Practice
What is a singular noun? Meaning and examples
A colleague sends one report. A shop has one entrance. A plan needs one clear goal. The nouns report, entrance, and goal are singular because each one names a single person, place, thing, or idea.
Identify singular nouns and choose a determiner that matches one person, place, thing, or idea.
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
singular noun /ˈsɪŋɡjələr naʊn/
The short answer
Use a singular noun when you mean one person, place, thing, or idea. With a singular countable noun, add a determiner when the sentence needs one: a message, an hour, the message, this message, or my message.
The manager read a message before the meeting.
Why it works: Message is singular because the manager read one message. A introduces one message that is not already identified for the listener.
5 more examples
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A visitor asked for a map at the station.
Visitor is singular because the sentence begins with one person. A introduces one visitor without identifying that person further.
Not this:
Two visitorsasked for maps at the station. What changes: Visitors and maps are plural because the sentence names more than one of each. -
An engineer checked the elevator before work began.
Engineer is singular. An comes before a singular countable noun that begins with a vowel sound.
Not this:
Engineerschecked the elevators before work began. What changes: The plural form removes an and adds the plural ending because the sentence refers to several engineers. -
This document needs one signature.
Document is singular, and this points to one document close to the speaker or current discussion.
Not this:
These documentsneed three signatures. What changes: These and documents are plural because more than one document is involved. -
Her idea solved a problem for the team.
Idea is singular. Her identifies whose one idea the sentence means.
Not this:
Her ideassolved several problems for the team. What changes: Ideas and problems are plural because the sentence refers to more than one of each. -
The child carried one box into the room.
Child is a singular noun with an irregular plural form: children.
Not this:
The childrencarried boxes into the room. What changes: Children is the plural of child, even though it does not end in -s.
Read the full guide
Start by asking how many people, places, things, or ideas the noun names. If the answer is one, use a singular noun form. Then check the word before the noun. Countable singular nouns usually need a determiner, so English normally says a chair, the chair, or my chair rather than only chair.
Count one item
A singular noun names one item. It can name a person, place, thing, or idea. Check the meaning before you look at the spelling. If you mean one supervisor, one office, one key, or one reason, you need a singular noun.
One customer waited near the door.
Customer is singular because the sentence names one person.
Which noun is singular: customer or customers?
Customer is singular. Customers is plural.
Choose a or an for one new item
Use a or an before a singular countable noun when you introduce one item and do not need to identify it. Choose a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. The sound matters more than the first written letter.
She booked an appointment for Monday.
Appointment begins with a vowel sound, so an is the right article.
Complete the phrase: ___ university course.
Use a university course because university begins with a /j/ sound, like you.
Use the when the listener can identify it
Use the with a singular noun when the listener knows which item you mean from the situation or earlier information. You can introduce a noun with a or an, then use the when you mention that same item again.
I found a receipt. The receipt was under the desk.
A receipt introduces one receipt. The receipt refers back to that same receipt.
Choose the article for a file both speakers can see: a or the?
Use the file because both speakers can identify the same file.
Point to one thing
This and that also go with singular countable nouns. Use this for one thing near the speaker or current discussion. Use that for one thing farther away or less immediate. Both words answer the question which one?
This folder belongs on the top shelf.
This identifies one particular folder. These would be needed for more than one folder.
Complete the sentence for one item: ___ chair is broken.
Use this chair or that chair, depending on which one you point to.
Notice irregular and uncountable nouns
Most plural nouns add -s or -es, but some nouns change form. Child becomes children, person becomes people, and mouse becomes mice. Uncountable nouns work differently. Information and advice can refer to an amount, but English does not normally use a or an before them.
The child asked for a piece of advice.
Child is one person. Advice is uncountable, so a piece of makes one countable unit.
Which phrase is standard: an advice or a piece of advice?
Use a piece of advice. Advice is usually uncountable.
Before you go
Remember this
A singular noun names one person, place, thing, or idea. First decide whether you mean one. Then choose the determiner that fits the meaning: a or an for one unspecified item, the for an identified item, this or that for one pointed-out item, and a possessive word for one owned item.
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 "What is a singular noun? Meaning and examples"
Does every singular noun need a or an?
No. A singular countable noun usually needs a determiner, but the determiner can be the, this, that, my, your, one, or another word. Use a or an when you mean one unspecified countable item. Proper names and many uncountable nouns follow different patterns.
A visitor asked for a map at the station.
How do I choose between a and an?
Choose by the first sound, not only the first letter. Use a before a consonant sound, as in a user or a university. Use an before a vowel sound, as in an email or an hour. Say the phrase aloud if the spelling makes the choice unclear.
Two visitors asked for maps at the station.
Can a singular noun end in s?
Yes. Some singular nouns end in s, including news, series, and mathematics. The form alone does not always show the number. Check the meaning and the verb. For example, the news is surprising refers to one body of information, not several separate news items.
An engineer checked the elevator before work began.
Why is child singular but children plural?
Child has an irregular plural form. English does not make every plural by adding -s or -es. Learn common irregular pairs as complete pairs: child and children, person and people, and mouse and mice. The singular form names one; the plural form names more than one.
Engineers checked the elevators before work began.
Are information and advice singular nouns?
Information and advice are usually uncountable nouns. They can refer to one kind or amount of something, but English does not normally use a or an directly before them. To count one unit, say a piece of information or a piece of advice.
This document needs one signature.