Page 170 - English Grammar in Use

Unit
79 Singular and plural

A Sometimes we use a plural noun for one thing that has two parts. For example:

trousers (two legs) pyjamas glasses binoculars scissors
also jeans/tights/shorts/pants (top and bottom)
These words are plural, so they take a plural verb:
My trousers are too long. (not My trousers is)
You can also use a pair of + these words:
Those are nice jeans. or That’s a nice pair of jeans. (not a nice jeans)
I need some new glasses. or I need a new pair of glasses.

B Some nouns end in -ics, but are not usually plural. For example:
athletics gymnastics economics politics
physics electronics maths (= mathematics)
Gymnastics is my favourite sport. (not Gymnastics are)
News is not plural (see Unit 70B):
I have some news for you. It’s good news!
Some words that end in -s can be singular or plural. For example:
means a means of transport many means of transport
series a TV series two TV series
species a species of fish 200 species of fish

C Some singular nouns are often used with a plural verb. For example:
audience committee company family firm government staff team
These nouns are all groups of people. We often think of them as a number of people (= they),
not as one thing (= it). So we often use a plural verb:
The government (= they) have decided to increase taxes.
The staff at the company (= they) are not happy with their working conditions.
In the same way, we often use a plural verb after the name of a company or a sports team:
Shell have increased the price of petrol.
Italy are playing Brazil next Sunday (in a football match).
You can also use a singular verb (The government wants … / Shell has … etc.).
We use a plural verb with police:
The police are investigating the crime, but haven’t arrested anyone yet.
(not The police is … hasn’t)
Note that we say a police officer / a policeman / a policewoman (not a police).

D We do not often use the plural of person (‘persons’). We normally use people (a plural word):
He’s a nice person. but They are nice people. (not nice persons)
Many people don’t have enough to eat. (not Many people doesn’t)

E We think of a sum of money, a period of time, a distance etc. as one thing. So we use a singular verb:
Fifty thousand pounds (= it) was stolen in the robbery. (not were stolen)
Three years (= it) is a long time to be without a job. (not Three years are)
Two miles isn’t very far to walk.

158 American English ➜ Appendix 7