Nouns used only in the singular

There are certain nouns in English that are used only in the singular form. When these nouns are the subjects of the sentences the predicates expressed by the verbs are always in singular. To the class of singular invariable nouns belong:

1. All uncountable nouns: (See 3/3.4)

a. Material nouns – tea, sugar, rice, silver, oil, butter, beer, sail, etc.

As it has been mentioned above these nouns may have plural forms with a specific meaning:

e.g. cheeses – kinds of cheese,

beers – two glasses or cans of beer

two coffees – two cups of coffee

☼ Note that this variant is generally used in colloquial speech, whereas in learned and literature English ‘two glasses of beer’, ‘different kinds of cheese’, ‘two cups of coffee’ is preferred. (See 3.4/D)

b. Abstract nouns: music, fear, anger, foolishness, sleep, etc.

2. some proper nouns ending in –s:

The Thames, Algiers, Athens, Brussels, Flanders,

Marseilles, Naples, Wales, the United nations, the United

States, The Netherlands

3. some diseases ending in –(e)s though singular in meaning:

measles (корь), mumps (свинка), rickets (рахит), shingles

(краснуха)

4. some games:

billiards, bowls (гольф), dominoes, draughts (шашки)

☼ Note: When these nouns are used attributively no plural form is observed:

e.g. Four men brought a green billiard table in and