Plurale Tantum - English Usage

English Usage

In English, some plurale tantum nouns in fact have a singular form, but one that is used only attributively. That is, phrases such as "trouser presses" and "scissor kick" contain the singular form, even though it is ungrammatical to say "a trouser" on its own. This accords with a general preference for singular nouns in attributive positions in English; however, some words are used in the plural form even as attributive nouns (e.g. "clothes peg", "glasses case").

In many dialects of English, quantifying a plurale tantum noun requires a measure word, for example "one pair of scissors" instead of "one scissors".

Some words, such as "brain" and "intestine", can be used as either pluralia tantum or as count nouns.

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