Unit 79. Singular and plural
Unit 79; Part A
 Sometimes we use a plural noun for one thing that has two parts. For example: |
| These words are plural, so they take a plural verb: • My trousers are too long. (not my trousers is) You can also use a pair of + these words: • Those are nice jeans. or That's a nice pair of jeans. (not a nice jeans) • I need some new glasses. or I need a new pair of glasses. |
Unit 79; Part B
Some nouns end in -ics, but are not usually plural. For example:athletics economics electronics gymnastics maths (= mathematics) physics politics
• Gymnastics is my favourite sport. (not Gymnastics are)
News is not plural (see Unit 70B):
• What time is the news on television? (not are the news)
Some words ending in -s can be singular or plural. For example:
means a means of transport many means of transport
series a television series two television series
species a species of bird 200 species of bird
Unit 79; Part C
Some singular nouns are often used with a plural verb.For example:audience committee company family firm government staff team
These nouns are all groups of people. We often think of them as a number of people (= they), not as one thing (= it). So we often use a plural verb:
• The government (= they) want to increase taxes.
• The staff at the school (= they) are not happy with their new working conditions.
In the same way, we often use a plural verb after the name of a sports team or a company:
• Italy are playing Brazil next week (in a football match).
• Shell have increased the price of petrol.
A singular verb (The government wants ... / Shell has ... etc.) is also possible.
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).
Unit 79; Part D
We do not often use the plural of person ('persons'). We normally use people (a plural word): • He's a nice person. but They are nice people. (not nice persons)
• Many people don't have enough to eat. (not Many people doesn't)
Unit 79; Part E
We think of a sum of money, a period of time, a distance etc. as one thing. So we use a singular verb:• Twenty thousand pounds (= 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 is a long way to walk every day.
Exercises
Complete each sentence using a word from Sections A or B. Sometimes you need a or some.Key.3 shorts
4 a means
5 means
6 some scissors or a pair of scissors
7 a series
8 series
9 species
1 My eyesight isn't very good. I need glasses.
2 A cpecies is a group of animals or plants that have the same characteristics.
3 Footballers don't wear trousers when they play. They wear _______________.
4 The bicycle is _______________ of transport.
5 The bicycle and the car are _______________ of transport.
6 I want to cut this piece of material. I need _______________.
7 A friend of mine is writing _______________ of articles for the local newspaper.
8 There are a lot of American TV _______________ shown on British television.
9 While we were out walking, we saw many different _______________ of bird.
In each example the words on the left areconnected with an activity (for example, a sport or an academicsubject). Write the name of the activity. The beginning of the word isgiven.Key.2 politics
3 economics
4 athletics
5 physics
6 gymnastics
7 electronics
| 1 calculate algebra equation 2 government election minister 3 finance trade employment 4 running jumping throwing 5 light heat gravity 6 exercises somersault parallel bars 7 computer silicon chip video games | mathematics p________________ e________________ a________________ ph_______________ gy_______________ el________________ |
Choose the correct form of the verb, singular or plural. In one sentence either the singular or plural verb is possible.Key.2 don't
3 want
4 was
5 aren't
6 wasn't
7 does or do
8 isn't
9 they are
10 are
11 Do
12 is
1 Gymnastics is /
2 The trousers you bought tor me doesn't / don't fit me.
3 The police want / wants to interview two men about the robbery last week.
4 Physics was / were my best subject at school.
5 Can I borrow your scissors? Mine isn't / aren't sharp enough.
6 Fortunately the news wasn't / weren't as bad as we expected.
7 Where does / do your family live?
8 Three days isn't / aren't long enough for a good holiday.
9 I can't find my binoculars. Do you know where it is / they are?
10 It's a nice place to visit. The people is / are very friendly.
11 Does / Do the police know how the accident happened?
12 I don't like very hot weather. Thirty degrees is / are too hot for me.
Most of these sentences are wrong. Correct them where necessary.Key.3 ... wearing black jeans.
4 OK (Brazil is playing is also correct)
5 ... very nice people.
6 Ten pounds isn't
7 ... buy some new pyjamas. or ... buy a new pair of pyjamas.
8 OK (The committee hasn't is also correct)
9 There was a police officer / a policeman / a policewoman ...
10 What are the police ...
11 These scissors aren't ...
| 1 Three years are a long time to be without a job. 2 The govermnent want to increase taxes. 3 Susan was wearing a black jeans. 4 Brazil are playing Italy in a football match next week. 5 I like Martin and Jane. They're very nice persons. 6 I need more than ten pounds. Ten pounds aren't enough. 7 I'm going to buy a new pyjama. 8 The committee haven't made a decision yet. 9 There was a police directing traffic in the street. 10 What is the police going to do? 11 This scissors isn't very sharp. | Three years is a long time. OK (wants is also corrrect) _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ |
 | Unit 78 Unit 79 Unit 80 |  |
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