94. When the Singular number ends in y following a vowel,1 the Plural is formed by adding s; if the y does not follow a vowel the Plural is formed by changing the y into i and adding Ally. Alley. Abbey. Baby. Berry. Beauty. Chimney. Body. Donkey. Copy. Essay. Dairy. Jockey. Bay. Day. Toy. Journey. Eddy. Kidney. Key. Quay. Ferry. Turkey. Jelly. Jury. Gipsy. Monkey. Lily. Pulley. Puppy. Penny. Pony. Poppy. Reply. Ruby. Gallery. Galley. Joy. Delay. Buoy. 95. Some Nouns ending in for fe change the ƒ into v, and the Plural ends in ves, as half, halves; knife, knives: but a great many simply add s to the singular, as reef, reefs. Exercise 76. Give the Plural Numbers of : Calf. Wife. Shelf. Elf. Leaf. Loaf. Thief. Staff. Fife. Proof. Scarf. Chief. Hoof. Roof. Dwarf. Wharf. Cliff. 96. Some Nouns ending in o add s in the Plural and some add es. In most cases custom only decides which shall be added. The following add es:-Bravo. Buffalo. Calico. Cargo. Echo. Flamingo. Hero. Motto. Negro. Potato. Tomato. Volcano. The following add s:— -Canto. Rondo. Solo. Domino. Octavo. Quarto. Duodecimo. Grotto. Tyro. Mosquito. Folio. Portfolio. Nuncio. Oratorio. 1 That is a, e, i, o, or u. 97. A few Nouns form their Plural Numbers, not by adding es or s, but in other ways once more common than now :— 98. Some Nouns have the same form for Singular and Plural; as deer, sheep, swine, fish, grouse. 99. Some Nouns have no Singular; as banns, bellows, billiards, draughts [' a game of draughts'], scissors, shears, snuffers, spectacles, trousers, oats, odds, wages, premises, victuals. Exercise 77. a. Say what is the Number of each Noun. The hatter sold nine caps. There are thirty days in the month of September. Quick believers need broad shoulders. Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests. The days are cold, the nights are long, You little twinkling stars that shine Above my head so high, If I had but a pair of wings I'd join you in the sky. The clouds are scudding across the moon, The wind in the shrouds has a wintry tune, b. Give the Plural numbers of : Board. Horse. Book. Bag. Shrub. Gas. Grass. Ditch. Moss. Patch. Bush. Tax. Valley. Lady. Army. Daisy. Baby. Donkey. Chimney. Leaf. Calf. Wife. Hoof. Cliff. Echo. Hero. Motto. Canto. Grotto. Englishman. Foot. Ox. Brother. Deer. Sheep. c. Give the Singular numbers of : Cups. Spoons. Mats. Meadows. Gates. Boxes. Rushes. Topazes. Hashes. Foxes. Brooches. Watches. Alleys. Allies. Journeys. Gipsies. Shelves. Elves. Loaves. Roofs. Dwarfs. Buffaloes. Cargoes. Negroes. Portfolios. Oratorios. Mosquitos. Geese. Teeth. Mice. Brethren. Children. Swine. Fish. Shears. Bellows. Trousers. Oats. 100. When a Noun is taken without change from a foreign language, it generally keeps its foreign Plural for a time, but after the word comes to be looked upon as thoroughly English it often forms its Plural in the English way. Mon-sieur, the Singular of Mes-sieurs, is not used in English. Mr. is used in the Singular. So Mrs. or Miss is generally used in the Singular when Mes-dames is used in the Plural. COLLECTIVE NOUNS. 101. Though an army is made up of many soldiers, the word army is Singular. Though a crew is made up of several sailors, the word crew is Singular. Similarly the words flock, herd, band, are Singular. These and like words which, while Singular in form, are the names of Collections of persons or things, are called Collective Nouns. Collective Nouns may be Singular: as, army, crew, flock, herd, band; or Exercise 78. Pick out the Collective Nouns and say of what Number each is. Abraham had great flocks and herds. Seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain. When the army was defeated many regiments suffered severely, and some companies were almost destroyed. Parliament appointed a committee to consider the matter. The Jewish nation was made up of twelve tribes and each tribe was made up of a number of families. The nation rejoiced when the fleet was victorious. The police dispersed the mob. The clans were often at war. The jury found the prisoner guilty. The School Board meets every week. The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea. Several of the crew deserted. There was a great crowd in the streets. Tom is in the fifth class. The shepherd is watching his flock. The earl was a member of the council. The new House [of Commons] undid the work of the old. GENDER. 102. All things may be divided into three classes : (1) Things of the male sex; (2) Things of the female sex; |