Practice
Grammatical number: singular and plural forms
One report is ready, but two reports are ready. The extra letter on the noun is easy to notice; the change from is to are matters just as much. Together, those changes show grammatical number.
Identify grammatical number in a noun phrase and choose noun, determiner, and verb forms that agree in singular or plural sentences.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
grammatical number /ɡrəˈmætɪkəl ˈnʌmbər/
The short answer
Use singular forms for one person, thing, place, or idea, and plural forms for more than one. Make related determiners, pronouns, and verbs agree with the noun or subject.
The new policy affects every department.
Why it works: Policy is singular, so the verb affects is singular. Every also points to members one at a time, even when the group is large.
5 more examples
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A visitor has signed in at reception.
Visitor is a singular countable noun, and has agrees with that one visitor.
Not this:
Several visitors havesigned in at reception. What changes: Visitors is plural, so have replaces has. -
This analysis needs one more source.
Analysis is singular. This and needs match a single analysis.
Not this:
These analyses needone more source each. What changes: Analyses is the irregular plural, so these and need are required. -
The list of applicants is on the desk.
The subject is list. Applicants is inside an of phrase and does not control the verb.
Not this:The
applicants on the list arewaiting outside. What changes: Here applicants is the subject, so the plural verb are is correct. -
The equipment is stored securely.
Equipment is normally uncountable when it refers to tools or machines generally.
Not this:
The machines arestored securely. What changes: Machines is a countable plural noun and takes are. -
Every member receives a copy of the agenda.
Every is followed by a singular countable noun and a singular verb.
Not this:
All members receivecopies of the agenda. What changes: Members is plural, so the sentence uses receive and copies.
Read the full guide
Number involves more than spelling. It helps a reader see how many people or things a sentence is about, and it guides verb agreement. Start with the noun that controls the phrase rather than the nearest noun you happen to see.
Find the noun that controls the phrase
The head noun is the central noun in a noun phrase. It usually controls number. Extra words before or after it can add detail, but they do not necessarily change agreement.
The summary of the interviews is useful.
Summary is the head noun, so the singular verb is is correct. Interviews is plural but belongs to an of phrase.
Which noun controls the verb in The box of old photographs was heavy?
Box controls was. The photographs are inside the box, but they are not the subject of the sentence.
Build regular plural nouns carefully
Most countable nouns form a plural with -s. Nouns ending in sounds such as s, sh, ch, x, or z often add -es. Spelling rules help, but the important next step is agreement.
One workshop begins at nine; two workshops begin at ten.
The noun changes from workshop to workshops, and the verb changes from begins to begin.
Complete the phrase: three ___ are available this afternoon.
Use classes: three classes are available this afternoon.
Learn irregular plurals as word families
Some frequent nouns do not use the regular -s pattern. Treat each singular-plural pair as connected vocabulary, and practise it with an agreeing verb rather than as an isolated spelling list.
One criterion is missing, but the other criteria are clear.
Criterion becomes criteria. The plural verb are confirms that the sentence refers to more than one standard.
Which form fits the plural meaning: one person, two ___?
Use people. The pair person and people is irregular.
Separate countable and uncountable meanings
A noun can be uncountable when it names material, information, or an abstract idea as a whole. These nouns commonly take a singular verb. To count them, use a unit word such as piece, item, or bit when that meaning is natural.
Useful information is available on the noticeboard.
Information is uncountable here, so it does not become informations and it takes is.
How can you count individual items of information?
Say two pieces of information, then use the plural verb are with pieces.
Make determiners and verbs agree
Number appears across a whole noun phrase. This, that, every, and each normally introduce singular countable nouns. These, those, many, and several introduce plural countable nouns.
Each proposal has a clear purpose.
Each treats proposals one by one, so proposal and has are singular.
Several proposals have clear purposes.
Several requires a plural countable noun and the plural verb have.
Choose the natural phrase: this documents or these documents?
Use these documents because documents is plural.
Before you go
Remember this
Grammatical number marks one or more than one. Check the head noun, choose its singular or plural form, and make the determiner and verb agree with it. Watch for irregular plurals, uncountable nouns, and long phrases that place another noun near the verb.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Grammatical number: singular and plural forms"
What does grammatical number mean in English?
Grammatical number shows whether a noun phrase refers to one or to more than one. English mainly contrasts singular and plural forms. Number also affects related words, including determiners and verbs, so it helps a reader understand the structure of a sentence.
A visitor has signed in at reception.
How do I know which noun controls the verb?
Find the head noun of the subject phrase. In a phrase such as the list of applicants, list is the head noun, so a singular verb is needed. A plural noun after of, with, or another preposition often adds information but does not control the main verb.
Several visitors have signed in at reception.
Why do irregular plurals need extra attention?
Irregular plurals do not follow the usual -s pattern, so their spelling can hide their number. Learn pairs such as person and people or analysis and analyses with a short sentence. That practice links the noun form to the determiner and verb it needs.
This analysis needs one more source.
Are information and equipment plural nouns?
Usually no. Information and equipment are normally uncountable when they refer to a general amount, so they take singular grammar. When you need to count them, use a natural unit phrase, such as a piece of information or an item of equipment.
These analyses need one more source each.
Can a group noun take a plural verb?
Sometimes. A group noun such as team or committee can take singular agreement when the group acts as one unit. In some varieties of English, a plural verb is also possible when the members are acting separately. Choose the intended meaning and keep the sentence consistent.
The list of applicants is on the desk.