В пособии рассматриваются основные моменты английской грамматики: части речи имя существительное, имя прилагательное и наречие; видо-временные формы глагола; модальные глаголы; неличные формы глагола

I. Words that end in -ics (like mathematics, athletics, politics) are sometimes
used as plurals, but more often as singulars.
Politics is a complicated business. What are your politics?


J. Words plural in form but singular in meaning include:
news The news is good.
certain diseases: mumps, measles, rickets, shingles
and certain games: billiards, darts, draughts, dominoes


K. Some words show no difference between the singular and the plural, both
forms end in -s.
They are: crossroads, works (= factory), means (= method), headquarters.


L. Some words which retain their original Greek or Latin forms make their
plurals according to the rules of Greek and Latin:
crisis-crises phenomenon-phenomena
datum-data radius-radii
memorandum-memoranda terminus-termini
But some follow the English rules:
dogma-dogmas formula-formulas gymnasium-gymnasiums
Sometimes there are two plural forms with different meanings:
appendix, appendixes or appendices (medical terms)
appendix, appendices (addition/s to a book)
index, indexes (in books), indices (in mathematics)


M. Compound nouns
1. Normally the last word is made plural:
boy-friends break-ins travel agents
But if the first word is man or woman both parts are made plural:
men pilots women pilots
2. The first word is made plural with compounds formed of
a) noun + adverb (if the noun is made of verb + er)
hangers-on lookers-on runners-up
b) noun + preposition + noun
sisters-in-law wards of court

3. Initials can be made plural:

MPs (Members of Parliament)
UFOs (unidentified flying objects)
VIPs ( very important persons)