Singular and Plural

Most nouns form the plural by adding -s or -es.

Singular	Plural
Boat Hat House Rabbit River shoe	Boats Hats Houses Rabbits Rivers Shoes

A noun ending in -y preceded by a consonant makes the plural with -ies.

Singular	Plural
A cry A fly A nappy A puppy A city A lady A baby	Cries Flies Nappies Puppies Cities Ladies Babies

There are some irregular formations for noun plurals. Some of the most common ones are listed below.

Singular	Plural
Woman Man Child Tooth Foot Person Leaf Half Knife Wife Life Loaf Potato Tomato Cactus Mouse	Women Men Children Teeth Feet People Leaves Halves Knives Wives Lives Loaves Potatoes Tomatoes Cacti Mice

Some nouns have the same form in the singular and the plural

Singular	Plural
Sheep Fish Species Aircraft	Sheep Fish Species Aircraft

The Gerund and the Present Participle: 'ING' Form

INTRODUCTION

The '-ing' form of the verb may be a present participle or a gerund.

The form is identical, the difference is in the function, or the job the word does in the sentence.

The present participle:

This is most commonly used:

·         as part of the continuous form of a verb,
he is painting; she has been waiting

·         after verbs of movement/position in the pattern:
verb + present participle,
She sat looking at the sea

·         after verbs of perception in the pattern:
verb + object + present participle,
We saw him swimming

·         as an adjective, e.g. amazing, worrying, exciting, boring

The gerund:

This always has the same function as a noun (although it looks like a verb), so it can be used:

·         as the subject of the sentence:
Eating people is wrong.

·         after prepositions:
Can you sneeze without opening your mouth?
She is good at painting

·         after certain verbs,
e.g. like, hate, admit, imagine

·         in compound nouns,
e.g. a driving lesson, a swimming pool, bird-watching, train-spotting

Which, What and Whose

Which, What, Whose

In questions, these words ask which thing or person is being referred to. They are placed before the noun.

·         Which dress are you going to wear tonight?

·         What colour is your dress?

·         Whose car are you going to use?

Which and Whose

In a statement, these words define or explain which thing or person is referred to:

Examples

·         He went back to the house. (Which house?)  The house which stood on the corner.                                                            

  =› He went back to the house which stood on the corner.

·         I saw the man. (Which man?)  The man whose car you damaged.   

 =› I saw the man whose car you damaged.

·         He couldn't remember which film he had seen.

·         That's the man whose wife works in my office.

·         Tell me which coffee you like.

·         The woman whose dog bit you is at the door.