3
1.3 nouns ending in - s Some singular nouns finish ins. Such words behave indifferent ways.
Economics, electronics, mathematics, physics, politics, statistics – when these words describe a subject of study, they require a verb in its singular form (e.g.
is not
are ).
2. If the words in Rule 1 are not used in the sense of a subject of study, they generally require the verb in the plural, but are also found with a verb in the singular. An exception is
electronics which is found, indifferently, with a singular or plural verb.
3.
Means can be the plural of
mean (i.e. average. However,
means is singular when the meaning is
way , for example,
a means of transport.
4.
News is uncountable (
1.8
), also medical words such as
diabetes, mumps, and
pus are uncountable.
5. Nouns that end in
-is form their plural with
-es (e.g.
one analysis / thesis, two analyses / theses ).
6.
Species is both singular and plural.
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