Plurals, Articles, There + Be
By Prof. Rinkerman
Plurals
A popular song says:
…If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn't the plural of booth be beeth?It's one goose, two geese. Why not one moose, two meese?If it's one index, two indices; why not one Kleenex,two Kleenices? English is cuh-ray-zee!
Regular – Spelling Rules
Most nouns – Just add “s”Example: banana – bananas
bed – bedsNoun ends in “ss” “sh” “ch” “x” – add “es”Example: class – classes
box – boxeschurch – churchesdish - dishes
Regular – Spelling Rules
Noun ends vowel + y – just add “s”Example: boy – boys
monkey – monkeysNoun ends consonant + y – change y to “i”
and add “es”Example: lady – ladies
story – storiesmemory - memories
Regular – Spelling Rules
Noun ends vowel + o – just add “s”Example: radio – radios
patio – patios
Noun ends consonant + o – add “es”Example: mosquito – mosquitoes
tomato – tomatoes
potato – potatoes
Exceptions! Piano – pianos
auto - autos
Regular – Spelling Rules
Noun ends in f or fe – change f to v and add “es”
Example: knife – knivesleaf – leaves
Exceptions!roof – roofschef – chefschief - chiefs
Pronunciation
After voiceless sounds – /s/Example: lip – lips
rock – rocksAfter voiced sounds - /z/Example: bag – bags
can – cansAfter “ss” “sh” “ch” or x - /ez/Example: dish – dishes
beach – beachestax - taxes
Irregular Plurals
Vowel changeExample:
Man men
Woman women
Mouse mice
No changeExample:
Sheep sheep
Fish fish
Irregular Plurals
Different word formExample:
Child – children
Person – people (or persons)
No singular formExample:
Pajamas, clothes, pants, scissor, (eye)glasses
Articles – Indefinite
A – AnTo make generalizations:Examples:A house is expensive.A child needs love. To speak about a noun FOR THE FIRST TIMEExample: I went to a party yesterday. The party was at
Miryam’s house. Use before a Singular COUNT nounExample: Paterson is a big city.
Definite Article: THE
Use it with singular or plural nouns:Example: the White House / the white houses Use THE when the noun is identified before:Example: I went to a party yesterday. The party was at
Miryam’s house. Do not use THE with a noun used in a general way:Example: People must have food and water.
Pedro is studying history Use THE with a general noun if a phrase identifies it:Example: The people in my class are interesting.
Pedro is studying the history of South America
Piano Man By Billy Joel
It's nine o'clock on _______ Saturday_______ regular crowd shuffles inThere's ________ old man sitting next to meMaking love to his tonic and gin
He says, "Son can you play me ________ memoryI'm not really sure how it goesBut it's sad and it sweet and I knew it completeWhen I wore _________ younger man's clothes"
Piano Man
{Bridge}La la-la di-di daLa-la di-di da, da dum
Sing us ________ song, you're ________ piano manSing us ________ song tonightWell, we're all in ________ mood for _______ melodyAnd you've got us feeling all right
Piano Man
Now John at _________ bar is ________ friend of mineHe gets me my drinks for freeAnd he's a quick with a joke or a light up your smokeBut there's someplace that he'd rather be
He says "Bill, I believe this is killing me"As the smile ran away from his face"Well I'm sure that I could be ______ movie starIf I could get out of this place"
Piano Man
Now Paul is _______ real estate novelistWho never had time for __________ wifeAnd he's talking with Davey who's still in _______ NavyAnd probably will be for life
And _________ waitress is practicing politicsAs __________ businessmen slowly get stonedYes they're sharing a drink they call lonelinessBut it's better than drinking alone
Piano Man
It's _________ pretty good crowd for ______ SaturdayAnd ________ manager gives me _______ smile'Cause he knows that it's me they've been coming to seeTo forget about life for awhile
And _________ piano sounds like ______ carnivalAnd ________ microphone smells like ______ beerAnd they sit at ______ bar and put bread in my jarAnd say "Man, what are you doing here?"