What are plural nouns?

Most of you already know about countable and uncountable nouns, I’m sure. But did you know there’s a third group of nouns called plural nouns? That’s what today’s post is about so keep reading to learn more.

Grammar explanation
First, here’s a quick reminder of the differences between countable and uncountable nouns. It’s not just about whether I can count it or not.

Countable nouns:

• can be counted and used with numbers - one chair, two chairs, three chairs etc
• have a singular (one) and plural (more than one) form, usually made by adding -s (with some exceptions, as already mentioned)
• can be used with “a” - “a job”, “a sheep”, “a pea” - because “a” means “one”.
• can take the singular or plural form of the verb - “the job is …” and “the jobs are …”
• can be used with “many” - “how many peas …?”

Uncountable nouns:

• can’t be used with numbers
• have only one form so you can’t add -s or anything else to make a plural
• can’t be used with “a”. Don’t say “a work” for example.
• take the singular form of the verb - “the work is …” and never “are”
• can be used with “much” - “how much fruit …?”

It’s important to remember these differences first so you can fully understand what a plural noun is and how it’s a bit like a countable noun in some ways but a bit like an uncountable noun in other ways.
 
Plural nouns:

• can’t be used with numbers (like uncountable nouns)
• have only one form which is always plural (NOT like countable or uncountable nouns)
• can’t be used with “a”. Don’t say “a scissor” for example (like uncountable nouns)
• take the plural form of the verb - “the clothes are …” (like a plural countable noun)
• can be used with “many” - “how many clothes …?” (like countable nouns)

You see in some ways they are like countable nouns and in other ways they are like uncountable nouns. So it's better to treat them as a third type of noun.

Some common plural nouns
Clothing
clothes, trousers, jeans, pants, shorts, dungarees, pyjamas, tights, boxers, leggings

Eyewear
glasses, sunglasses, goggles, binoculars

Tools
scissors, tweezers, pliers, tongs, forceps, shears, headphones, handcuffs, scales

Money
earnings, savings, funds, riches, proceeds, assets, valuables, outgoings

Feelings
blues, hysterics, jitters, creeps, ups and downs, guts (courage), likes and dislikes    

Greetings
thanks, congratulations, regards, condolences

Other
outskirts, surroundings, leftovers, remains, arms (weapons), looks, manners, optics, bygones, belongings, premises, odds (chances), bagpipes, customs (at the airport), credentials, goods, headquarters, shenanigans, amends, roadworks, cattle, police

It’s important to understand that some words in English have more than one meaning. A noun can be a plural noun with one meaning but countable or uncountable when used with a different meaning.

For example, if “glasses” means things to drink from, then this is a countable noun. But if “glasses” means what you wear to see more clearly, then it’s a plural noun.

If you talk about the money you have in the bank, that’s your “savings” and it’s a plural noun. If you get a discount when you buy something, you can make “a saving” so this is a countable noun.

Example sentences

• It took some guts for you to finally tell him what you thought of him! (guts = courage)
• My earnings are lower than my outgoings at the moment.
• I’m always nervous when I go through customs, even though I don’t have anything illegal in my luggage!
• It’s bad manners to talk with your mouth full. (It’s bad manners = it’s rude)
• The police are doing everything they can to catch the arms dealer.
• He’s got the blues. His girlfriend dumped him. (got the blues = depressed)
• I used to live on the outskirts of Cambridge. (outskirts = the edge of the city)
• They had to show their credentials before they were allowed on the premises. (credentials = documents to prove who you are, premises = the land and buildings used by an organisation)
• What are the odds of him passing this exam? (odds = chances)
• This old house really gives me the creeps. (it scares me)
• Give my regards to your parents when you next speak to them.
• Step on the scales, please. Let’s see how much you weigh.
• She decided she wasn't going to put up with his shenanigans any longer and ended the relationship.
• Life certainly has it's up and downs, doesn't it?
• I always get the jitters before a job interview. (jitters = nervous feeling)

These are NOT plural nouns
Here are the most common mistakes I see when I ask learners for examples of plural nouns.

1. people, series, species
These are NOT plural nouns. They are countable nouns with irregular plurals. One person, two people. One series, two series. One species, Two species. They are not always plural.
Example: I’m watching a new series on Netflix at the moment.

2. mumps, measles, politics, economics, gymnastics, news, debris, checkers, kudos
These are NOT plural nouns. They are uncountable nouns and take the singular verb (for example "is" not "are"). Don’t be confused by the -s on the end.
Example: The news is so depressing. Let’s watch something else.

3. shoes, socks, boots, skates, legs, curtains, chopsticks, lips, contact lenses
These are NOT plural nouns. They are things that come in pairs but you can say one shoe, one sock and so on, so they are not always plural.
I can only find one shoe! Where’s the other one?

You might also like these two posts:
Crazy countable and uncountable nouns
Regular and irregular plurals
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