Number - Gender - Noun-Parts Of Speech-ESL/Learn English Grammar

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NUMBER:


[Sidenote: Definition.]


35. In nouns, number means the mode of indicating whether we are

speaking of one thing or of more than one.


36. Our language has two numbers,--_singular_ and _plural_. The

singular number denotes that one thing is spoken of; the plural, more

than one.


37. There are three ways of changing the singular form to the

plural:--


(1) By adding _-en_.


(2) By changing the root vowel.


(3) By adding _-s_ (or _-es_).


The first two methods prevailed, together with the third, in Old

English, but in modern English _-s_ or _-es_ has come to be the

"standard" ending; that is, whenever we adopt a new word, we make its

plural by adding _-s_ or _-es._




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