AVOID MISTAKES IN THE USE OF NOUNS

MISTAKES IN THE USE OF NOUNS AND NOUN PHRASES

Read the following passage:
I love antique furnitures, but I would need an advice from an expert before I bought any. My knowledges in that area are very poor.
The words in bold - furnitures, advice, knowledges in the above passage are wrongly used. They are Uncountable Nouns. They don't take -s (Plural form) after them in the meanings with which they are used here.

Advice means 'counsel' which is an abstract noun. A / An is not used before them, but we can use some/any / a piece of an item of a lot of before these words.
Hence the passage should read… ….
I love antique furniture, but I would need a piece of advice from an expert before I bought any. My knowledge in that area is very poor.

Some other Uncountable Nouns which follow the same rule are : scenery, information, news, alphabet, luggage, diesel, wheat, sugar, water, milk, weather, poetry, politics, imagery, toothpaste, etc.

Observe the following sentences:
Don't say
I have seen some beautiful sceneries in Ramoji Film City.
I wish I had a better news for you.
She bought a toothpaste. Can you read the Urdu alphabets?

Say

 I have seen some beautiful scenery in Ramoji Film City.
I wish I had better news for you.
She bought a tube of toothpaste.
Can you read the Urdu alphabet?

Some Nouns are always used in the Plural and take a Plural Verb. The common ones are:
glasses (spectacles), goods, trousers, shorts, jeans, shoes, contents, surroundings, police, premises, savings, thanks, etc
Wrong Statements;

Here is your glasses!
Have you seen the table of content of this textbook?
The police is investigating the case.
Look at the man in blue jean.
Right Statements

Here are your glasses!
Have you seen the table of contents of this textbook?
The police are investigating the case.
Look at the man in blue jeans.

Some Nouns look Plural in form but they are used as Singular Nouns. Some of them are:
Economics, Physics, Civics, gymnastics, athletics, measles, mumps, politics, news, series, etc.

Wrong Stametents

There were a series of programmes to mark the Telangana Formation Day on 2nd June.
Athletics are given more importance now-a-days.
Mumps are a kind of disease.

Right Statements

There was a series of programmes to mark the Telangana Formation Day on 2nd June.
Athletics is given more importance now-a-days.
Mumps is a kind of disease.
> Nouns expressing number and weight when preceded by numerals are not used in Plurals...
Five dozen apples / mangoes; ten kilo weight; twenty thousand rupees; a four mile race ...

This box has twelve dozens apples.
This box has twelve dozen apples.

I received five thousands rupees from the Manager.

I received five thousand rupees from the Manager.

The athlete ran a four-miles race.

The athlete ran a four-mile race.

> Some Nouns and their correct use.

 

Wrong statements;

She is my cousin sister.
There is a scarcity of man-servants nowadays.
Many passer-bys observed the accident.

Most male deers have horns like antlers.

Right Statements;
She is my cousin.
There is a scarcity of men-servants nowadays.
Many passers-by observed the accident.
Most male deer have horns like antlers.
Beware of making false Plurals!
Women teachers but lady doctors, house maids, Commanders-in-chief, men of war but tooth-brushes, Lieutenant Governors and maid servants.
Nouns connected in meaning should be clearly shown.
a. A black and white dog is following me. (One dog)
b. A black and a white dog are following me. (Two dogs)
c. The Principal and the Chairperson have attended the meeting. (Two persons)
d. Many a man was cheated in this way.
e. Eight hundred rupees is too much for a pen.
There is one more rule which we should remember.....
The Rule of Proximity is that things that are associated in thought should be associated as closely as possible in expression.
When the Subject consists of two or more Nouns, some in Singular and some in Plural, remember the Principle of Proximity i.e., whichever phrase comes last determines the number of the Verb.
This is a safe rule.
i. Neither he nor his wife has arrived.
ii. More than a thousand workers are working in the Lab.
iii. More than one person is working in this Lab.
Now, correct the mistakes in the following sentences and rewrite the sentences.
1. The news of the earthquake have spread like wildfire.
2. Keep your surrounding clean.
3. The man in blue jean is my brother.
4. The first inning is over.
5. We must express thank to those who help us.
6. Economics are an interesting subject.
7. Athletics are an interesting sport.
8. Measles are a dangerous disease.
9. Ocean sands are not used for construction.
10. The sceneries of Darjeeling are very beautiful.
11. C.V.Raman's knowledges of all branches of physics are abnormal.
12. Mouses have spoiled the crop.
13. There are five womans in the team.
14. We should wash our foots before coming into the house.
15. He has many sheeps.

Answers to the above statements

1.      The news of the earthquake has spread like wildfire

2.      Keep your surroundings clean.

3.      The man in blue jeans is my brother.

4.      The first innings is over.

5.      We express thanks to those who help us.

6.      Economics is an interesting subject.

7.      Athletics is an interesting sport.

8.      Measles is a dangerous desease.

9.      Ocean sand is not used for construction.

10.  The scenery of Darjeeling is very beautiful.

11.  C.V. Raman’s knowledge of all branches of Physics is abnormal.

12.  Mice have spoiled the crop.

13.  There five women in the team.

14.  We should wash our feet before coming into the house.

15.  He has many sheep.