AVOID MISTAKES IN THE USE OF NOUNS

Adjectives are words used to modify nouns. It is, therefore, wrong to omit nouns after adjectives.

• Incorrect: He lives with his elder.
• Correct: He lives with his elder brother.
• Incorrect: Please give me some blotting.
• Correct: Please give me some blotting paper.
• Incorrect: They sent him to a boarding.
• Correct: They sent him to a boarding school.

Notes

The expressions the elder and the eldest are used as nouns.

• He is the elder of the two.

Nouns that do not have a plural form

The following nouns do not have a plural form: rice, corn, food, cattle, furniture, mischief, filth, dirt, needlework, woodwork, machinery, hair, advice, poetry, abuse, scenery, clergy and fuel.

• Incorrect: Switzerland is famous for its beautiful sceneries.
• Correct: Switzerland is famous for its beautiful scenery.
• Incorrect: Indians have black hairs.
• Correct: Indians have black hair.
• Incorrect: I don’t need your advices.
• Correct: I don’t need your advice.

Notes

The nouns rice, corn, food etc., have a plural form as well. The plural forms are used only when different varieties of rice, corn or foodare mentioned.

The nouns brick and stone are usually used in the singular form to talk about the material used to build a home.

• This house is built of stone. (NOT This house is built of stones.)

The nouns cattle, clergy and people are already plural in sense. They don’t have any plural form. For example, you can’t say cattles.