Nouns - open class items that are characterised by certain morphosintatic features such as gender , number , case .

The category of number is reflected in the singular – plural opposition . This applies to both definite and indefinite noun phrases ( a group that contains a main element a noun ) .

Eg : The book – The books .

A book - books

- The position between countable and uncountable nouns. By sortal or mass nouns.

- A plural form is morphological marked by some plural suffix or ending generally by (s)

The difference between theese 2 is a semantical one with entities wich have divided reference and nouns without divided reference ( that can or can not be counted )

Only a mass noun can stand as a complete nominal expression without a determiner( artical / demonstrative pronoun / possesive pronoun / indefinite pronoun , etc )

Only a countable noun allows the indefinite article (a ) or its variant ( an )

!!! It’s a University ( it’s a semivocal and a group sound – it behaves like a consonante )

They can be individuated by means of the indefinite article (a)

They can co-occur with cardinal numerals.They are usded with countable quantifires suchs as many , few , each ,every , several , numerous

They trigger plural agreement with the verb and with plural anaforic pronouns ( replacing nouns already used ) .

They take most of them ( plural ending / suffix ) wich is attached to the dictionary form.

Although countable nouns could be pluralised they are used as a mass noun

Eg: Two coffees

They are looking for *diamond / gold / diamonds

A diamond /* a gold / *a diamonds

*Most diamond / Most gold / Most diamonds

*All diamond / All gold / All diamonds

*Alot of diamond / Alot of gold / Alot of diamonds.

Unlike mass nouns plural forms can be used together with determinals in the plural with quantifiers ( many, few )

The plural morphem :

- Using the plural suffix (s)- Mouse – Mice ( a change in the medial vowel )- Child – Children - Ox – Oxen - Tooth – Teeth

Plural by voicing:Sheep – sheep ( zero plural )

Realisations of the plural morpheme:

Bacterial – Bacteria ( the plural is marked by the suffix a )

Analysis – Analyses

Traditional grammar makes a distinction regular and irregular nouns. Irregular and regular plurals are unpredictable because there is nothing in the meaning in the noun book that will predict that it’s plural form is books .