NCERT Class 6 English Grammar Noun Numbers
NCERT Class 6 English Grammar Noun Numbers: Nouns have two numbers i.e. singular and plural. The word numbers refer to whether a noun is one or more than one.
1) Singular Number- We can use a noun or a pronoun to describe a single person or thing.
Examples- Toy, Baby, Boy, pen, pencil, Book, doll, bus, life etc.
2) Plural Number – We can use a noun or a pronoun for describing more than one person or thing.
Examples – Toys, Babies, Boys, trees, pens, lives, buses etc.
3) Countable nouns- Nouns that can be countable. When you get an answer in the form of How many (that represents numbers)
Example- Student, teacher, coin, table, bottle, orange, apple, man, woman etc
We can use countable nouns in singular as well as in plural.
Example- Singular- This is a book. Plural- These are books.
Please keep in mind that Singular countable nouns always take “a” or “an” before it.
4) Uncountable Nouns – Nouns that can not be countable. When you get an answer in the form of How much ie ( that represents amount ) Example- Water, Butter, ghee, honey, air, milk
Please keep in mind that Uncountable nouns do not take “a” or “an”before it.
It can not be made singular or plural. Ie No singular and plural
Example- Here we can say, two pens
But we can not say or write, two honey or 2 milk
Use of “Some” in Countable and Uncountable Nouns –
“Some” can be used with an uncountable noun
Example- Please give me some honey.
“Some” can also be used with countable nouns in the plural.
Example- Please give me some cookies.
Regular noun-
We can make a noun plural by adding -s or -es at the end of a regular noun
Example– Bottle – Bottles, Toy-Toys, Chair-Chairs, Car- Cars, Pencil-Pencils, Boss-Bosses etc.
Irregular Noun-
Nouns that don’t use the -s or -es suffix to become plural are referred to as irregular plural nouns.
Example -Leaf-Leaves, Wife-Wives, Deer-Deer, Mouse-Mice, Tooth-Teeth, Foot-Feet Etc.
Rules to follow –
Case 1
The Plural can be made by adding “s’ ‘ to nouns in the singular form.
Example– Bag (Singular) – Bags (Plural) , Book – Books, Dog- Dogs
Case 2-
The singular noun ending with s, ss, sh, ch, x, z,forms their plural by adding “es” at the end.
Examples– Address-Addresses, Bench-Benches, Match-Matches, Bus-Buses, Glass – Glasses etc.
Case 3
If a singular noun ends with “y” with a vowel before it, then a plural can be formed by adding “s”
Example- Key-Keys, Journey-Journeys, Play-plays, Day-Days, Brother – Brothers
Boy – Boys etc.
Case 4 –
When a singular noun ends with “y” and when there is consonant is present before “ y” then the plural is formed by changing “y” into “i” and adding “es”
For Example– Army – Armis, Country-Countries, Baby- Babies, Lady-Ladies
Case 5-
When a singular noun ends with “f” or “fe” then the plural is formed by changing “f” or “fe” into “v” with the addition of “es” into it.
For Example– Knife – Knives, Leaf-Leaves, Half – Halves, Calf- Calves , Self-Selves
Case 6
When a singular noun ends with “ief”, “ff”, “ef”, “f” then the plural is formed by adding “s” to it.
For Example- Dwarf – Dwarfs, Belief- Beliefs, Gulf-Gulfs,Proof-Proofs, Roof-Roofs
Case 7
When a singular noun ends with “o” then the plural form can be made by adding “es” to it.
For Example – Cargo – Cargoes, Echo-Echoes, Hero- Heroes, Potato-Potatoes, Mango-Mangoes
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Case 8-
Nouns ending with “oo”, “eo”, “ee” or “io” take only “s” to make plural forms.
For Example– Bee -Bees, Bamboo-Bamboos, Tree-Trees, Zoo-Zoos, Studio-Studios
Case 9-
In some cases, few nouns form their plurals by a change of inside vowels.
For Example– Foot- Feet, Postman-Postmen, Watchman-Watchmen, Man-Men, Woman-Women
Case 10–
To make it in plural form, Some nouns add “en” in the singular form
For Example- Brother – Brethren, Child – Children
Case 11-
To make plural form of letters, figures, signs,symbols, we have to add apostrophe and “s” ie (‘s)
For example- M.A – M.A.’s
A – A’s
7 – 7’s
M.P – M.P ‘s
1990 – 1990s
Case 12 –
12) Few nouns have similar singular and plural forms.
Example– Fish-Fish, Hair-Hair, Sheep-Sheep, People – People
Case 13-
13) Few nouns look like they are plural but in actuality, they are in singular form.
Example– Scissors, Tongs, Spectacles, orders, Drawers, Trousers, Measles, Thanks.
Case 14-
Few nouns look in the plural form and they are used in the singular form.
Example- News, Mathematics, Physics.
Case 15 –
If the compound noun is made up of two nouns, the second noun is changed into plural form.
Step-Son (Singular) – Step-Sons (Plural)
Gentle-man (Singular) – Gentle-mans (Plural)
Case 16 –
If a compound noun is made up of two nouns and joined by prepositions then only the first noun is changed into plural forms.
Mother-in-law – Mothers in law
Son in law – Sons in law
Case 17-
Below compound nouns take double plurals
Man-Servant (Singular) – Men-Servants (Plural)
Lord Justice (Singular) – Lords – Justices (Plural)
Case 18-
Some compound words written without a hyphen become plural only by adding “s” to their singular form
Handful – Handfuls
Mouthful-Mouthfuls
Case 19 –
Miscellaneous Plurals
Singular Plural
Mr./Mister Messrs
I We
His/Her Their
Me Us
Miss Misses
My Our
He/She/It They
That Those
Mrs/ Madam Mesdames
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