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Ex. 3. Choose the required nouns from the list below and use them in the sentence in the plural. Translate the sentences.
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| adieu analysis bowler-hat cactus dug-out | memorandum Miss Spenlow Mr Norman pas | parenthesis Roman rickshaw stratum woman-writer |
1. The clerk's office of... Dodson and Fogg was a dark mouldy, earthly-smelling room. 2. She descended into his boat, followed by the continual... of Don Benito. 3. More than six hundred red-wheeled... rolled along the wide, level streets. 4. The... around certain items mean that those items are important. 5. Dr. Kronsky was never in doubt about his... of world conditions. 6. They sat in their.... 7. When in Rome, do as the... do. 8. Not two hundred miles away, men in their trenches were sheltering in their... from the bitter cold and the pitiless bombardment. 9. The castle was really a castle of the square embattled plan that... built everywhere. 10. The increase of... reacted on their connection with journalism. 11. They... added that if Mr Copperfield would do them the favour to call, they would be happy to hold some conversation on the matter. 12. Last night the laboratory was broken into, and several valuable papers and... were stolen. 13. The temperature of the lower... of the air was much higher. 14. These new... were not difficult to study, and soon Molly was whirling in the dancing crowd. 15. The crosses stuck up like long....
Uncountable Nouns
UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS have no Number, as they denote something having no definite limits, something which can't be counted. They are usually used in the singular form and agree with the verb-predicate in the singular.
1. The nouns hair, fruit, money are usually uncountable.
2. a) material and abstract nouns are usually uncountable. But abstract nouns become countable when they denote concrete instances, special aspects or manifestations of abstract notions. Material nouns become countable when they have the meaning of some sort of material.
E.g. Mr Brown was to choose between love and duty.
(uncountable)
My narrative proceeds to Agnes, with a thankful love.
(countable).
What he felt was in his chest – a sort of tearing asunder
the tissue there, by the two loves. (countable)
Finn the Red-Handed had stolen a quantity of half
curled leaf tobacco. (uncountable)
I like the tobaccos grown on the Volga. Give me a Volga tobacco. (countable)
Note: Only some abstract nouns always remain uncountable: weather, information, progress, news, advice, fun, luck, permission.
b) Material nouns may be used in the plural to render the meaning of wide expanses covered with this material: waters, sands, snows, etc. In such cases the plural expresses emphasis. E.g. I met him at a retired place of the sands, which I knew he would cross.
c) Material and abstract nouns become countable when they denote some person or object, such as a beauty 'a beautiful woman', a youth 'a young man', a talent 'a talented person', a success 'a lucky person', a nickel 'a 5 cent coin', a paper 'a newspaper'.
d) material nouns become countable when some limited portion or a unit of which the material consists is meant. E.g. a cheese " головка сыра"
a fruit " один фрукт"
a rock " камень, скала"
a hair " волосок"
e) The word fruit is used onlyin the plural in its figurative meaning. e.g. fruits of education
f) The word work is countable in the meaning of some writing, a work of art, or a test paper.
E.g. What a lovely work that was of yours!
Note: The word works is construed as the plural in the meaning of 'mechanism'. In the meaning of 'plant' the word works may be construed as the singular and as the plural.
E.g. The gas-works is (are) situated on the river.
g) The word time is countable in the meaning " раз". In the plural the word times often indicates a period of prevailing conditions.
E.g. Times were not what they had been.
3. Collective nouns may be uncountable: leafage, foliage " листва", brushwood " хворост", laundry " бельё для стирки", crockery " посуда", machinery, jewelry, traffic, humanity, mankind.
4. Many countable nouns are uncountable when they denote material, food: duck, lamb, egg, oak, beech.
E.g. Chicken is the best meat. (uncountable)
Count your chickens. (countable)
Nouns used only in the Plural
1. Nouns designating objects consisting of two similar halves: scales " весы", tongs " щипцы", pliers, scissors, spectacles, trousers, etc. But A pair of scissors is on the table.
2. Objects consisting of many parts: slums " трущобы", bowels [bau«lz], movables, goods, etc.
3. Some material nouns: victuals ['vitlz] " провизия", perishables " скоропортящиеся продукты", eats " еда", parings " очистки", leftovers " остатки", slops " помои", seconds " добавка".
4. Some abstract notions: tidings " новость", auspices [o: spisi: z] " покровительство", makings " необходимые качества для чего-л", nuptials " свадьба", belongings " владение", riches " богатство", a avings " сбережения", goings-on " поступки, поведение", specifics “matters to be decided exactly, details”.
5. Some collective nouns: people, police, infantry, cavalry, gentry, clergy, cattle, poultry, vermin, jury.
E.g. Five cattle
Note: Collective nouns family, committee, crew, squad, team, army, board, chorus, government, party, company, band, group, crowd, shop floor, corps de ballet [ko: d«'bQlei] etc. may be used both in the Singular and in the Plural. (mainly singular in American English)
E.g. Our family is large. (The whole family is meant as a
unit.)
Our family are early risers. (The members of it are
meant.)
Nouns with the Plural Ending -s Construed as the Singular
1. Names of games: dominoes, checkers, draughts, cards, billiards, ninepins, tenpins, etc.
2. Metonymic and metaphoric names of people with pejorative connotations: sawbones " хирург", lazybones " лодырь", butterfingers " растяпа, ротозей", sparks (old fashioned) “an electrician or a radio operator”.
E.g. The sawbones we met was a butterfingers.
3. Names of sciences ending in -s are normally used in the singular: linguistics, economics, physics, acoustics, optics, etc., but when they denote qualities, practical application or activities they are construed as the plural.
E.g. The acoustics of the room are horrible.
4. Names of diseases measles, mumps are usually used in the singular, but some speakers prefer the plural forms. Words like hysterics, staggers are used in the plural.
5. The words summons, canvas, alias are just regular countable nouns (summonses, canvases, aliases)
Nouns Used Only in the Plural and Their Homonyms Which May Be Used in the Singular As Well
| airs 'affected, superior manner' | air 'the mixture of gases that surrounds the earth and which we breathe. |
| attentions 'an act of politeness and kindness' | attention 'giving heed' |
| authorities 'those in authority' | authority 'power, moral supremacy' |
| colours 'flag' | colour 'tint' |
| contents 1) 'that which is contained in something' 2) 'a list in a book saying what the book contains' | content 1) (uncountable) 'the subject matter, esp. the ideas, of a book, speech, etc.' 2) (countable) 'the amount of the stated substance contained in something' |
| customs 'duties imposed by the government on imported or exported goods' | custom 'habit' |
| damages 'compensation for damage | damage 'injury or harm causing a loss' |
| defences (defenses) 'fortifications' | defence (defense) 'protection from an attack' |
| dilapidations BrE 'the money that one must pay for damage done to a furnished house that one has been renting' | dilapidation 'the state of being dilapidated' |
| effects 'personal property' | effect 'a result or condition produced by a cause' |
| irons 'fetters, shackles' | iron 'metal device for smoothing clothes' |
| looks 'personal appearance (especially pleasant) | look 'glance' |
| manners 'social behaviour' | manner ' a way in which a thing is done or happens' |
| pictures 'cinema' | picture 'painting, drawing, photograph' |
| premises 'a building with any surrounding land' | premise 'a statement or idea on which reasoning is based' |
| quarters 'lodgings' | quarter 'one fourth' |
| receipts 'money received by a business, bank, etc. | receipt ' a written statement that one has received money or the fact of receiving' |
Comparison Between Some English Nouns and Their Russian Equivalents
| English Singular | Russian Plural | Ukrainian Plural |
| 1) applause | аплодисменты | |
| 2) a clock | часы | |
| 3) cream | сливки | |
| 4) debate | дебаты, прения | |
| 5) fighting | бои | |
| 6) fruit | фрукты | |
| 7) election | выборы | |
| 8) evidence | улики | |
| 9) a gate | ворота (The form gates is used to denote more than one objects.) | |
| 10) gossip | сплетни (a gossip – " сплетник") | |
| 11) hair | волосы (a hair – " волосок") | |
| 12) information | сведения | |
| 13) ink | чернила | |
| 14) intelligence | сведения | |
| 15) knowledge | знания | |
| 16) money | деньги (The form moneys is used to denote different currencies.) | |
| 17) news | новости | |
| 18) progress | успехи | |
| 19) sledge | сани | |
| 20) a race | гонки, соревнования | |
| 21) a vacation | каникулы | |
| 22) a watch | часы | |
| 23) yeast | дрожжи | |
| 24) twilight | сумерки |
English Plural – Russian Singular – Ukrainian????
| amends – компенсация – |
| archives – архив – |
| arms – оружие – |
| ashes – пепел – |
| auspices – покровительство – |
| belongings – имущество – |
| binoculars – бинокль – |
| contents – содержание – |
| clothes – одежда – |
| credentials – рекомендация – |
| customs – таможня – |
| dividers – циркуль – |
| dregs – осадок – |
| eaves – карниз – |
| field-glasses – бинокль – |
| opera-glasses – бинокль – |
| goods – товар – |
| lodgings – квартира – |
| oats – овёс – |
| outskirts – окраина – |
| proceeds – доход – |
| quarters – квартира – |
| riches – богатство – |
| slums – трущоба – |
| stairs – лестница – |
| suds – мыльная пена – |
| sweepings – мусор – |
| tweezers – пинцет – |
| victuals – провизия – |
| wages – зарплата |
–
The words grapes, carrots, beets, potatoes, onions, radishes (when used collectively) E.g. The carrots are fresh from the kitchen-garden.
EXERCISES