English Grammar Common errors in nouns| Exercises | Notes

ERRORS IN USE OF NOUNS

1. Nouns which are used in singular form
(i) Scenery, information, furniture, advice,machinery, stationery, news, poetry, business, mischief, fuel, issue, repair, bedding!
e.g. The scenery of this place is worth seeing.
He has received no information so far.

(ii) Physics, Mathematics, Economics, Classics, Ethics, Athletics, in ings, gallows.
e.g. Economics is a very interesting subject.
The indian team defeated the Australian by an innings.

(iii) Brick, bread, fruit, word (as ‘promise’)
e.g. Let me buy some fruit.
He is true to his word.

(iv) Words like dozen, score, hundred, thousand, million when preceded by a numeral.
e.g. He bought ten dozen oranges.
I have four pair of shoes.

(v) Expressions as a ten-rupee note, a two-hour journey, a four-mile walk, a Five-year plan, a six-man committee etc.
e.g. A ten-rupee note is lying there.

2. Nouns used only in plural form

(i) Cattle, police, poultry, people, gentry, peasantry, artillery.
e.g. The police have caught the thief.
Cattle are grazing in the field.

(ii) Scissors, trousers, stockings, spectacles, shorts, alms, remains, riches, goods, measles.
e.g. My scissors are very sharp.
My spectacles are missing.

3. Nouns used both as singular and plural in the same form

(i) Dear, sheep, fish, apparatus, wages. e.g. The wages of sin is death.
The wages of the workers have been raised. I saw a sheep grazing in the field.
Sheep are sold cheaper than goat.

(ii) Collective nouns as jury, public, team, audience, committee, government, audience, congregation, orchestra.
e.g. The team are looking quite fit.

 4.Use of Collective Nouns

• crowd of people                                         • mob of angry people
• herd of cattle/cows                                   • fleet of ships/cruisers
• team of players                                          • pack of wolves
• flight of birds                                             • pack of cards
• bouquet of flowers                                    • loaf of bread
• heap of corn                                                • stock of grain
• class of pupils                                             • bunch of grapes
• Shoal/school of fish                                  • bundle of sticks
• army of soldiers                                         • flock of sheep
• crew of sailors                                             • herd of lions
• swarm of bees                                             • garland of beads
• gang of thieves                                            • library of books
• pile of books                                                • hoarde of nomads
• block of flats

5. One of or any of is followed by plural words.
e.g. I want one of the hooks kept on the table.
Any of these tools may serve the purpose

6.Plural nouns are used with fractions and decimal over 1.
e.g. It took us one and a half hours