Bangladesh University of Professionals

Some extraordinary singular – plural forms of nouns

Singular nouns with an ‘s' ending

By nature some nouns are singular with ‘s’ at the end and function 3rd person singular number.

category words pronunciation meaning

measles / ˈmiː.zlz / An infectious disease which produces small red spots all over the body.
disease A fatal disease of the nervous system of dogs and other animals, which can
rabies /ˈreI.biːz/ also cause death in humans who are bitten by an animal with this disease
mumps /mVmps/

category words pronunciation meaning

Economics /ˌi:.k@ˈnQm.Iks /
Ethics /ˈeT.Iks/
Linguistics /lIŋˈgwIs.tIks/
academic Politics /ˈpQl.I.tIks/
subjects Physics /ˈfIz.Iks/
Gymnastics /dZImˈnæs.tIks/
Mathematics /ˌmæθˈmæt.Iks/
Civics /ˈsIv.Iks/

category words pronunciation meaning

dominoes /ˈdQm.I.n@Us/
games darts /dA:ts/
cards /kA:ts/

Binary noun

A binary noun is a word for something made of two parts that form the whole which has no singular form.
These words always follow plural forms of verbs.

words pronunciation meaning

scissors /ˈsIz.@z/ a device used for cutting materials such as paper, cloth and hair
a small piece of equipment made of two narrow strips of metal joined at one end. It is
tweezers /ˈtwi:.z@z/ used to pull out hairs or ………………
tongs /tQNz/ a device used for picking up objects,
pinchers, pincers /ˈpIn.tS@z/, /ˈpIn.s@z/ is required to pinch, cut or pull an object. Pincers are first-class levers,
shears /SI@z/ very large scissors
dregs /dregz/ the small solid pieces that sink to the bottom of some liquids
bellows /ˈbel.@Uz/ a tool used to blow air, especially into a fire to make it burn better
an instrument resembling a pair of scissors for trimming the wick or extinguishing the
snuffers /ˈsnVf@z/ flame of a candle
trousers /ˈtraU.z@z/
pants /p&nts/
panties /ˈp&n.tIz/

Collected and Prepared by/S. M. Wahiduzzaman/Assistant Professor (adjunct)/BUP/2018/sm.wzaman77@gmail.com

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goggles /ˈgQg.lz/
glasses /ˈglA:s.Iz/
binoculars /bIˈnAk.jU.l@z/
a feeling of nervousness which you experience before something important happens.
jitters /ˈdZIt.@z/ Example: I always get the jitters the morning before an exam.
oats /@Uts/
victuals /ˈvIt.@lz/ food and drink

Plural Nouns from Other Languages (anglicized)

Singular with ‘um’ pronunciation plural with ‘a/ia’ pronunciation application

1. One bacterium can multiply into
bacterium /bækˈtI@.ri.@m/ bacteria /bækˈtI@.ri.@/ millions. 2. Bacteria multiply rapidly.
/ˈdeIt@/, /ˈdA:t@/, 1. Each datum matches the location
datum /ˈdeItVm/ data 2. These data are the focus of another
/ˈd&t@/ report
1. The Internet is the newest medium.
medium /ˈmiː.di.@m/ media /ˈmiː.di.@/ 2. The media is everywhere.
curricula (Latin) /k@ˈrIk.jU.l@/, 1. Each school should have a curriculum.
curriculum /k@ˈrIk.jU.l@m/ 2. We have all Curricula.
/curriculums (AmE) /k@ˈrIk.jU.l@mz/
A mistake in a printed or written
erratum /IˈrA:.t@m/, /erˈA:.t@m/ errata /IˈrA:.t@/, /erˈA:.t@/ document
phylum /ˈfaI.l@m/ phyla /ˈfaI.l@/ A main division in a taxonomic
one of the parts or layers into which
stratum /ˈstrA:.t@m/ strata /ˈstrA:.t@/ something is separated
symposium /sImˈp@U.zi.@m/ symposia /sImˈp@U.zi.@/

News is the aggregate of all the reports of the day; therefore it's uncountable, singular. Merriam-Webster online describes the word as “noun
plural but singular in construction.” So it takes verbs in singular form: Is there any news?The term “social media” is both singular and plural
in modern English usage. The word “media” is traditionally a plural because “medium” is the singular.

Some apophonic /ˌ&.pəˈfɒ.nɪk/ plurals:

{In linguistics, apophony (also known as ablaut, (vowel) gradation, (vowel) mutation, alternation, internal modification, stem modification, stem alternation,
replacive morphology, stem mutation, internal inflection etc.) is any sound change within a word that indicates grammatical information (often inflectional)}

The plural is sometimes formed by simply changing the vowel sound of the singular

Singular with ‘on’ pronunciation Plural with ‘a’ pronunciation Application

criterion /kraIˈtI@.ri.@n/ criteria /kraIˈtI@.ri.@/ one criterion, several criteria
phenomenon /fIˈnQmIn@n / phenomena /fIˈnQmIn@ / a natural phenomenon, natural phenomena
automaton /O:ˈtQm.@.tn / automata /O:ˈtQm.@.t@ /
epyllion /epˈIl.i.Qn / epyllia /epˈIl.i.@ /

Singular with ‘is’ pronunciation plural with ‘es’ pronunciation application

analysis /@ˈn&l.@.sIs/ analyses /@ˈn&l.@.si:z/ psychological analysis, componential analysis,
financial analyses
crisis /ˈkraI.sIs/ crises /ˈkraI.si:z/ the oil crisis, a financial crises, the economic
crisis, many financial crises, many lives crises
hypothesis /haIˈpQT.@.sIs/ hypotheses /haIˈpQT.@.si:z/ the basis for the hypothesis
the bases of the hypotheses
thesis / ˈTi:.sIs/ theses /ˈTi:.si:z/

Collected and Prepared by/S. M. Wahiduzzaman/Assistant Professor (adjunct)/BUP/2018/sm.wzaman77@gmail.com

 Bangladesh University of Professionals
antithesis /&nˈtIT.sIs/ antitheses /&nˈtIT.si:z/
axis / ˈ&k.sIs/ axes / ˈ&k.si:z/
amanuensis /@ˌmæn.juˈen.sɪs/ amanuenses /@ˌmæn.juˈen.si;z/
basis / ˈbeI.sIs/ bases / ˈbeI.si:z/
catharsis /k@ ˈTA:.sIs/ catharses /k@ ˈTA:.si;z/
*chassis / ˈS&.sI/, / ˈtS&.sI/ *chassis / ˈS&.si:z/, / ˈtS&.si:z/ Each chassis was delivered
All the cars' chassis were defective.
dermatosis /d3:m@ˈt@UsIs/ dermatoses /d3:m@ˈt@Usi:z/ Dermatosis is a skin diseases
Dermatoses are the skin diseases
diagnosis /daI@gˈn@UsIs/ diagnoses /daI@gˈn@Usi:z/ a diagnosis report
many diagnoses reports
dialysis /daIˈ&l@sIs/ dialyses /daIˈ&l@si:z/ a dialysis machine
all dialyses machines
ellipsis /IˈlIpsIs/ ellipses /IˈlIpsi:z/
emphasis / ˈem.f@.sIs/ emphases / ˈem.f@.si:z/
genesis / ˈdZen.@.sIs/ geneses / ˈdZen.@.si:z/ What is the genesis of the diseases?
What are the geneses of these diseases?
meiosis / maIˈ@U.sIs/ meioses / maIˈ@U.si:z/
nemesis / ˈnem.@.sIs/ nemeses / ˈnem.@.si:z/
neurosis /njU@ ˈr@U.sIs/ neuroses /njU@ ˈr@U.si:z/
oasis /@U ˈeI.sIs/ oases /@U ˈeI.si:z/
paralysis /p@ ˈr&l.@.sIs/ paralyses /p@ ˈr&l.@.si:z/
phasis / ˈfeI.sIs/ phases / ˈfeI.si:z/
synapsis /sI ˈn&p.sIs/ synapses /sI ˈn&p.si:z/
synthesis / ˈsIn.T@.sIs/ syntheses / ˈsIn.T@.si:z/

Singular with ‘us’ pronunciation Plural with ‘i’ pronunciation Meaning

a straight line joining the centre of a circle to its
radius /ˈreI.di.@s/ radii /ˈreI.di.aI/ edge
/ˈfVN.gaI/, /ˈfVn.dZaI/,
fungus /ˈfVN.g@s/ fungi
/ˈfVN.gi:/, /ˈfVn.dZi:/
someone who has left a school, college or
alumnus /@ˈlVm.n@s/ alumni /@ˈlVm.naI/ university after finishing their studies there
bacillus /b@ˈsI.l@s/ bacilli /b@ˈsI.li/ a bacterium
cactus /ˈk&k.t@s/ cacti, cactus /ˈk&k.taI/, /ˈk&k.t@sIz/
*corpus /ˈkO:.p@s/ corpuses, corpora /ˈkO:.p@sIz/, /ˈkO:.p@r@/ The collection of a single writer's work
focus /ˈf@U.k@s/ foci, focuses /ˈf@U.saI/, /ˈf@U.k@.sIz/
syllabus /ˈsIl.@.b@s/ syllabi, syllabuses /ˈsIl@.baI/, /ˈsIl@.b@sIz/

Singular with ‘ex/ix’ pronunciation Plural with ‘es/ices’ pronunciation Meaning

appendixes, /@ˈpen.dIksIz/,
appendix /@ˈpen.dIks/
appendices /@ˈpen.dIsi:z/
indexes,
index /ˈIn.deks/ /ˈIn.deksIz/, /ˈIn.dIsi:z/
indices
/ˈmeI.trIks/, matrixes, /ˈmeI.trIksIz/, /ˈm&.trIksIz/
matrix
/ˈm&.trIks/ matrices /ˈmeI.trIsi:z/, /ˈm&.trIsi:z/
apex /ˈeI.peks/ apexes, apices /ˈeI.peksIz/, /ˈeI.pIsi:z/
an ancient book which was
codex /ˈk@U.deks/ codexes, codices /ˈk@U.deksIz/, /ˈk@U.dI.si:z/ written by hand

Collected and Prepared by/S. M. Wahiduzzaman/Assistant Professor (adjunct)/BUP/2018/sm.wzaman77@gmail.com

 Bangladesh University of Professionals
Singular with ‘o’ pronunciation Plural with ‘i’ pronunciation Meaning
graffito /gr@ˈfi:.t@U/ graffiti /gr@ˈfi:.ti/ Drawings in public places

concertos , /k@nˈS3:.t@Uz/, A long piece of music for one or more main solo
concerto /k@nˈS3:.t@U/ instruments and an orchestra
concerti /k@nˈS3:.ti/
virtuoso, /ˌv3:.tjuˈ@U.s@Us/, A person who is extremely skilled at something,
virtuoso /ˌv3:.tjuˈ@U.s@U/ especially at playing an instrument or performing
virtuosi /ˌv3:.tjuˈ@U.si/

Singular with ‘a’ pronunciation Plural with ‘ae’ pronunciation Meaning

alumna /@ˈlVm.n@/ alumnae /@ˈlVm.ni:/ a female alumnus
antenna /&nˈten@/ Antennae, antennas /&nˈten@z/, /&nˈteni:/ aerial (RADIO)
vita /ˈvi:t@/, /ˈvaIt@/ vitae /ˈvi:taI/, /ˈvaIti:/ a curriculum vitae

Others

Singular pronunciation Plural with pronunciation Meaning

aircraft /ˈe@.krA:.ft/ aircraft /ˈe@.krA:.ft/
beau /b@U/ beaus /b@Us/ Boy friend, devotee
bison /ˈbaI.sn/ bison, bisons /ˈbaI.sn/, /ˈbaI.snz/
die /daI/ die, dies /daI/, /daIs/
deer /dI@/ deer /dI@/
fish /fIS/ fish, fishes /fIS/, /fISIz/
foot /fUt/ feet /fi:t/
goose /gu:s/ geese /gi:s/
sheep /Si:p/ sheep /Si:p/
shrimp /SrImp/ shrimp, shrimps /SrImp/, /SrImps/

Some singular and plural indefinite pronouns

Singular indefinite pronouns Plural indefinite pronouns

When they come in front of nouns, the nouns do not
have plural ‘s’ endings. When they come in front of nouns, the nouns
words pronunciation have plural ‘s’ endings.
one /wVn/ words pronunciation
no one /ˈn@U.wVn/ both /b@UT/
few /fju:/
nobody /ˈn@U.b@.dI/
a few /@ fju:/
nothing /ˈnVT.IN/ many /ˈmen.i/
anyone /ˈen.I.wVn/ several /ˈsev.@r.l/
anybody /ˈen.IˌbQ.di/ some /sVm/
anything /ˈen.I.TIN/ all /O:l/
everyone /ˈev.rI.wVn/
everybody /ˈev.rIˌbQ.di/
everything /ˈev.rI.TIN/
someone /ˈsVm.wVn/
somebody /ˈsVm.b@.dI/
something /ˈsVm.TIN/
each /ItS/
either /ˈaI.D@/
neither /ˈnaI.D@/

Collected and Prepared by/S. M. Wahiduzzaman/Assistant Professor (adjunct)/BUP/2018/sm.wzaman77@gmail.com

 Bangladesh University of Professionals
Special tips:

If any singular indefinite pronoun follows ‘of’, it refers plural number. In this case, the noun after ‘of’ becomes
plural but verb becomes singular.

one of 2 or more
every one of 2 or more
each of 2 or more
either of 2or more
neither of 2 or more
Examples:
1) One of my brothers works in Army.
2) Every one of my friends is coming to the Pohela Baishak fair.
3) Either of the two books has a CD.
4) Neither of the films sounds worthwhile to me.

Non-Count Nouns:
There are some nouns we can only measure by weight and quantity but cannot count. We do not add ‘s’ at the end
for making it plural. No matter how much of it we refer, it always acts as singular noun. So in present tense, it’s verb
takes ‘s’ at the end. But if any countable plural determiner comes before the measurement, it becomes plural. i.e.
two cups of oil………

The following is a list of commonly-used nouns:

admiration /ˌæd.məˈreɪ.ʃᵊn/ health integration

butter electricity
foolishness /ˈfuː.lɪS.n@s/
heat intelligence
advice
chemistry enjoyment
fun
help irritability
air
cheese entertainment
furniture
homework isolation
architecture
clothing estimation
fusion
honesty jargon
assistance
comprehension equipment
garbage
housework junk
baggage
conservation ethics
generosity
housing knowledge
blame
correspondence evidence
gravity
ignorance laughter
boredom
courage evolution
happiness
immigration legislation
bravery
darkness excitement
hardware
information leisure
bread
economics fame

Collected and Prepared by/S. M. Wahiduzzaman/Assistant Professor (adjunct)/BUP/2018/sm.wzaman77@gmail.com

 Bangladesh University of Professionals
literature salt
luck scenery
luggage shopping
machinery significance
mail slang
math sleet
mathematics snow
merchandise software
momentum status
money superiority
music survival
news traffic
nonsense transportation,
objectivity violence
oxygen wealth
participation weather
patience wisdom
pay work
peace
permission
physics
poetry
pollution
postage
poverty
precipitation
precision
prestige
pride
productivity
progress
propaganda
psychiatry
psychology
rain
recreation
relaxation
reliability
research
rice
sadness
safety

Collected and Prepared by/S. M. Wahiduzzaman/Assistant Professor (adjunct)/BUP/2018/sm.wzaman77@gmail.com