singular

«singular» in Mova's school dictionary: singular and «cats» is plural — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 3 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

adjective (singular); noun (the singular)

meaning for a pupil

1) In grammar, singular means one: «cat» is singular and «cats» is plural. tree →

2) (formal) Singular means very unusual or special, one of a kind. tree →

3) The singular is the form of a word for just one thing. tree →

sense in the lessons

In grammar lessons, pupils change singular nouns into plurals and make verbs agree: «he runs» (singular), «they run» (plural). In maths and science writing, «unit» is singular. In stories, «a singular man» means very strange or remarkable.

examples

• «Mouse» is singular and «mice» is plural. tree →
• Use a singular verb with «everyone». tree →
• Write the singular of «children». tree →
• She showed singular bravery. tree →
• «Is» goes with a singular subject. tree →
• «Sheep» is the same in singular and plural. tree →
• They were of the most singular shapes, and glittered like diamonds. tree →

note

Opposite: plural. Traps: some words look plural but are singular (news, maths); some are the same in both (sheep, fish). «They» can be used for one person whose gender is unknown.

In the corpora

• Singular means one; plural means more than one.
• Sheep, deer and moose are the same in singular and plural; fish is usually the same too (three fish).
• Thus saith the Lord GOD: An evil, a singular evil, behold, it cometh.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «singular» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.