NOUN

Noun- It can be defined as a naming word. Noun is the name of a

person, place, thing, idea and quality.

Collective noun- It is a
group name or a name
Proper noun- It is the Common noun- General of collection of persons Abstract noun- It is the Material noun- It
name of a particular name or name given in or things treated and name of a quality, idea, is the name of
plerson, place, thing. common to every spoken together as a state,action or concept. material.
E.g. : Ram is my friend person or a thing of the whole.
same class or kind. E.g.: Youth can change E.g.: The bangle is
I live in Kolkata
E.g.: A teacher should
E.g.: The class of the world. made of gold.
students in room no. 1 The bravery of the
pay attention to the are making noise.
students. soldiers is praiseworthy.
A herd of cattle is
grazing in the field

Rule 1: Uncountable nouns are used in their singular forms and with singular verbs only. Indefinite article (A/An) is
not used before such nouns. Some of those nouns are –

Advice, Information, Fuel, Baggage, Luggage, Hair, Machinery, Equipment, Scenery, Business, Work, Mischief,
Material, Food, Poetry, Furniture, Employment, Alphabet, Stationery, Crockery, Knowledge, Postage, Wastage,
Jewellery, News, Percentage, Bakery, Dirt, Dust, Music, Traffic, Pottery, Word ( in the sense of discussion, promise,
message) etc.

E.g.: He gave me information about the examination.

My hair is black.

My percentage in the examination was not good.

Note- Though these nouns do not have any plural form, we add certain words before them to denote singularity or
plurality.

He gave me a piece of advice.

Please give me two slices/loaves of bread.

Mother cooked many kinds of food.

RULE 2: There are some collective nouns such as Cattle, People, Poultry, Infantry, Peasantry, Clergy, Folk, Majority,
Gentry etc. which are plural in form and used with plural verbs only.

E.g.: Majority are in favour of the proposal.

Cattle are grazing in the field.

Rule 3: Some collective nouns denote singular form and used with singular verbs only when they denote a body or
group. But same nouns are used with plural verbs when they denote individuals or members. Those nouns are-

Committee, Public, Jury, Police, Family, Staff, Board, Ministry, Audience, Crowd, Team, Mob, House

E.g.: (a) The family were unhappy with Ram’s result. (b) Nowadays, the family in India has become smaller in size.
(a) Our team has qualified in the second round. (b) The team are lacking the confidence today.

Rule 4: Some nouns (Offspring, Deer, Fish, Sheep, Fruit) remain unchanged in both the singular as well as the plural
form. They denote both singular and plural form and are used with singular verbs and plural verbs respectively. The
choice of form depends on the context of the sentence.
E.g.: (a) Sheep are grazing in the field. (b) A sheep is useful animal.
Note- Fishes and fruits are used to denote variety.

Rule 5: Certain nouns are used in plural form with plural verbs only.
Surroundings, Thanks, Scissors, Spectacles, Scales, Jeans, Pants, Trousers, Customs, Proceeds, Orders, Credentials,
Earnings, Manners, Arrears, Spirits, Requirements, Archives, Refreshments, Alms, Savings, Outskirts, Rations,
Regards, Congratulations, Goggles, Shorts, Particulars etc.
E.g.: Where are my pants?
The net proceeds have been deposited to the bank.

Rule 6: Some nouns, even ending with ‘s’ or ‘es’, denote singularity and used with singular verbs only.
Innings, Series, News, Summons, Mumps, Aquatics, Athletics, Mathematics, Politics, Economics, Statistics, Physics,
Mechanics, Ethics, Rickets, Measles, Billiards, Linguistics etc.
E.g.: The news was so shocking.
Politics is very interesting.
Note- Statistics is used with plural verb when it means a collection of data.

Rule 7: When a (number + noun) works as adjective, the noun will be in singular form only.
E.g.: I lost a ten rupee note.
A six man committee has been formed for the investigation of the case.
Exception: If ‘of’ is used with them,such nouns are used with plural verb and denote plurality.
E.g.: Hundreds of people were injured in the blast.

Rule 8: Common gender nouns or dual gender nouns – Student, Teacher, Child, Clerk, Worker, Advocate, Doctor,
Writer, Author, Leader etc.

Rule9: Noun + preposition + same noun = singular form of verb.

E.g.: Town after town was devastated.

Rule 10:When two adjectives having different meanings, describe one particular noun, plural verbs are used.
E.g.: The third and sixth episodes are my favourite.
Morning and evening walks are essential for good health.

Rule11: “ ‘s “ is used only with living things, weight, time, distance, amount or personified nouns.
E.g.: The boy’s hand was injured.
We will drive two kilometer’s road.
Nature’s law.

Rule12: “ ‘s “ used with one noun Singular form. But two nouns in possessive case denote plural form.
E.g.: Piyali and Pamela’s pet dog is very cute.
Piyali’s and Pamela’s mothers are childhood friends.
Exercise-

1. His new spectacles has been broken by his naughty son.

2. Economics are my favourite subject.

3. The cattles are grazing in the field.

4. We were mesmerized by watching the scenaries of the place.

5. The table’s wood is not of good quality.

6. Mita and Rahul’s fathers will start a new business.

7. He gave me an advice before I started my business.

8. The committee are divided and there is bitterness among the members.

9. The United Arab Emirates import workers from different parts of the world.

10. Refreshment was provided after the event.

11. The ten years old boy was lost in the park.

12. The news were disappointing.

13. Hour after hour were wasted.

14. The bag is somebody’s else.

15. Summer and winter vacation is compulsory for students.