Is `pair of’ followed by a singular or plural verb?

You normally use `a pair of’ when you are talking about two things which are of the same size and which are used together – for example, shoes, gloves, etc. When used in this manner, it can be followed by a singular or a plural verb.

*The pair of gloves I liked was not for sale. *The man put on a pair of black shoes that were in the veranda.

But it is preferred to use singular verb rather than plural:
A pair of scissors is in the drawer. (NOT A pair of scissors are in the drawer.)

Source: ‘Know Your English’ (The Hindu) – September 04, 2006.

Why do we say `five star hotel’ and not `five stars hotel’?

This is because `star’ is functioning as an adjective, and not as a noun. You can say that you saw `Five stars shining in the sky.’ But when a noun like hotel follows the word `star’, you say, `I had dinner in a three star hotel’. You do not say, `three stars hotel’. Similarly, you say, `I want five rupees’. But when the word `rupees’ is followed by the noun `coin’ or `note’, you say, `I need a five rupee coin/note’. You do not say, `five rupees note’. Joggers talk about a `twenty-mile marathon’, and not a `twenty miles marathon’.

Which is correct? `A small percentage of the students is worked up about the fee hike’ or `A small percentage of the students are worked up……..’?

People who are fond of grammar would argue that when the word `percentage’ is preceded by the definite article `the’, then the verb is usually singular. It doesn’t really matter if the noun preceding the verb is singular or plural.
*The percentage of students from Delhi is relatively small.
Although the noun (`students’) is plural, the verb that follows (`is’) is singular.
*The percentage of people willing to participate keeps decreasing every year.

When you talk about `a percentage’, on the other hand, it can be followed by a singular or plural verb. It depends on the noun which follows `percentage’.
*A very small percentage of the students are from Delhi.
*I’m told that a small percentage of Padma’s income goes to charity.

Source: ‘Know Your English’ (The Hindu) – August 07, 2006 

Noun : Number

Singular Noun Definition:  When a noun means one only, it is said to be singular.
Examples:  boy, girl, book, church, box
Plural Noun Definition:  When a noun means more than one, it is said to be plural.
Examples:  boys, girls, books, churches, temples
Rule #1
The plural of nouns is usually formed by adding - s to a singular noun.
Exercise:  Write the plural of each of these nouns



Rule #2
Nouns ending in s, z, x, sh, and ch form the plural by adding - es.
Special Note:
If you add - s to such nouns as fox, bush, and bench, you will find that you cannot pronounce them without making an additional syllable.  This is why such nouns form the plural by adding - es.


Rule #3
Nouns ending in - y preceded by a consonant is formed into a plural by changing - y to - ies.  But this has exception, see rule #4 for that.
Examples:  lady, ladies; city, cities; army, armies

Rule #4
Nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel form their plurals by adding - s.
Example:  boy, boys; day, days



Rule #5
Most nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant is formed into a plural by adding es.  Example:  hero; heroes; grotto, grottoes

*may add - s or - es


Special Note:
Most nouns ending in o preceded by a vowel is formed into a plural by adding - s.
Example:  folio, folios; cameo; cameos; studio, studios; portfolio, portfolios

Rule #6
Some nouns ending in f or fe are made plural by changing f or fe to - ves.
Example:  beef, beeves; wife, wives

The following form their plurals by adding - s.

chief, chiefs	fife, fifes	mischief, mischiefs	hoof, hoofs
roof, roofs	grief, griefs	kerchief, kerchiefs	safe, safes

IRREGULAR PLURALS

man, men	foot, feet	mouse, mice
woman, women	tooth, teeth	louse, lice
child, children	ox, oxen	goose, geese

The following nouns have no singular:

scissors	oats	tongs	dregs
trousers	pinchers	bellows	snuffers
cattle	shears	measles	mumps
victuals	tweezers	vespers

Some nouns are always singular.  Some of these nouns may be used in the  plural when different kinds are meant as sugars, coffees, cottons

gold	silver	wheat	corn
molasses	copper	sugar	cotton

Singular nouns use this and that.
Plural nouns use these and those.

Noun : Gender

In general there is no distinction between masculine, feminine and neuter in English nouns. However, gender is sometimes shown by different forms or different words.

Ways of forming masculine and feminine pairs:
There are three ways of forming the Feminine of Nouns:

(1) By using an entirely different word:
eg. Boy - Girl

(2) By adding a syllable (-ess, -ine, -trix, -a, etc) as,
Baron - Baroness

(3)  By placing a word before or after as:
grandfather - grandmother

(1) By using an entirely different word:

(2) By adding a syllable :
ess is used for many words, eg. governor goes to governess ... and so on, but there are other like trix or adding a. So let's see how it is done:
(a.) -trix, in a few Nouns taken directly from the Latin: as,-
Masculine               Feminine
administrator            administratrix
executor                   executrix
testator                     testatrix

(b) -en, an old feminine suffix of which only one pure English example remains : vix-en (0. E. fixen ; Germ. fuchsin), she-fox; hence, a spiteful woman.
To this head belong also-
Masculine            Feminine
hero                      heroine (Greek)
landgrave              landgravine (German)
margrave               margravine (German)
comedian              comedienne (French)

(c.) -ster, an old English ending, of which only one example is now in use as feminine : spin-ster-(lit.she that spins; viz. with the spinning-wheel); an unmarried woman.   Also song-ster was originally feminine, so that song-str-ess has two feminine endings. In like manner semp-str-ess from the verb seam, has two feminine endings.

Note. But (the termination -ster came to be used as a masculine. This appears in such old words as brewster, huckster, maltster, tapster.

(d.) -a in a few Romance words:-
Masculine                        Feminine
don                                   donna (Italian)
infant                                 infanta(Spanish)
signor                               signora (Italian)
So- sultan                     sultana

13 rules to using Apostrophes

Rule 1. Use the apostrophe with contractions. The apostrophe is always placed at the spot where the letter(s) has been removed.
Examples: don't, isn't
You're right.
She's a great teacher.

Rule 2. Use the apostrophe to show possession. Place the apostrophe before the s to show singular possession.
Examples: one boy's hat
one woman's hat
one actress's hat
one child's hat
Ms. Chang's house
NOTE: Although names ending in s or an s sound are not required to have the second s added in possessive form, it is preferred.
Mr. Jones's golf clubs
Texas's weather
Ms. Straus's daughter
Jose Sanchez's artwork
Dr. Hastings's appointment (name is Hastings)
Mrs. Lees's books (name is Lees)

Rule 3. Use the apostrophe where the noun that should follow is implied.
Example: This was his father's, not his, jacket.


Rule 4. To show plural possession, make the noun plural first. Then immediately use the apostrophe.
Examples: two boys' hats
two women's hats
two actresses' hats
two children's hats
the Changs' house
the Joneses' golf clubs
the Strauses' daughter
the Sanchezes' artwork
the Hastingses' appointment
the Leeses' books

Rule 5. Do not use an apostrophe for the plural of a name.
Examples: We visited the Sanchezes in Los Angeles.
The Changs have two cats and a dog.

Rule 6. With a singular compound noun, show possession with 's at the end of the word.
Example: my mother-in-law's hat

Rule 7. If the compound noun is plural, form the plural first and then
use the apostrophe.
Example: my two brothers-in-law's hats

Rule 8. Use the apostrophe and s after the second name only if two people possess the same item.
Examples:
Cesar and Maribel's home is constructed of redwood.

Cesar's and Maribel's job contracts will be renewed next year. (Indicates separate ownership.)
Cesar and Maribel's job contracts will be renewed next year. (Indicates joint ownership of more than one contract.)

Rule 9. Never use an apostrophe with possessive pronouns: his, hers, its, theirs, ours, yours, whose. They already show possession so they do not require an apostrophe.

Examples:This book is hers, not yours.
Incorrect: Sincerely your's.

Rule 10. The only time an apostrophe is used for it's is when it is a contraction for it is or it has.
Examples: It's a nice day.
It's your right to refuse the invitation.
It's been great getting to know you.

Rule 11. The plurals for capital letters and numbers used as nouns are not formed with apostrophes.

Examples:She consulted with three M.D.s.
BUT
She went to three M.D.s' offices.
The apostrophe is needed here to show plural possessive.
She learned her ABCs.
the 1990s not the 1990's
the '90s or the mid-'70s not the '90's or the mid-'70's

She learned her times tables for 6s and 7s.
Exception: Use apostrophes with capital letters and numbers when the meaning would be unclear otherwise.
Examples: Please dot your i's.
You don't mean is.
Ted couldn't distinguish between her 6's and 0's.
You don't mean Os.

Rule 12. Use the possessive case in front of a gerund (-ing word).
Examples: Alex's skating was a joy to behold.
This does not stop Joan's inspecting of our facilities
next Thursday.

Rule 13. If the gerund has a pronoun in front of it, use the possessive form
of that pronoun.
Examples: I appreciate your inviting me to dinner.
I appreciated his working with me to resolve the conflict.

Acronym, Homonym, Antonym, Synonyms

Antonyms, synonyms, homonyms and acronyms are common grammatical terms. These activities will help students to remember the meanings of these similar sounding words.

Antonyms

From Greek anti- (against, opposing) and onoma (name).
Antonyms are word pairs with opposite meanings. eg. hot / cold

Synonyms

From Greek syn- (together, same) and onoma (name)
Synonyms are words that have the same or nearly the same meaning.
eg. generous - altruistic, benevolent, gracious

Homonyms

From Greek homos (same) and onoma (name).
Homophones are groups of words that are pronounced the same way but which differ in meaning or spelling or both. For example: bare/bear, where bare means naked and bear means to show patience or an animal.

Acronyms

From Greek akros (tip, end) and onoma (name)

An acronym is a pronounceable name made from the initial letters of a group of words. Acronyms are often used as abbreviations and are generally written in capitals.

eg.
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

Collective nouns

There are vast range of collective nouns, some are used for many animals or groups like herd, while some are specific to particular group.
So lets first look at the common nouns, common to many groups:
herd - herd can be used of all grass eating animal groups mainly, eg. cattle, elephant, asses, buffalo, caribou ( a type of reindeer) ,

troop - baboon, apes, dogfish ( a dogfish is a small bottom-dwelling shark with a long tail)

colony - auk ( a short winged seabird) , beavers, ant, badgers ( a mammal from weasel family) , bats,