singular and plural

Special Rules for Singular and Plural Nouns and Verbs

In English, most nouns are easy: add -s for the plural, and use a plural verb. But some nouns are special. Here are important rules about singular and plural nouns and verbs.

1. Nouns with Two Parts: Trousers, Glasses, Scissors, etc.

Some everyday objects have two equal parts. These nouns are grammatically plural, even if we talk about only one item.

Common examples:

• trousers, jeans, shorts, leggings
• pyjamas
• glasses, sunglasses, binoculars
• scissors, pliers, tongs, headphones

Rule: Use a plural verb with these nouns.

• My glasses are on the table. (Mis gafas están en la mesa.)
• Those scissors are very sharp. (Esas tijeras cortan mucho.)
• His jeans are too tight. (Sus vaqueros le quedan demasiado ajustados.)

To talk about “one”, we usually say a pair of + plural noun.

• I bought a new pair of jeans. (Me he comprado unos vaqueros nuevos.)
• She needs a new pair of glasses. (Necesita unas gafas nuevas.)

We do not say a glass (for “eyeglasses”) or a trouser in this meaning.

2. Nouns Ending in -ics: Economics, Politics, etc.

Some academic subjects end in -ics. They usually take a singular verb when we think of them as a school subject or science.

Common examples: athletics, economics, mathematics (math), physics, politics, statistics.

• Economics is difficult for many students. (La economía es difícil para muchos estudiantes.)
• Mathematics is my favorite subject. (Las matemáticas son mi asignatura favorita.)
• Physics is very interesting. (La física es muy interesante.)

Sometimes these nouns can take a plural verb when we think about practical activities or opinions, especially with politics or statistics:

• The politics of this city are complicated. (La política de esta ciudad es complicada.)

But for most learners, it is safe to use a singular verb after -ics words when they are school subjects.

3. Nouns That Can Be Singular or Plural: means, series, species

Some nouns have the same form for singular and plural. The verb tells us if they are singular or plural.

Important examples:

• means (a method or way / methods or ways)
• series (one TV series / several series)
• species (one species / many species)

Use a singular verb when the idea is singular:

• This means is very effective. (Este medio es muy eficaz.)
• This series is my favorite show. (Esta serie es mi programa favorito.)
• This species is in danger of extinction. (Esta especie está en peligro de extinción.)

Use a plural verb when the idea is plural:

• These means are not enough. (Estos medios no son suficientes.)
• Both series are on Netflix. (Las dos series están en Netflix.)
• Many species are disappearing. (Muchas especies están desapareciendo.)

4. Collective Nouns and “the police”

Some singular-looking nouns refer to a group of people. They are called collective nouns.

Common examples: audience, committee, company, family, government, staff, team.

We can use a singular or a plural verb, depending on how we see the group:

• The team is winning. (El equipo va ganando.) – the team as one unit
• The team are arguing among themselves. (Los miembros del equipo están discutiendo entre sí.) – thinking of the members
• My family is big. (Mi familia es muy grande.) – one group
• My family are all coming to the wedding. (Todos los de mi familia vienen a la boda.) – many people

In American English, a singular verb is more common when we talk about the group as a whole, but the plural verb is also possible, especially in informal speech.

“The police”

Police is special. It refers to a group and is grammatically plural. We use a plural verb:

• The police are investigating the case. (La policía está investigando el caso.)

We do not say a police. We say:

• a police officer (un/a agente de policía)
• two police officers (dos agentes de policía)

5. “Person” and “People”

The normal plural of person is people.

• There is one person in the room. (Hay una persona en la habitación.)
• There are three people in the room. (Hay tres personas en la habitación.)

Persons exists, but it is rare and sounds very formal or legal (for example in official notices or laws). For everyday English, use people.

6. Money, Time and Distance as One Unit

When we talk about an amount of money, a period of time, or a distance as a single unit, we usually use a singular verb.

Money

• Fifty thousand pounds is a lot of money. (Cincuenta mil libras es mucho dinero.)
• Two hundred dollars is enough. (Doscientos dólares es suficiente.)

Time

• Three years is a long time. (Tres años es mucho tiempo.)
• Ten minutes is not enough. (Diez minutos no es suficiente.)

Distance

• Two miles is not very far. (Dos millas no es muy lejos.)
• One hundred kilometers is a long way. (Cien kilómetros es un largo camino.)

In all these cases, we see the amount as one thing, so we use a singular verb.