Ramanisblog

Tag: Grammatical number

  • REFLEXIVE AND EMPHATIC PRONOUNS

    Let us imagine that you have hurt yourself while using a knife. How do you say it?

    I have hurt myself while using the knife.

    The action of hurting has been done on by you. That is the action refers to the one being done on one’s self. In other words, ‘myself’ is the object of the verb in the above sentence.

    I have hurt myself – I is the subject, Have hurt is the verb, myselfis the object

    Therefore, Reflexive Pronoun are those process that are used as the object of the verb. The object in this case, myself refers to the same subject (I) as that of the object (myself).

    This is applicable to second and third persons as well (for both Singular and Plural).

    Plural

    I have hurt myself – We have hurt ourselves

    You have hurt yourself – You have hurt yourselves

    He / She hurt himself / herself – They hurt themselves

    The horse hurt itself – They hurt themselves

    We add ‘Self’ to the words (my, your, him, it).

    This is also called Compound Personal Pronouns.

    – Sometimes we use ‘Self’ as Nouns.

    He thinks too much of self.

    – Sometimes we use ‘Self’ to emphasis

    I will correct it myself

    The accused themselves admitted their guilt.

    When we use self for emphasis, then Compound Personal Pronouns (self, selves) are called Emphasis Pronouns. (Singular – self; Plural – selves).

    We have to sometimes point out the objects. These Pronouns are called Demonstrative Pronouns.

    That is the Tanjore Temple.

    His views are the same as those of his father.

    I have scolded him to correct him and such was my intension.

    Some words are adjectives (demonstrative), when they are used with Nouns.

    They are ‘This’ and ‘That’.

    This watch is mine. The word watch is the subject.

    ‘THE’ adds more meaning by pointing out the particular subject (watch)(. The adjective ‘THIS’ demonstrates or states clearly of the subject.

    Hence, “THIS’ is demonstrating that the watch is specifically pointed out. ’THIS’ therefore, is an adjective and also it demonstrates. So, it is called ‘DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE’.

    You may also see that ‘THIS’ means not the thing we speak of very near or close to us.

    When we say ‘ What is that Noise’?

    We know that the noise is taking place slightly away from us. We should use ‘THIS’ when we refer to things that happen near us and ‘THAT’ when they occur slightly away from us.

    ‘THIS’ is Singular and the Plural is ‘THESE’.

    ‘THAT’ is Singular and the Plural is ‘THOSE’.

    When we want to say something about something near us and something away from us in the same sentence we can us ‘THIS’ and ‘THAT’ as follows:

    ‘THIS’ shirt is better than ‘THAT’. (Here this also shows your preference).

    We can use ‘THAT’ with ‘THOSE’ (Plural of ‘THAT’) in a sentence to avoid repetition of the preceding (the nouns just before) Noun as in:

    The habits of Dravidians are similar to those of the Red Indians.

    We use both ‘THIS’ and ‘THAT’ while referring to things we have mentioned already.

    Kindness and cruelty are both Natural, while ‘THIS’ leads destruction ‘THAT’ leads to happiness.

    Here, ‘THIS’ refers to ‘cruelty’ (which appears last) i.e. after kindness. ‘THAT’ a refers to ‘Kindness’ and it appears first. So, ‘THIS’ in these kinds of statements will refer to what is said last. ‘THAT’ will refer to what is said first.

    Many times we are vague in statements. (may be we are doing it deliberately or as a matter of fact), even when we point out.

    One does not know how to correct him.

    Many in the Defense forces are surkhars.

    They say limited Alcohol is good for heart.

    In Government, everybody’s responsibility is nobody’s responsibility.

    (Some words that can be used as one, none, they, some, few, many, other, others).

    These nouns are used in general or in an indefinite way. they are called Indefinite Pronouns.

    Some of these words may be used as adjectives.

    I will own Rupees one core one day.

    Krishna is a man of few words.

    – When we use ‘Anybody, Everybody, Everyone, Each one, anyone, we should use either he / she as the content requires.

    Father guides any one of his sons in his career.

    But, in modern usage we use Plural.

    Father guides every one of his sons, in their studies.

    Some words – Either, Neither points our person / thing one at a time. They are distributed among the group indicated. These types of words are called Distributive Pronouns.

    As they point out a particular Person / Thing, it is always in Singular. Therefore, the verb showed always be in Singular.

    Each of the boys stand up.

    Either of these Religions lead to God.

    Neither of y our parents turned up for the function.

    Each points out to everyone / thing.

    Either means one or the other. (There is ………….)

    Neither means not this or not that or not anything. It is negative. It is the opposite of (ANTONMY / of Either). Either and Neither should be used.

    When speaking of two persons or things, any, no one, neither, none is to be used when we speak of more than two things.

    http://ramanisblog.in/2012/09/10/personal-pronouns/

  • THE NOUN – NUMBER, Essentials of English

    When we speak of one person or one thing, the word (Noun) is in Singular.

    When we speak of more than one person or thing, the name is said to be in Plurals.

    SINGULAR PLURAL

    Man Men

    Boy Boys

    Computer Computers

    FORMATION OF PLURALS (some guidelines – by adding ‘s’ to singular )

    Pen – Pens, Television – Televisions, Book – Books, Dog – Dogs

    – by adding ‘es’, ‘sh’, ‘ch’

    Clash – Clashes, Flash – Flashes, Wish – Wishes, Lass – Lasses, Branch – Branches, Catch – Catches, Kiss – Kisses , Watch – Watches

    – by adding ‘es’ to words ending with ‘O’

    Buffalo – Buffaloes, Mango – Mangoes, Negro – Negroes, Volcano – Volcanoes

    – For some words ending with ‘O’, add ‘s’

    Radio – Radios Kilo – Kilos

    – For words ending with ‘Y’ add ies for plurals instead of ‘Y’

    City – Cities Army – Armies

    – For words ending with ‘F’, add ‘ves’ in place of ‘F’

    Life – Lives, Wife – Wives, Knife – Knives, Wolf – Wolves

    – For some words ending with ‘F’, we can add ‘S’ or ‘ES’. Both are correct.

    Scarf – Scarves Scarfs, Dwarf – Dwarves Dwarfs

    By changing the inside vowel :- Man – Men, Foot – Feet

    – By adding ‘EN’ : Child – Children , Ox – Oxen

    – in some nouns, Singular and Plural are the same as in : Pair, Sheep, Dozen.

    – Some nouns are used only in Plural. Scissors, Spectacles, trousers

    – Some Noun that are Singular are generally used in Plurals : Alms, Riches

    – Some Noun are Singular but they look like Plurals – Mathematics, Billiards, News, Mumps

    – Some Collective Nouns are used as Plurals, though they are Singular

    – Poultry, Cattle, People

    – Some special Plurals – Commander – in-Chief , Commanders-in-Chief,

    Son -in-law, Sons-in-law, Man of war – Men of war, Stepson – Stepsons

    – Some Nouns have the meaning in Singular but one meaning in Plural:

    People – Nation

    men + Women – People – Nation

    Light – Radiance – Lamp – Lights – Lamps

    Some Nouns have one meaning in Singular but two meanings in Plural:

    GROUND Singular Plural

    1. Earth Grounds – enclosed land attached

    2. Reason Reasons

    EFFECT – Result Effects – Results

    Property

    NUMBER – a Quantity Numbers – quantities

    Verses

    SPECTACLE – a sight Spectacles – Sights

    Eye glasses

    Some Nouns have two forms of Plural, each with a different meaning

    Brother – Brother – Sons of the same parent

    BRETHERN – members of a society

    Die – Dies – stamps for coining.

    Dice – small cubes used in games

    Some Nouns have different meaning in Singular and the Plural

    Advice – Counsel – Advice – Information

    Good – Well being l – Goods – Merchandise

    Letters and figures can be changed into Plural by marking ‘apostrophe.’.

    Add two two’s and five Five’s

    – Abstract Nouns have no Plural, because they are uncountable. Love and Kindness

    Abstracts do not have Plural – Gold, Wood

    Related:

    http://ramanisblog.in/2012/08/24/gender/

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