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b. Concrete or Abstract Nouns A concrete noun is a word for a physical object that can be
perceived by the senses – we can see, touch, smell the object flower, girl.
An abstract noun is a word for a concept – it is an idea that exists in our
mind only beauty, justice, mankind. c. Countable or Noncountable Nouns
A countable noun can usually be made plural by the addition of –s
one girl, two girls. A noncountable noun is not used in the plural. Mass nouns form one type of noncountable noun. They are words for concrete
objects stated in a n undivided quantity coffee, iron. Abstract nouns including names of school subjects and sports are noncountable.
d. Collective Nouns
A collective noun is a word for a group of people, animals, or objects considered as a single unit. Examples of collective nouns are
audience, committee, class, crew, crowd, enemy, faculty, family, flock, folk, government, group, herd, jury, majority, minority, nation, orchestra,
press, public, team.
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3. Irregular Plural Nouns
The general rule for writing the plural of English nouns is to add s to the singular form cat
– cats, marble – marbles. However, Frank mentioned a number of exceptions due to its further complicated rules:
a. After a sibilant sound spelled as s, z, ch, sh, x, es is added classes, churches, dishes. However, if final ch is pronounced [k], only s is
added monarchs, stomachs, epochs. b. After y preceded by a consonant, the y is changed to i and es is added
lady – ladies, country – countries. If final y is preceded by a vowel,
no change is made attorney – attorneys, valley – valleys.
c. In one-syllable words, final f or fe becomes ves in the plural wife –
wifes, leaf – leaves, thief – thiefes. However, some such words take
the regular s ending chief – chiefs, roof – roofs.
d. After final o, es is sometimes added, especially in some common words heroes, Negroes, echoes, potatoes. If a vowel precedes the
final o, or if the word is a term used in music, only s is added studios, zoos, pianos, sopranos. Sometimes, the es alternates with a less
common s ending cargoes or cargos, mottoes or mottos, volcanoes or volcanos.
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Marcella Frank, Modern English: a Practical Reference Guide, New York: Prentice Hall, inc. 1972. p.6-7
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e. Irregular plurals based on older English may take the form of: a an internal change man
– men, foot – feet, mouse – mice. b an en ending child
– children, ox – oxen. f. The plural has the same form as the singular sheep
– sheep, deer – deer.
g. The singular has the same form as the plural series – series, means –
means h. Many foreign words retain their foreign in English:
a Singular us ending becomes plural i ending stimulus – stimuli,
radius – radii.
b Singular a ending becomes plural ae ending larva – larvae,
vertebra – vertebrae.
c Singular um ending becomes plural a ending memorandum –
memoranda, stratum – strata. Some such words are used chiefly in
the plural data, bateria. d Singular is ending becomes es ending crisis
– crises, parenthesis – parentheses.
e Singular on ending becomes plural a ending criterion – criteria,
phenomenon – phenomena.
f Singular ex or ix ending becomes ices ending vortex – vortices,
matrix – matrices, appendix – appendices.
g Singular eau ending becomes plural eaux ending bureau –
bureaux, plateau – plateaux.
i. No plural is used for noncountable words such as information, advice, clothing, furniture.
j. Some words ending in s are singular non countable words, especially names of diseases and fields of study news, measles, economics.
k. Some words ending in s are used chiefly as plurals ashes, brains, goods, riches. In this group are words for items that have two parts
scissors, spectacles, pliers, trousers.
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From the classifications above, it can be said that irregular nouns which have their „uniquely different‟ ways compared with the regular nouns between
their singular and plural forms comprise those of abstract and concrete nouns that can be either countable or uncountable ones.
30
Ibid, p.13-14
