Lecture Notes #7 - Grammar Inggris: Kapan sih, Harus Pakai PLURAL dan SINGULAR?

Waktu beres-beres buku yang dipakai pas kuliah dulu, saya menemukan catatan yang diberikan guru SMA saya yang menurut saya super berguna. Asiik! Setelah sempat hilang, ternyata catatan ini nggak kebuang meski udah bertahun-tahun lewat. Biar bentuknya udah compang-camping kayak capcay, selembar kertas yang diketik pakai mesin tik jadul itu akan jadi panduan yang okeh saat saya lupa atau bingung mengenai bagaimana cara pakai bentuk plural/singular. Aturannya cukup banyak, jadi kalau tidak ingin lupa perlu baca lagi secara berkala. Sebelum catatan ini hilang lagi, wkwk, saya coba salin di bawah aaahhh:

a. A lot, most, the last, more, some and part of any fraction like half, etc. take a plural verb when used with a plural countable noun:

A lot of students like the way that he writes.
Most of the buildings were destroyed during the earthquake.
The last of the pandas are now in captivity.

When they are used with uncountable nouns, the above take a singular verb:

A lot of wheat is imported from North America.
Most of the water in the village is obtained from wells.
The last of the bread has been eaten.

b. Some words do not have a plural form. They always take a singular verb:

advice-baggage-equipment-following-despair-knowledge-luggage-machinery-information-pay-produce-progress-nonsense-behaviour-cash-scenery-grief-mail-news-traffic-furniture-entertainment-clothing-common sense

The agricultural produce of the country has increased considerably in recent years.
The professor's advice is always heeded by his students.
His knowledge of the law has gained him wide respect.

c. The nouns people, public, cattle, police and clergyare used with plural verbs:

The people of Switzerland are called Swiss.
The public have been warned that littering the streets is an offence.
The cattle are usually branded by their owners.
The police are combing the area for the kidnappers.
The clergy are in favour of the plan to build another church in this area.

d. When collective nouns like family, team, audience, committee, government, etc. are used to mean a single unit, they take a singular verb. But when the words are used to mean individuals, they take a plural verb:

That family has moved to a new house. (singular)
The Drake family are fond of fishing. You can always see them going fishing on Sundays. (plural)
The team is practising hard for the next match.(singular)
The team are going to buy their own equipment for the match. (plural)
The committee has fixed the meeting for next Monday. (singular)
The committee feel that it is time that they do something for the Handicapped Children's Home. (plural)
The government has decide to pass the new budget. (singular)
The government have been debating this issue for a long time, but they have not reached a decision yet. (plural)

e. Words like the poor, the young, the rich, the old, etc. are always used with plural verbs:

The young feel that they are greatly misunderstood by their parents.
The poor are given Social Welfare assistance every month.

f. Some words are plural in form but singular in number. As such they are used with singular numbers:

Economics is an interesting subject.
Rabbies is a disesase which causes madness in dogs.
Measles is caused by a virus.
The New York Times is a daily newspaper in New York.
The United Nations was established in 1945.
Billiards is an indoor game.

g. Words like means can be used with either a singular verb or a plural verb:

All the means that I have tried were ineffective.
The means that I took was a simple, direct one.

When means refers to income, a plural verb is used:

His chief means of income are from his tea estates.

h. When hundred, thousand, and million are used alone, an s is added to the end of each word. However, when a few, several or any number preceded the word, no s is added:

I saw hundreds of ants in that bowl of sugar.
There are millions of people living in the capital city.
The diamond ring cost thousands of pounds.
The insurance policy is worth several thousand pounds.
His typewriter cost more than two hundred pounds.
He invested a few million pounds in the project.

i. Amount, distances and number can be taken as single units if used as subjects:

Two is enough.
Twenty-five dollars is too much to pay for that shirt.
Sixteen kilometres isn't enough time to finish this test.
Fifty minutes isn't enough time to finish this test.

But:

Two watches have been stolen from her locker.
There are 365 days in a year.

j. Titles and names of countries are singular:

The Netherlands is the home of windmills and tulips.
Genting Highlands is a holiday resort.
"The Brother Karamazov" is an exciting novel.

k. Along with, accompanied by, with, together with, like, as well as do not add to the number (only and adds to the number) >> perhatikan bahwa kata-kata tersebut ada di dalam tanda koma:

The boy, with ten others in the bus, was late for school.
Sari, like Alice, is tall for her age.
Mustapha, as well as his brother, has been invited to the party.
Mr Robbins, accompanied by his wife and children,is arriving tonight.

But:

The actress and her manager are going to a party tonight.

l. Either and neither are singular if they are not used with or and nor:

If either of you takes a vacation now, we will not be able to finish the work.

Either or, neither nor can be either singular or plural:

Either you or your brother has to come.
Neither my friends nor my relatives are interested in helping her.

m. None, no can take either a singular or plural verb depending on the noun which follows it:

None of the goals were saved by the goalkeeper.
None of the counterfeit money has been found.
No examples are relevant to this case.
No example is relevant to this case.

n. In the "one of those" statements, the verb in the second part of sentence is always plural:

He is one of those who try very hard.
She is one of those who sing well.

o. A number of / the number of:

>> a number of + plural noun + plural verb .....

>> the number of + plural noun + singular verb .....

A number of students are going to the class picnic.
The number of days in a week is seven.
The number of residents who have been questioned on this matter is quite small.

p. Nouns that are always plural. The following nouns are always considered plural. They cannot be singular. In order to speak of them as singular, one must say: a pair of ...

trousers-spectacles-binoculars-tweezers-pyjamas-shears-glasses-pliers-jeans-pants-scissors-shorts-goods-tongs-italics

The pants are in the drawer.
A pair of pants is in the drawer.
The pliers were on the table.
A pair of pliers was on the table.

Collective nouns:

congress-organization-government-class-audience-staff-luggage-family-team-jury-crowd-band-litter-group-army-club-public-herd-tribe-majority*-committee-minority-board-crew-troop

*Majority: if it is alone it is usually singular; if it is followed by a plural noun, it is usually plural:

The majority believes that we are in no danger.
The majority of the students believe him to be innocent.