[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_layout=”light”]<\/p>\n
It is tempting to think of plurals as a simple concept that is always the same in every language. After all, it\u2019s just a matter of counting. Once you get to two, you need a plural. But English behaves otherwise! Some English words look plural but are singular in meaning. Don\u2019t let an s<\/em> at the end trip you up! Instead, learn how these false plurals work.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.106″ show_divider=”on” background_color=”#e02b20″ height=”3px” \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_layout=”light”]<\/p>\n The literal meaning of crossroads<\/em> is where two roads intersect<\/em>. It can also mean turning point<\/em>. In both cases, it keeps the final s even in the singular: I was at a crossroads in my career (J\u2019\u00e9tais \u00e0 un tournant de ma carri\u00e8re<\/em>).<\/p>\n When customs<\/em> refers to inspections at the border, the word is always singular: Customs is very strict about alcohol (La douane surveille de pr\u00e8s les entr\u00e9es d\u2019alcool<\/em>).<\/p>\n When the s<\/em> is dropped, this noun becomes an adjective meaning \u201cunkind\u201d or \u201cmedian.<\/em>\u201d To keep the meaning of resources<\/em> or method<\/em>, the s<\/em> must stay, even in the singular: This is just a means to an end (Il ne s\u2019agit l\u00e0 que d\u2019un moyen d\u2019arriver \u00e0 mes fins<\/em>).<\/p>\n The news is bad (Les nouvelles sont mauvaises<\/em>). Anything related to the concept of information<\/em> is always singular in English. Don’t be fooled by the final s<\/em> in news<\/em>, which is indeed a singular noun.<\/p>\n The literal meaning of outdoors<\/em> is on the other side of the doors<\/em>, but often it implies any place away from human habitation. You also hear the great outdoors <\/em>and out-of-doors<\/em>. All of these expressions always remain singular: The great outdoors has real appeal for tourists (La nature rev\u00eat un grand int\u00e9r\u00eat pour les touristes<\/em>).<\/p>\n Despite its final s<\/em>, savings<\/em> can be singular: This price represents a savings of $100 (Ce prix repr\u00e9sente une \u00e9conomie de 100 $<\/em>). It is also encountered in the plural: We enjoyed great savings on all our purchases (On a fait de belles \u00e9conomies sur tous nos achats<\/em>).<\/p>\n Even when it\u2019s clear from the context that the subject is singular, series<\/em> always has an s<\/em> on the end: The BBC has just launched a new series (La BBC vient de lancer une nouvelle s\u00e9rie<\/em>).<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a fun word guaranteed to make an impression! Shambles <\/em>means mess<\/em> or chaos<\/em>, and is always preceded by the indefinite article a<\/em>: The room was a shambles (La pi\u00e8ce \u00e9tait sens dessus dessous<\/em>); What a shambles! (Quelle pagaille!<\/em>); The city was a shambles after the earthquake (La ville pr\u00e9sentait un spectacle de d\u00e9vastation apr\u00e8s le tremblement de terre<\/em>).<\/p>\n Another example that can go either way: Three species of birds live on the island (Trois esp\u00e8ces d\u2019oiseau habitent l\u2019\u00eele<\/em>); Scientists have discovered a new species (Les scientifiques ont d\u00e9couvert une nouvelle esp\u00e8ce<\/em>).<\/p>\n A holdover from the English genitive, the singular ways <\/em>is used mostly in the expression a ways to go<\/em> (du chemin \u00e0 faire<\/em>). Despite its strange appearance, it\u2019s more common than you might think. Look it up on the Internet and you\u2019ll find tens of thousands of examples.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”3.0.106″ show_divider=”on” background_color=”#e02b20″ height=”3px” \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_layout=”light”]<\/p>\n Plural lookalikes appear in other contexts, too.<\/p>\n Examples are plentiful: physics (physique<\/em>), gymastics (gymnastique<\/em>), economics (\u00e9conomie<\/em>), mathematics (math\u00e9matiques<\/em>), politics (politique<\/em>), aerobics (a\u00e9robie<\/em>), athletics (athl\u00e9tisme, sport<\/em>), linguistics (linguistique<\/em>), logistics (logistique<\/em>), and so on. Each of these is a singular noun.<\/p>\n Countries are always considered a single entity, even if the name looks plural. One such case is the United States<\/em>: The United States is a world power (Les \u00c9tats-Unis sont une puissance mondiale<\/em>). Other examples are the Philippines<\/em>, the Virgin Islands<\/em> (les \u00eeles Vierges<\/em>), the Bahamas<\/em>, etc.<\/p>\n This category includes measles (la rougeole<\/em>), mumps (les oreillons<\/em>), herpes (l\u2019herp\u00e8s<\/em>), rabies (la rage<\/em>), and even the creeps (la chair de poule<\/em>) and the jitters (la frousse <\/em>or le trac<\/em>). These last two do not often appear as the subject of a verb and are sometimes treated as plurals.<\/p>\n Any quantity of things or amount of money, however high or low, is singular: Two hundred dollars is enough (Deux cents dollars suffiront<\/em>). English only uses a plural verb if each element is considered separately: Two hundred five-dollar bills were on the table (Deux cents billets de cinq dollars se trouvaient sur la table<\/em>).<\/p>\n Last, a word that isn\u2019t even a noun, but that has an intriguing final s<\/em> all the same: unawares<\/em>. As you know, without an s<\/em> unaware is an adjective meaning uninformed<\/em> in the sense of not knowing<\/em>: He was unaware of the danger (Il \u00e9tait inconscient du danger<\/em>); I am not unaware that\u2026 (Je ne suis pas sans savoir que\u2026<\/em>) So where does this s<\/em> come from, given that English adjectives don\u2019t agree with their nouns? It\u2019s actually an adverb that means without being aware of<\/em> and it\u2019s used mostly with the verb to catch<\/em>: He was caught unawares (On l\u2019a pris au d\u00e9pourvu or \u00e0 l\u2019improviste<\/em>). A subtle nuance!<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Some English words look plural but are singular in meaning. Don\u2019t let an s at the end trip you up!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCrossroads<\/h4>\n
Customs<\/h4>\n
Means<\/h4>\n
News<\/h4>\n
Outdoors<\/h4>\n
Savings<\/h4>\n
Series<\/h4>\n
Shambles<\/h4>\n
Species<\/h4>\n
Ways<\/h4>\n
Nouns ending in \u201cics\u201d<\/h4>\n
Certain country names<\/h4>\n
Certain conditions or diseases<\/h4>\n
Quantities<\/h4>\n
A special case<\/h4>\n