ability to talk |
wits |
Intelligence |
For example-
i. The table is made of wood.
ii. Tiger lives in the woods.
iii. We can’t live without water.
iv. Ships sail in waters.
Rule-6- some Nouns
remain singular when they come after a Numeral Adjective but they can be used as
plural when they show indefinite numbers
Such as- hundred, pair, dozen, stone,
thousand, million, score, gross etc.
For example-
i. I bought four dozen pens.
ii. He gave me two thousand rupees.
iii. She will purchase one pair of shoes.
iv. There are dozens of pens in his shop.
v.There were hundreds of men in the ground yesterday.
Rule-7- Following nouns are used as both singular and plural but their form
remain same.
Such as- yoke, sheep, swine, deer, stone,
police, public, species, gross, means, innings etc.
For example-
i. I have five sheep.
ii. There are ten deer in the zoo.
Key points to be noted-
1. Don’t
add s/es to make them plural
2. Don’t
remove s/es to make them singular.
Rule-8- Following
nouns ending in ‘s’ or ‘es’ are used with singular verb.
Such as-
i.
Names of few countries- United States, United Arab
Emirates etc.
ii.
Name of diseases like- mumps, rickets, measles etc.
iii.
Games and sports- Gymnastics, Billiards Athletics
etc
iv.
Titles of books- Arabian Nights, Gulliver’s Travels, etc
For example-
i. I like billiards.
ii. Rickets is caused due to deficiency of vitamin D.
To be Continued..... Related Searches for you
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Noun-definition & its kinds with example
Pronoun- definition & its types
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