Множественное число существительных

1.1.5. Девять существительных образуют форму множественного числа не по правилам:

man – men

woman – women

tooth – teeth

foot – feet

goose – geese

mouse – mice

louse – lice

ox – oxen

child –children

brother – brethren (если речь идет о людях, принадлежащих к одному сообществу).

1.1.6. Ряд существительных имеет одну форму для единственного и множественного числа:

sheep–sheep

swine – swine

deer – deer

grouse – grouse

series – series

species – species

corps – corps

works - works

Существительные antelope, reindeer, fish, herring, fruit образуют форму множественного числа двумя способами:

antelope - antelope, antelope s

reindeer - reindeer, reindeer s

fish - fish, fish es

herring - herring, herring s

fruit – fruit, fruit s

Нулевое окончание используется в том случае, если есть указание на количество; если речь идет о сортах или видах, то - es.

1.1.7. Множественное число сложных существительных, состоящих из главного слова (существительного) и предлога, образуется путем добавления окончания - s к главному слову: passer-by – passer s -by.

Множественное число сложных существительных, состоящих из предлога и другой части речи (не существительного), образуется путем добавления окончания -s к последнему элементу: forget-me-not – forget-me-not s; merry-go-round – merry-go-round s; pick-me-up – pick-me-up s.

Множественное число существительных, первый элемент которых представлен существительными man/woman, образуется путем постановки обоих элементов во множественное число: man-doctor – m e n-doctor s, woman-policeman – wom e n-policem e n.

Исключения: woman-hater – woman-haters, man-eater – man-eaters, так как данные определения могут относиться как к женскому, так и мужскому роду.

1.1.8. Латинские и греческие заимствования сохранили исходную форму множественного числа:

Упражнение 1. Выпишите из текста все имена существительные и определите у них форму числа:

1. A man may catch as much fish in two hours as will serve six or seven people for a whole week, such as cod, halibut, turbot, salmon, skate, haddock, herrings, smelts and lobsters; and they lie as thick as stone in Cheapside, so that Billingsgate is but a fish-stall in comparison with it.

2. Many of the recipes for the preparation of variety meats have become rare now that the choice cuts are so readily available in our modern supermarkets. Although tongue and sweetbreads have remained with us, the popularity of the udder has waned considerably. Maybe it can be said that the lack of necessity has robbed us of some of the most delectable foods, for few housewives of today are willing to take the time and trouble involved in preparing some of these intricate and time-consuming recipes. On the other hand, of the pampered tummies may feel grateful that tomorrow’s dinner will not, of necessity, be a Blood Pudding or a Roasted Udder.

3. Kohl Cannon is made in various ways. The Irish simply use mashed potatoes, cooked cabbage and onion, while the Lunenburg Germans like to include turnip and pork scraps, with the pork scraps, being removed before serving. The Scotts added carrots. But no matter how it was made the eating of Kohl Cannon was a common custom on Halloween. In it would be buried a penny, a match a ring and a button, all well wrapped (it is hoped) in waxed paper. These favours would signify marriage, spinsterhood, money or poverty, respectively, and much excitement was aroused, especially among the young maidens who were hopeful that the Kohl Cannon would foretell their future happiness.

4. For a long time tomatoes were thought to be poisonous. This belief, however, must have been passed by 1860, for in a Godey's Lady's Book of that year it is referred to as a "delicious and wholesome vegetable". It also states that tomatoes should "always be cooked for three hours", so we assume that even then, tomatoes were in the early stages of experimentation.

5. Candy was a very rare treat for the children of the early pioneers. Sugar was scarce and "dear", pennies were too precious to be squandered and sweet treats were something everyone could do without. So the children lived in anticipation of the time when the sap would run again in the maple trees – for early spring was the time for Candy on the Snow. When the sap was collected and in the process of being boiled into maple sugar, the older folks always made sure that a little of the boiling liquid was poured on the snow where, it hardened into a delicious candy. The sweet-starved youngsters pounced upon it with glee and ate their fill, fully realizing that it might be a long time before they could again enjoy the sweet taste.

Упражнение 2. Переведите следующие предложения, обращая внимание на форму числа существительного:

1. This is a real datum of the last measurement.

2. Science has received valuable data on the reaction of the human organism to space flights.

3. This interesting phenomenon was discussed at the conference yesterday.

4. The object of physics is to determine relations between physical phenomena.

5. Neutron has no electrical charge and is bound together with the proton in the nucleus of an atom.

6. Man has learned to split the nuclei of billions of atoms.

7. Do you know the radius of the Earth?

8. Here is the formula you need. – It is only a hypothesis, but you may try.

9. The bodies are rotating around the axes.

10.He could not understand these phenomena as he did not know nuclear physics, but he did his best to master it.

11.Do you know the radii of these circles?

12.These data are very important for solving our problem.

13.He remembers all these formulae which we have studied.

14.They arrived daily from various termini.

15.He caught only some fish yesterday.

Упражнение 3. Выберите правильный ответ:

1. My hair is/are clean.

2. Can I borrow your scissors? Mine is/are not sharp enough.

3. Bad news don’t/doesn’t make people happy.

4. There is/is a hair in my soup.

5. I don’t want advices/advice or help.

6. I’ve seen some comedies this month. Each was/were funny than the last.

7. We’d like three dozen/dozens eggs.

8. Knowledge is/are power.

9. Everybody is/are ready.

10.I need my glasses. Where is/are the glasses?

11.In summer we eat a lot of fruit/fruits.

12.There is/are a lot of sheep in the field.

13.The police want/wants to interview Fred about the accident.

14.Money is/are not everything.

15.Last Saturday we went fishing, but we didn’t catch many fish/fishes.

16.Mathematics is/are as exact science.

17.The sunlit rooves/roofs look wonderful.

18.Julia’s clothes is/are in her wardrobe.

19.Our team is/are playing well.

20.The United States have/has a violent history.

Упражнение 4. Переведите следующие предложения:

1. У нее черные волосы, они очень красивые.

2. Ее заработная плата небольшая, но, по крайней мере, она регулярная.

3. Куда Вы положили мои брюки? Я не могу их найти.

4. Полиция разыскивает сбежавшего преступника.

5. Молодые олени стоят рядом со своей мамой.

6. У меня закончилось лекарство.

7. Фонетика – сложная дисциплина.

8. "Три сестры" – известное произведение А.П. Чехова.

9. У нас в классе три Марии.

10. В наших зоопарках появилось два новых кенгуру.

11. Воры ограбили магазин.

12. Мыши съели сыр.

13. Карусели – любимая забава детей.

14. Мои братья преданы клятве нашего ордена.

15. Свекрови всегда рады своим невесткам.

16. Корь все еще представляет серьезную опасность для подростков.

17. Сверхъестественные явления вызывают интерес у многих людей.

18. Не забудьте написать индексы на конвертах.

19. Все деньги были потрачены на ювелирные изделия с бриллиантами.

20. Одежда моей сестры занимает так много места в шкафу, что мне некуда повесить новый костюм.