Nouns are words that identify people, places, or things. But how do you make them plural? This article will explain everything you need to know about plurals and how to use them in sentences. 

So, without further ado, let’s get into it:

Forming Plural Nouns

The first thing that you have to know is that nouns have two forms: singular and plural. Singular forms refer to a single person, place, or something. 

For instance, Where is the ball? 

In this sentence, the word “ball” is the noun, and it is singular because we are only talking about one ball. 

If we were talking about more than one ball, the sentence would go Where are the balls?

In this case, we only have to add the letter ‘s’ at the end of the ball to make it plural. Nevertheless, this is not always the case.

Let’s take a look at some of the examples.”

Read More– 6 English Grammar Rules You Must Know

Plural Rule #1

The first rule is relatively straightforward. You only have to add the letter ‘s’ or ‘es’ at the end of the word to make it plural. 

• orange – oranges
• pen – pens

Or, if the word ends with –ss, -x, -ch, or –sh, add the suffix ‘-es.’ For example:

• dress – dresses
• fox – foxes
• bench – benches
• dish – dishes

Plural Rule #2

Next up, if the noun ends with the letter ‘y’ and is preceded by a consonant, you add ‘-es’ and change the ‘y’ to an ‘i’.

• cherry – cherries 
• puppy – puppies

However, if there is a vowel before the letter ‘-y’ (ey, ay, oy), simply add ‘–s’ without changing anything else. For example:

• monkey – monkeys
• toy – toys
• day – days

Plural Rule #3

The following rule is when a noun ends with the letter ‘o’, then you only add an ‘s.’ 

• pistachio – pistachios
• stereo – stereos

However, if there is a consonant before the’-o’, you generally add ‘-es.’

• hero – heroes
• veto – vetoes

There are some cases where just an ‘-s’ is added.

• piano – pianos

Preferred Written English and English Speaking Course in Delhi

Plural Rule #4

If a noun ends in “-f” or “-fe,” a special rule applies. You must add “-es” after “-v” and swap out “-f” or “-fe” for “-v”. For instance:

• wife – wives
• knife – knives
• loaf – loaves

Be careful, though, as again, there are exceptions to this rule. Not all words that end in ‘-“f” change in this way.

• chef – chefs

For nouns that end ‘-ff’, just add ‘-s’. Nothing else changes.

• cliff – cliffs
• puff – puffs

Read More– The Most Confusing Rules in English Grammar

Plural Rule #5

For some nouns that end in ‘-s’ or ‘-z’, you have to double the ‘-s’ or ‘-z’ and add ‘-es’. For example: 

• fez – fezzes
• gas – gasses

As their name implies, irregular nouns don’t form plurals according to the usual rules. Regular plural nouns follow the guidelines we outlined above.

They are referred to as “irregular plurals.” Unfortunately, they only need to be learned and memorized because they don’t follow any patterns. Some of the most typical irregular nouns are listed below:

• child – children
• person – people
• man – men
• woman – women
• tooth – teeth
• foot – feet
• mouse – mice
• goose – geese
• ox – oxen

Conclusion

This guide can help you comprehend how to use nouns and the rules for plural nouns, but the practice is also necessary.

Unfortunately, as noted in the article, some nouns deviate from the norm. Therefore, it would be best if you made every effort to master them and put this theory into practice.

However, it’s not the end of the world. You can start using this article’s quiz or free online worksheets.

We also advise practicing one-on-one speaking with an English tutor. This makes it much simpler to remember grammar rules by applying them to actual conversation.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Plurals appeared first on Blogs | Engmates - English,Public Speaking,Personality Development.

One of the best ways to improve your English is to learn all the phrases, idioms, and sayings in the language. There are a variety of expressions in the English language that can help you get a better grip on your understanding and fluency.

One such type of expression is Binomial expression. These expressions are common phrases that are usually accompanied with “and” or “or” (example: black and white, plain and simple, more or less). These words come in specific orders and are counted as a single chunk of English vocabulary. 

Types of binomial expressions

There are a few types of binomial expressions in the English language. Let’s take a look at them:

• Opposite: When “and” or “or” are used with opposite words. (hot and cold)
• Synonym: When “and” or “or” are used with similar meaning words. (peace and quiet)
• Rhyming: When “and” or “or” are used with rhyming words. (meet and greet)
• Repetition: When “and” or “or” are used with one word in repetition. (more and more)
• Alliteration: When “and” or “or” are used with words that start with the same letter. (tried and tested)

Now, let’s take a look at some of the most famous binomial expressions:

Again and again

To say something occurs repeatedly. 

The washing machine keeps breaking up again and again. 

all in all

To summarize a situation or a topic.

All in all, I had great fun there.

Preferred Written English and English Speaking Course in Delhi

all or nothing

To say something needs to be completed wholly or not at all.

If you want to pass the exams, you have to study hard. It’s all or nothing.

back and forth

To move from one place to another many time.

Why are you moving back and forth?

bit by bit

When something happens in stages.

You will get there bit by bit.

black and white (black-and-white)

To describe something without colors. 

We were watching a black-and-white movie yesterday. 

bright and early

Early in the morning.

He wakes up bright and early.

by and large

Used to make a general estimation about something.

By and large, things have been going quite well since I moved out of my parent’s basement.

Read More- There are Some Interesting Exceptions in English Grammar: Let’s Take a Look

chalk and cheese

Used to refer to two things completely different from each other.

No wonder their relationship didn’t work out; they were like chalk and cheese. 

do’s and don’ts

Used to refer to guidelines about what should be done and what should be avoided.

Here are the dos and dont’s of starting a blog. 

fair and square

To describe something that is achieved honestly and without unfair methods.

He clearly won fair and square.

heart to heart (heart-to-heart)

Used to describe a deep conversation between two people.

She seems fine now, especially since I have had a heart-to-heart with her

(go) hot and cold

To feel nervous.

I went hot and cold all over when the interviewer called my name.

(no) ifs and buts

Used to denote that you don’t want the concerned person to make any excuses.

If I say you are going to school, you are going to school—no ifs and buts. 

Read More- The Most Confusing Rules in English Grammar

(the) ins and outs

Used to refer to the detailed information about a situation

Our driver knows the ins and outs of Delhi traffic. 

Conclusion

There are a number of binomial expressions in the English language. Learn them all and use them in your day-to-day language to get a better grasp of the language. As long as you keep the lessons fun and casual, you are going to have a great time learning the languages. 

Keep learning, keep growing.

The post What are Binomial Expressions: Definition with Examples appeared first on Blogs | Engmates - English,Public Speaking,Personality Development.

After reaching the B2 level of English, most business English students tend to not want to pursue learning the language any further. As students reach this intermediate level of English, they understand most of how to express themselves and communicate with others. This makes them not want to achieve the C1 level of English, even though the CEFR describes the learners of C1 as proficient users of the language. 

C1 level students are well-versed with various nuances of the English language and are more adept at working in international environments.

So, how you can encourage your students to pursue this level and acknowledge the benefits in their own lives and career? Here are a few tips to help you get your students passionate about reaching C1 level of English:

Motivate them to reach the next level

Most often than not, students don’t want to pursue the C1 level to become more proficient in Advance English language is because the road ahead is difficult and requires optimum effort. In order to get your students to walk the path to proficiency, you will have to motivate them to get out of their comfort zone and push themselves to be better.

Learning any language is a life-long process. For advanced learners, a certain degree of high motivation is required. Get your students to enjoy the challenges of learning and developing new skills by showing the real-world advantages.

Show them how having an advanced grasp of the language allows them to be a part of an international work environment and how it opens up a range of career or promotion opportunities.

Encourage your students to set goals

Goal setting is one of the best ways to practically achieve something, regardless of how difficult it seems at first. Get your students to set their own small goals for success. You can use the SMART acronym to help them get started with it. The acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timebound. 

The goal that your students set should stick to these ideologies. When students set goals using the SMART ideology, they remain motivated and gain an increase in their own sense of achievement.

Suggested Read- 5 Proven Newspaper Reading Methods to Improve your English

Introduce them to incidental learning

Incidental learning is the process of acquiring knowledge from day-to-day activities. Encourage your students to take the learning process past the classrooms and their usual practice routine. Get them to read every piece of writing they can find in English, including blogs, articles, journals, novels, etc. The wider variety of writings they cover, the better it will be for them to comprehend the language.

You can also provide your personal insights into books, blogs, and newspapers they can read to increase their proficiency. You will also need to keep an eye on how your students are practicing learning English outside of the classroom to gain insight into their interests. This will allow you a more personalized approach in helping them learn the language.

Get them to learn more words

Learning a new word is not just about knowing the meaning of the word but also about learning the word’s various meanings, appropriate use, collocations, pronunciation, parts of speech, phrasal verbs, and phrases associated with it. C1 students have to undertake all these aspects of learning a new word.

Many students have passive knowledge of a range of words but are not sure how they can use them in their speech. Introduce your students to use words and phrases and teach them how they can use them in their day-to-day communication. Provide your students with the opportunities to use phrases and words in speaking and writing. 

Suggested Read- Check Your Vocabulary: Most Commonly Misused Words in the English Language

Give emergent language some time

Allow your students to interact with each other and with you in the way they are comfortable. Emergent language could include words or phrases that come up during interactions because students want to know their meaning and application.

Emergent language could be correct or incorrect. When it is incorrect, let your students understand and use the words or phrases properly. When it is correct, allow others to use them in their daily interactions. 

Review core grammar concepts

Grammar is one of the most complicated aspects of learning English. Although students tend to get well-versed in the language, when it comes to the use of grammar, they often need some practice. 

Some of the essential areas for honing business English include future forms, hypothesizing, and passive structures. While the C1 level does not include much grammar, it is still imperative for students to learn grammar so they are able to use the language correctly. 

Suggested Read- Three Secrets to English Fluency That You Aren’t Taught in School

Use role-play to develop communication skills

Roleplaying is one of the best ways to improve communication skills and develop confidence in one’s speech. Provide your students with various scenarios and give them certain roles to play. Try to create real-world scenarios to make the roleplay more interesting and challenging. 

Emphasis on business writing skills

While learning the English language, students get a lot of practice in essay writing but not enough in the type of writings needed for the workplace such as emails, reports, proposals, minutes to minutes. For students learning English to exploit business opportunities, such writing skills are required. 

First and foremost, students need to learn the difference between formal and informal writing. They will also need to learn writing conventions such as structuring a proposal, appropriate use of headings and sub-headings, and formatting various forms of writing.

Provide your students with sample works on various forms of business writing and ask them to create their own text using the examples of the sample. You can also get your students to participate in the collaborative writing process by asking them to write on a shared Google Docs.

Let your students choose

Letting your students choose the course content helps increase engagement. Instead of relying on industry-specific topics and following a linear learning pattern, let your students make the choices themselves. Try to include broader ideas relevant to their employability. 

Image by 14995841 from Pixabay

The post 9 Ways to Get Your students to Learn Advanced English Effectively appeared first on Blogs | Engmates - English,Public Speaking,Personality Development.