Improve your English: words without a plural

One of the first grammatical rules you will learn when you start an English course is that when you have plural of something, you will add an ‘s’ to the noun to show that you have more than one.

For example, if your house has more than one television, you would say “I have two televisions in my house”.

However, did you know there are some nouns that you cannot make plural by adding an ‘s’? For these nouns it doesn’t matter if you say the singular or plural form of the noun, they are both the same. So here is a list of some nouns that are written the same in the singular and plural form.

Noun

Meaning

Baggage/Luggage

The bags that contain all your clothes and other items when you are travelling

Evidence

The facts available to prove something, for example, “evidence in a court case”

Furniture

Large, movable items around your house, for example, television, sofa, table, chair

Homework

Assignments that students get from school

Housework

Different things that you do to maintain your home, like cleaning

Jewelry

Rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other accessories we wear

Money

Coins and banknotes that we use as currency

Music

Vocal or instrumental sound

News

Information about current topics from around the world

Pajamas

Clothing you wear at night

Sheep

Woolly mammals typically kept as livestock

Pants

Cloths worn below the waistline with a section for each leg

Remember to always practice using these nouns so that you get used to them. Also, I don’t want to depress you, but these are just a few, there are many more!

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