NUMBER
Number বা বচন শব্দটি Noun বা Pronoun কে বোঝায় এবং প্রকাশ করে যে Noun/Pronon টি সংখ্যায় এক না একাধিক।
The number states whether noun or pronoun is one or more than one. যেমন- Pen (কলম) : Pens (কলমগুলি) (Countable noun may be singular or plural in number.)
তোমার Class room এ ক’টি দরজা (Door), জানালা (Window), টেবিল (Table), পাখা (Fan), ব্ল্যাকবোর্ড (Blackboard) এবং বেঞ্চ (Bench) আছে?
1.The Plural of Nouns is generally formed by adding – s to the Singular. (সাধারণত Singular Noun –এর শেষে –s যোগ করে Plural Number করা হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Book –বই | Books |
| Cat –বিড়াল | Cats |
| Dog -কুকুর | Dogs |
| King -রাজা | Kings |
2.Nouns ending in –s, -sh, -ch (soft), or –x form the plural by adding –es to the singular: (Noun –এর শেষে s, sh, ch (চ্), x থাকলে –es যোগ করে Plural করা হয়।
| Singular | Plural |
| Ass –গাধা | Asses |
| Glass –গ্লাস | Glasses |
| Lass –বালিকা | Lasses |
| Brush -ব্রাশ | Brushes |
Note: if ‘ch’ sounds as ‘k’, Plural is formed by adding –s: (ch –এর উচ্চারণ ‘ক’ এর মতো হলে Noun –এর শেষে শুধু –s যোগ করে Plural হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Monarch –রাজা | Monarchs |
| Stomach -পেট | Stomachs |
| Patriarch –কুলপতি | Patriarchs |
3.Nouns ending in-o having a Vowel before it, take-s to form Plural: (Noun –এর শেষে ‘O’ –এবং তার পূর্বে একটি Vowel থাকলে –s যোগ করে Plural করতে হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Bamboo –বাঁশ | Bamboos |
| Hindoo -হিন্দু | Hindoos |
| Radio –রেডিও | Radios |
| Folio –ভাঁজ করা কাগজ | Folios |
4.Noun ending in –o having a Consonant before it, take –es to form Plural: (Noun –এর শেষে ‘O’ বর্ণ থাকলে এবং তার পূর্বে Consonant থাকলে –es যোগ করে Plural হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Hero –বীর | Heroes |
| Mango –আম | Mangoes |
| Negro -কৃষ্ণাঙ্গ | Negroes |
| Echo –প্রতিধ্বনি | Echoes |
5.Nouns ending in –y having a Vowel before it, form their Plurals by adding –s: (Noun –এর শেষে y –এবং তার পূর্বে Vowel থাকলে –s যোগ করে Plural হব।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Boy –বালক | Boys |
| Key – চাবি | Keys |
| Day –দিন | Days |
| Ray –রশ্মি | Rays |
6. Noun ending in –y having a Consonant before it, form their Plural by changing –y into i and adding –es: (Noun –এর শেষে y –এবং y –এর পূর্বে Consonant থাকলে y পরিবর্তিত হয়ে i হয় এবং –es যোগ হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Army –সৈন্য | Armies |
| Body –শরীর | Bodies |
| Country –দেশ | Countries |
| Copy –অনুলিপি | Copies |
7.Noun ending in –f or –fe form their Plural by changing f or fe into v and adding –es: (Noun –এর শেষে f বা fe –এর স্থানে –ves যোগ করে Plural হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Calf –বাছূর | Claves |
| Knife –ছুরি | Knives |
| Leaf –গাছের পাতা | Leaves |
| Self –স্বয়ং | Selves |
8.Several Nuns ending in –f form their Plural by adding s: (কয়েকটি Noun –এর শেষে f থাকলেও –s যোগ করে Plural হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Chief –মুখ্য | Chiefs |
| Brief –সংক্ষিপ্ত | Briefs |
| Reef –প্রবল প্রাচীর | Reefs |
| Gulf –উপসাগর | Gulfs |
9,Some Nouns form their Plural by changing the inside Vowel of their Singular: (কতগুলি Noun –এর Plural করার সময় শব্দের ভিতরের Vowel পরিবর্তন করতে হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Man – মানুষ | Men |
| Gentleman –ভদ্রলোক | Gentlemen |
| Foot –পায়ের পাতা | Feet |
| Goose –রাজাহাঁস | Geese |
10.A few Nouns form their by adding –en to the Singular: (কয়েকটি Noun –এর Plural করার সময় en যোগ করতে হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Ox –ষাঁড় | Oxen |
| Child –শিশু | Children |
| Brother –ভাই | Brothers |
11.Compound Nouns generally form their Plural by adding –s to the principal word or by changing inside Vowel of the principal word: (Compound Noun এর প্রধান word –এর শেষে –s যোগ করে অথবা প্রধান word –এর vowel পরিবর্তন করে Plural হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Son-in-law –জামাই | Sons-in-law |
| Step-son –সৎ-পুত্র | Step-sons |
| Father-n-law –শ্বশুর | Fathers-in-law |
| Grown-up –সাবালক | Grown-ups |
12.Compound Nouns written without hyphen take ‘s’ to form the Plural: (Compound Noun hyphen দ্বারা যুক্ত না হলে –s যোগ করে Plural হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Armchair | Armchairs |
| Pickpocket | Pickpockets |
| Handful | Handfuls |
| Spoonful | Spoonfuls |
13.There are some compound Nouns which take a double Plural: (কয়েকটি Compound Noun –এর Double Plural হয়।)
| Singular | Plural |
| Man-servant –দাস/চাকর | Men-servants |
| Knight-Templar –ধর্মযোদ্ধা | Knights-Templars |
| Lord-justice –বিচারক | Lords-justices |
| Woman-servant –দাসী | Women-servants |
14.Some typical examples of Plurals: (No change in number)
| Singular | Plural |
| Deer –হরিণ | Deer |
| Hundred –শত | Hundred |
| Swine –শূকর | Swine |
| Fish -মাছ | Fish |
| Note:অবশ্য Hundreds of students (শত শত ছাত্র), Thousands of people(হাজার হাজার লোক) –এরূপ প্রয়োগ হয়। Some words representing quantity are not made plural when used as part of a definite number. Example:- Two dozen apples but dozens of apples. Two hundred students but hundreds of students. Five thousand rupees but thousands of rupees. Ten ton rice but tons of rice. এক্ষেত্রে hundred, thousand, dozen প্রভৃতি Plural অর্থ প্রকাশ করলেও Singular form এ লেখা আছে। |
| 15. বর্ণ, সংখ্যা, প্রতীক (Number/Letter/Sign) এর Plural করার সময় Singular Noun এর শেষে Appostrophy চিহ্ন (‘) প্রয়োগ করতে হয়। | There are seven M.A’s in our village. Add five 3’s and three 2’s. অনুরূপভাবে, B.A. = B.A’s, 10=10’s, 20 = 20’s, 30 = 30’s, Two M.P’s, Many VIP’s, MLA’s etc. |
| 16. Numeral Adjective এর Plural ‘s’ যুক্ত করে হয়। | One = Ones, Two = Twos, Five = Fives, Nine = Nines. |
| 17.Proper Noun এর Plural দেখানো হল: (প্রথমে Singular = পরেরটা Plural.) | Mr. = Messers. Mrs. = Mess dames, Mr. Sen = The Mr. Sens. Mrs. Dutta = The Duttas. |
| 18. Pronoun এর Plural দেখানো হল: (প্রথমে Singular = পরেরটা Plural.) | I = We, My = Our, Me = Us, Myself = Ourselves, Mine = Ours, You = You. Your = Your. Your = Yours. Yourself = Yourselves. He/She/It = They, Him/Her = Them. His/Her = Their, Himself/Herself/Itself/ = Themselves. |
| 19. Nouns Plural in form but Singular in use: (কতগুলি Noun আকারে Plural কিন্তু ব্যবহারে Singular তাই এগুলির পর Singular Verb প্রয়োগ করতে হয়।) শেষে ‘ies’ যুক্ত Subject এর নাম মূলত Singular হয়। | News, Physics, Politics, Statistics, Economics, Athletics, Gymnastics, Mathematics, Ethics, Metaphysics, Optics, Wages, Athletics. News: what is the news? Mathematics: Mathematics is my favourite subject. |
| 20. Some Nouns are always Plural: (কতগুলি Noun সর্বদাই Plural –এদের Singular হয় না এবং Singular Verb গ্রহন করে।). | Bellows –ধনুক/হাপার, Scissors -কাঁচি, Glasses -গ্লাস, Spectacles -চশমা, Trousers -পাজামা, Drawers –কাপার, Ashes -ছাই, Alms -ভিক্ষা, Assets -সম্পত্তি, Annals –ঘটনা, Vegetables -শাকসবজি, Goods -মালপত্র, Clothes -বস্ত্র, Measles –হাম, Mumps –গলা ফোলা, Billiards/Draughts –খেলার নাম। এছাড়াও – Thanks, Amends, Belongs, Savings, Particulars, Regards, Congratulations, Shorts etc. Examples: His trousers are dirty. Alms were given to the beggers. |
| 21. কিছু Collective Noun এর গঠন Singular হলেও এগুলি Plural অর্থে ব্যবহৃত হয়। | Poultry – হাঁস-মুরগী, People -জনগন, Cattle –গবাদি পশু, Gentry –ভদ্রসম্প্রদায়, Public -জনগন, Vermin –পোকামাকড়/জঘন্য ব্যক্তি), Majority -সংখ্যাগুরু, Mankind –মানবজাতি। |
| 22. কিছু Noun সর্বদা singular হিসাবে ব্যবহৃত হয়। | Furniture, Luggage, baggage, alphabet, brick, business, hair, information, scenery, machinery, beard, issue, poetry, progress, money, obuse, offspring, expenditure, equipment, stationary, jewellery. Example: Her hair is long. Money is not a matter. His information comes true. |
| 23.The + Adjective যখন Noun রূপে Object হিসাবে প্রয়োগ করা হয়, তখন তা Plural অর্থ প্রকাশ করে এবং Plural Verb গ্রহন করে। | The rich, The poor, The virtuous, The pious. যেমন- The rich are not always happy. |
| 24. Material Noun গুলি সাধারণত Plural হয় না। | Water, sugar, milk, iron, copper, oil, silver, wood. |
| 25. Abstract Noun এর Plural হয় না। | Kindness, hope, charity, love, honesty, cruelty, poverty, childhood. |
মূলত Proper Noun, Material Noun ও Abstract Noun এর Plural হয় না। তবে এদেরকে ষদি Common Noun হিসাবে প্রয়োগ করা হয় তাহলে এদের Plural রূপ ব্যবহৃত হয়। যেমন-
Milton was a great poet. (Proper Noun) = I read two Miltons. (Two poetry of Milton)
We should drink pure water. (Material Noun) = The waters of Ganga are not always pure. (Common Noun)
Kindness is part of her character. (Abstract Noun ) = Mother Tresa did many klindnesses. (Acts of kindness)
EXERCISE: Change the number of the following Nouns/Pronouns: (Some may remain unchanged.)
Woman, Roof, Cap, House, Trees, Book, Bus, Fox, Deer, Hero, Flies, Pens, Motto, Cuckoo, Baby, Wife, Leaf, Dwarf, Shelf, Hoof, Copy, Desks, Ox, We, Brick, He, This, That, News, Vegetables, You, It, Father-in-law, Cattle, Dog, Apples, Boy, Monkey, Child, Finger, Nose, Teeth, Leg, Head, Elephant, Crow.
EXERCISE: Fill in the blanks with correct forms of the singular or plural noun:
| 1] The ate some (magno). 2] You can put (sugar) in your coffee. 3] We have to buy new (furniture) 4] She needs to wash her (hair). 5] I have a lot (money) to spend. 6] How many (child) are there in the field. 7] We had lots of (fun). 8] Could you give me some (information) on this project. 9] Those ___________________ (man) seem to be tired. 10] There are some (police-man) on the road. 11] How many (people) learn English as second language? 12] Ten (woman) opened a computer service company. 13] These (book) are costly. 14] Give me (milk). | 15] She has lost her (luggage). 16] Mita has ten __________ (sheep). 17] He has five __________ of shoes. (pair) 18] The neckless costs ten _________ rupees. (thousand) 19] I want three __________ of bananas. (dozen) 20] Many __________ are flying. (bird) 21] The __________ are sharp. (knife) 22] The cat caught three __________ last night. (mouce) 23] The lady has two __________ (brother-in-law) 24] Brush your __________ (tooth) 25] __________ spread Cholera. (Fly) 26] He has four __________ (ox). 27] An ox has four __________ (hoof). 28] Kolkata and Delhi are big __________ (city). 29] __________ are playing. (Child) 30. __________ are working. (Man) |
Rewrite the following sentences in the plural.
1) An ox is a useful animal. 2) A baby drinks milk.3) A child goes to school every morning. 4) A mango is a sweet fruit.5) My brother- in- law met the Advocate- General. 6) My man- servant has a book of verses.7) A mouse eats a lot of grain. 8)His tooth was removed by a dentist. 9) A potato is heavier than a tomato.10)A cow and a calf are grazing in the field.
EXERCISE: Find out the plural nouns from the text given below:
We see insects around us. Insects usually have three pairs of legs and two pairs of wings. Bee, butterfly, grasshopper, mosquito, fly, cockroach are all insects. The body of an insect is divided into three parts- head, abdomen and thorax. Some insects like Bee and mosquito have stings. They are very harmful. Some insects like cockroach have tentacles. Some insect like fly and mosquito spread diseases. Ants move in a row and store food for winter. Grasshoppers jump and hop on the grass in the garden. Butterfly has colourful wings. Bees suck nectar from flower. They store honey in beehives. A cockroach has six legs. A glowworm glows to give light. Spider has eight legs and makes web.
Read More :- Short imperative sentence