Особые случаи употребления существительных

(Singular or Plural?)

Задание. Изучите таблицу 1.2.

Table 1.2

Только в единственном числе	Только во множественном числе
Существительные на –s: Mathematics, physics, economics, athletics, news, gymnastics. Примеры: Athletics is my favourite sport. What time is the news on television?	Trousers, jeans, shorts, tights, scissors, glasses / spectacles. Примеры: I need some new trousers. I need a new pair of trousers.
Существительные, имеющие одинаковые формы в единственном и множественном числах: means (a means / many means) – средство / средства series (a TV series / two series) – серия / серии species (a / many) – вид, разновидность / виды
A sum of money A period of time + глагол ед.ч. A distance Example. 1. Five thousand pounds was stolen in the robbery. – В результате ограбления было похищено 5000 фунтов. 2. Three years is a long time to be without a job. – Три года – долгий срок безработицы.	Слово “police” (ед.ч.) всегда (!) согласуется с глаголом во множественном числе. Example. 1. The police are there. – Полиция здесь. 2.Are the police well-paid? – Полиция хорошо оплачивается?
Составные определения: a three-week holiday two 14-year-old girls a ten-pound note (not weeks, years, pounds).

 

Exercises.

I. Закончите предложения, используя слова из таблицы 1.2. Иногда необходим артикль a / an (для единственного числа).

Model: She can’t see very well. She needs glasses (or spectacles).

This plant is a very rare species.

1. Football players don’t wear trousers when they play. They wear ….

2. The bicycle is … of transport.

3. The bicycle and the car are … of transport.

4. I want to cut this piece of material. I need ….

5. My friend wrote … of articles for the local newspaper.

6. There are a lot of American … on Russian television.

7. We need at least four … to play this game.

 

II. Выберите правильную форму глагола. Формы “is”, “was”, “does”, “wants” согласуются с существительными в единственном числе; “are”, “were”, “do”, “want” – во множественном числе.

1. The trousers you bought for me doesn’t / don’t fit me.

2. Physics was / were my best subject at school.

3. Fortunately the news wasn’t / weren’t as bad as we had expected.

4. The police wants / want to interview Fred about a robbery.

5. Three days isn’t / aren’t long enough for a good holiday.

6. Do / Does the police know about the stolen money?

 

III. Закончите предложения, используя составные определения (см. таблицу 1.2).

Model: 1. Our holiday lasted three weeks.

It was a three week holiday.

2. The girls were 14 years old.

They were 14-years-old girls.

1. The woman was 27. She was a …

2. The flight lasted three hours. It was a …

3. The strike lasted four days. It was a …

4. We walked for five miles. It was a …

5. The court procedure lasted four hours. It was …

6. The story has 2 parts. It is a …