singular-only noun + singular verbUse singular verb forms with these nouns. Do not add a plural verb just because the meaning feels plural.
Singular-Only and Plural-Only Nouns
B1Some nouns take only singular grammar: news, advice, furniture. Others take only plural grammar: scissors, trousers, police.
What you'll learn
- Use singular verbs with nouns like news, advice, and furniture.
- Count singular-only nouns with piece expressions.
- Use plural verbs with nouns like scissors, trousers, and police.
- Use pair of to count two-part objects.
- Recognize common singular-only and plural-only nouns fast.
Structure
a piece of / an item of + singular-only nounUse a counting phrase when you need one item or a number. Do not say an advice or three furnitures.
plural-only noun + plural verbUse plural verb forms with these nouns. Do not use a or is directly with them.
a pair of + plural-only nounUse pair of to count one object. If pair is the subject, the verb agrees with pair: This pair of jeans is new.
Build a sentence
Noun
Frame
The newsissurprising
The news is surprising.
News takes a singular verb: is.
When to use
One whole idea
Use singular grammar when the noun names information, advice, furniture, or other stuff as a whole: The news is bad.
Amount and number
When you need to count, add a counting phrase: a piece of advice, two pieces of furniture, some information.
Clothes and tools
Use plural grammar for objects with two matching parts: These scissors are sharp. His trousers are too long.
People as a group
Some group nouns behave as plural-only in everyday English: The police are outside the building.
Markers
newsadvicefurnitureinformationscissorstrousersjeanspolice
Common mistakes
Wrong
The news are very good today.
Correct
The news is very good today.
News takes singular verb grammar.
Wrong
Tom gave me an advice.
Correct
Tom gave me a piece of advice.
Advice is not counted directly with a or numbers.
Wrong
They bought two new furnitures.
Correct
They bought two new pieces of furniture.
Furniture does not take a regular plural form for counting.
Wrong
Her trousers is too long.
Correct
Her trousers are too long.
Trousers takes a plural verb.
Wrong
Lisa needs a scissors.
Correct
Lisa needs some scissors.
Do not use a directly before scissors.
Wrong
This pair of scissors are sharp.
Correct
This pair of scissors is sharp.
The subject is pair, so the verb is singular.
Common misconceptions
❝ If a noun ends in -s, it must take a plural verb. ❞
Not always. News ends in -s but takes a singular verb: The news is bad.
❝ Any noun can take a, an, or a number directly before it. ❞
Some nouns need a counting phrase: a piece of advice, two pieces of furniture.
❝ A pair of always takes a plural verb because the object has two parts. ❞
When pair is the subject, the verb is singular: That pair of jeans is expensive.
Skills in this rule (5)
USE_SINGULAR_VERB_WITH_SINGULAR_ONLY_NOUNSw5Use a singular verb with singular-only nouns
Nouns like news, advice, and furniture take singular verb forms. Treat them as one whole idea, not as many separate items.
USE_SOME_PIECE_OF_FOR_SINGULAR_ONLY_NOUNSw5Count singular-only nouns with piece expressions
Use some, a piece of, or an item of when you need to talk about amount. Do not put a or a number directly before nouns like advice or furniture.
USE_PLURAL_VERB_WITH_PLURAL_ONLY_NOUNSw5Use a plural verb with plural-only nouns
Nouns like scissors, trousers, and police take plural verb forms. Even one object uses a plural verb unless you add a pair of.
USE_PAIR_OF_FOR_TWO_PART_OBJECTSw4Use pair of with two-part objects when you count them
For scissors, trousers, jeans, and similar objects, use a pair of for one and two pairs of for more than one. The verb follows pair when pair is the subject.
SPOT_COMMON_SINGULAR_ONLY_AND_PLURAL_ONLY_NOUNSw3Recognize common nouns that are singular-only or plural-only
Notice high-frequency nouns that do not behave like regular count nouns. Use the noun pattern to choose the verb and the quantity phrase.