Common Errors in English : Plural for Singular

Common Errors in English Usage
(Plural for Singular)

Incorrect :
He gave me good advices. Correct :
He gave me many advices. Correct :
I sold my furnitures. Correct :
He bought some furnitures. Correct :
Please give me all informations. Correct :
Note : Advice (सलाह), furniture तथा information uncountable nouns हैं, इनका न तो plural होता है और न इनके पहले a/an लगता है।

Incorrect :
I need some cardboards for this. Correct :
Our children need some educations. Correct :
I need some new equipments. Correct :
I took some foods to eat. Correct :
Note : Cardborad, education, equipment तथा food uncountable nouns हैं। 'बहुत खाना/बहुत भोजन' के लिए हम a lot of food कहते हैं।

Incorrect :
Did you buy fruits today ? Correct :
We went there on horsebacks. Correct :
We heard some good musics. Correct :
The news are bad today. Correct :
Note : Fruit (meaning apples, oranges, etc.) अक्सर uncountable होता है, fruits का अर्थ ‘reward’ होता है, जैसे– to enjoy the fruits of all one’s hard work; horseback सदा singular रूप में प्रयुक्त होता है; music uncountable noun है; news भी singular तथा uncountable noun है।

Incorrect :
Two peoples were in the garden. Correct :
Note : People (लोग) अपने आप plural हैं, किन्तु जब इसका अर्थ राष्ट्र (nation) होता है इसे singular माना जाता है तथा इसमें –s लगाकर plural बनाया जाता है। जैसे– The peoples (= nations) of Europe.

Incorrect :
The sceneries around here are beautiful. Correct :
In their free times, they played tennis. Correct :
We had to do several works. Correct :
There were many works that I had to do. Correct :
I don’t like household works. Correct :
Do you have many homeworks ? Correct :
Note : Scenery सदा uncountable होता है, scene countable होता है; free time तथा lesson time uncountable होता है; work (काम) uncountable होता है, works का अर्थ– 'कल-कारखाने' होता है, जैसे– iron and steel works.

Incorrect :
I met a six-years-old girl. Correct :
He has a six-months-old son. Correct :
Note : (i) Five-year-old boy, six-month-old girl, three-week-old brother, two-day-old baby इत्यादि कहा जाता है, ऐसे  constructions में year/month/week/day के साथ s नहीं लगता। लेकिन six years old, five weeks old कहा जाता है।

Incorrect :
They live in another towns. Correct :
Have you got other letter ? Correct :
Note : Another singular है किन्तु town plural है, another के साथ singular noun आता है; other plural है, इसके साथ plural noun (letters) का प्रयोग होता है।

Incorrect :
Each houses are white. Correct :
They help each others. Correct :
Each wanted a book for themselves. Correct :
Note : Each (प्रत्येक) के बाद आनेवाला noun सदा singular होता है; each other idiom है, each others नहीं होता है; each के साथ आने वाला pronoun (himself/herself) भी singular होता है।

Incorrect :
Everything are ready. Correct :
Everybody were there. Correct :
Everyone have a cap. Correct :
Note : Everything, everybody तथा everyone सदा singular होता है।

Incorrect :
He who plays and take part in sports is popular. Correct :
Neither he nor his sister were there. Correct :
Either Moti or Madan have gone. Correct :
There was not many food to eat. Correct :
Note : He singular है अत: इसके साथ takes होगा, take नहीं; अगर दो singular subject neither…nor, either…or से जुटे हों तो verb singular होता है; many plural noun के साथ प्रयुक्त होता है; food uncountable है, इसके साथ much का प्रयोग होगा। जैसे– There is not much food/water there.
There are not many books/people left.

Incorrect :
His luggages are at the station. Correct :
I bought three dozens eggs. Correct :
This town has fifty thousands people. Correct :
I have five hundreds rupees. Correct :
Note : Luggage सदा singular होता है; dozen, thousand, hundred, million के साथ पहले a रहे अथवा two, three, four रहे तो वह उसी form में रहता है, उसमें –s नहीं लगता। जैसे– एक दर्जन– a dozen, पाँच दर्जन– five dozen. किन्तु dozens of pens (दर्जनों कलम), hundreds of boys (सैकड़ों लड़के), thousands of trees (हजारों पेड़) आदि का प्रयोग किया जाता है।

Incorrect :
Do you know the English alphabets ? Correct :
They are using new machineries. Correct :
Please help the poors. Correct :
Note : Alphabet (वर्णमाला) तथा machinery का प्रयोग plural में नहीं किया जाता; the poor (= the poor man), the poors का प्रयोग कभी नहीं होता।

Incorrect :
What a nonsense to have a picnic today ! Correct :
It is a nice weather. Correct :
India is making a progress in the field of science. Correct :
Note : Nonsense, weather तथा progress uncountable nouns हैं, इनके पहले a/an का प्रयोग नहीं किया जाता। किन्तु a piece of nonsense, a spell of weather का जाता है।

Incorrect :
By means of book knowledges are spread. Correct :
I saw a magic yesterday. Correct :
Note : Knowledge तथा magic uncountable nouns हैं, इनके पहले a का प्रयोग नहीं किया जाता और न इनका plural –s जोड़कर बनाया जाता है। किन्तु knowledge के साथ कभी-कभी a लगता है। जैसे–
Knowledge is power (= Learning)
He has a knowledge of the truth (= information about)
He has a good knowledge (= information) of London.