The Curious Case of Plural Nouns: Clothes and Tools
English can be a fascinating language, especially when it comes to certain groups of plural nouns. Two categories—clothes and tools—often catch learners by surprise because they are usually plural. This phenomenon stems from the fact that many of these items, like trousers and scissors, consist of two similar parts.
Plural Nouns for Clothes and Accessories
When talking about clothes, several terms always take a plural form, even if you’re referring to just one item. For example, we don’t say "a trouser" or "a jean"; instead, we refer to trousers and jeans. Here’s a list of common plural nouns that describe items of clothing:
braces, briefs, cords
dungarees, glasses, jeans
leggings, knickers, overalls
pants, pyjamas, shorts
specs, sunglasses, tights
trousers, underpants
Notice how they are all plural because they either have two parts (like legs or arms) or involve a pair (like glasses).
Example:
She wore brown trousers and a green sweater.
He took off his glasses.
Plural Nouns for Tools
Similarly, many tools and instruments follow the same rule due to their dual-part structure, such as pliers or scissors. These items are always referred to in the plural.
Here are some common examples of plural nouns for tools:
binoculars, clippers, compasses
pincers, pliers, scales
scissors, tongs, tweezers
Example:
He grabbed the pliers from the toolbox.
Never poke scissors into a light bulb socket.
Referring to One Item: "A Pair Of"
When you want to mention a single item from these plural groups, you usually pair the noun with the phrase "a pair of." For instance, a pair of jeans or a pair of scissors. To refer to multiple items, you’d say pairs of.
Examples:
I went out to buy a pair of scissors.
She has three pairs of jeans.
This construction also applies to other items that come in twos, like gloves, shoes, and socks:
He wore a pair of gloves.
They put on a pair of new shoes.
Verb Agreement
When using "a pair of" with a plural noun, it’s important to note the verb agreement. In the same clause, the verb is singular:
A pair of shoes brings more happiness than a new car.
But in the following relative clause, the verb typically becomes plural:
He put on a pair of brown shoes, which were waiting for him.
In cases where a pronoun is needed, use a plural one after "a pair of":
She chose a pair of shoes and put them on.
These quirks in the English language make it all the more intriguing to study. Clothes and tools, by their very design, encourage us to think in pairs. So next time you reach for your scissors or slip into your jeans, you’ll know why they always sound like there’s more than one!
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Plural Nouns for Clothes and Accessories
Braces: Straps that pass over the shoulders to hold up trousers.
Briefs: A type of short, tight-fitting underwear.
Cords: Trousers made from corduroy fabric.
Dungarees: A garment consisting of trousers with an attached bib, often worn as protective clothing or fashion.
Glasses: Lenses set in a frame used to correct vision or protect the eyes.
Jeans: Casual trousers made from denim.
Jodhpurs: Riding trousers that are tight-fitting below the knee and loose above it.
Knickers: Women's or girls' underpants.
Leggings: Tight-fitting stretch pants, often worn for exercise or as casual wear.
Overalls: Loose-fitting trousers with an attached bib, often worn for work or outdoor activities.
Panties: A woman's or girl's underpants.
Pants: Trousers; in American English, it refers to underwear.
Pyjamas: Loose-fitting nightclothes worn for sleeping.
Shorts: Trousers cut off above the knee.
Slacks: Casual trousers, typically loose-fitting.
Specs: Short for spectacles; glasses used to correct vision.
Spectacles: Another term for glasses.
Sunglasses: Glasses with darkened lenses to protect the eyes from the sun.
Tights: A close-fitting garment covering the legs and waist, worn under clothes or for exercise.
Trousers: A garment covering the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, with separate sections for each leg.
Trunks: Men’s short trousers used for swimming or sports.
Underpants: Garments worn under clothes, covering the lower part of the body.
Plural Nouns for Tools and Other Items
Binoculars: Optical instrument used for viewing distant objects with both eyes.
Clippers: A tool used for cutting, especially hair or nails.
Compasses: An instrument used for drawing circles or for navigation.
Dividers: A tool used to measure distances or to mark points on a surface.
Nutcrackers: A device for cracking open the hard shells of nuts.
Pincers: A tool with two handles and a pair of jaws used for gripping or pulling.
Pliers: A hand tool with jaws used for gripping, bending, or cutting wire.
Scales: A device used for measuring weight.
Scissors: A tool with two blades pivoted together for cutting paper, fabric, etc.
Secateurs: A type of pruning shears used for cutting plants.
Shears: Large scissors used for cutting plants or fabric.
Tongs: A tool used to grip and lift objects, typically food.
Tweezers: A small tool used for picking up small objects or plucking hairs.
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Sentences Using Plural Nouns for Clothes and Accessories
Braces: He adjusted his braces before heading to the office.
Briefs: He prefers wearing cotton briefs during workouts.
Cords: She wore her favourite cords to the concert last night.
Dungarees: The mechanic was dressed in blue dungarees.
Glasses: She forgot her glasses at home, making it hard to read the sign.
Jeans: I bought a new pair of jeans from the mall yesterday.
Jodhpurs: The rider wore her jodhpurs while training her horse.
Knickers: She packed a few pairs of knickers for her weekend trip.
Leggings: She slipped into her leggings for the yoga class.
Overalls: The painter wore overalls to protect his clothes from splashes.
Panties: She bought a pack of cotton panties from the store.
Pants: His pants were neatly ironed for the meeting.
Pyjamas: I changed into my pyjamas before watching the movie.
Shorts: He wore shorts to the beach to stay cool in the heat.
Slacks: She paired her slacks with a stylish blouse for the dinner.
Specs: His specs were foggy from the cold air outside.
Spectacles: The old man cleaned his spectacles with a soft cloth.
Sunglasses: She put on her sunglasses to shield her eyes from the bright sun.
Tights: The dancer wore black tights for the performance.
Trousers: He dressed in formal trousers for the business meeting.
Trunks: The swimmer wore red trunks during the competition.
Underpants: The laundry basket was full of underpants and socks.
Sentences Using Plural Nouns for Tools and Other Items
Binoculars: He used his binoculars to watch the birds in the distance.
Clippers: The barber picked up his clippers to trim the customer’s hair.
Compasses: The students used their compasses to draw perfect circles.
Dividers: The engineer used dividers to measure the exact distance on the blueprint.
Nutcrackers: We used the nutcrackers to open the tough walnut shells.
Pincers: The blacksmith grabbed the pincers to hold the hot metal.
Pliers: He used pliers to fix the broken wire in the garage.
Scales: The chef placed the ingredients on the scales to ensure accurate measurements.
Scissors: She used the scissors to cut the wrapping paper for the gift.
Secateurs: The gardener pruned the roses with her secateurs.
Shears: The sheep were trimmed using large shears.
Tongs: He grabbed the hot coals with tongs and placed them on the barbecue.
Tweezers: She used tweezers to remove the tiny splinter from her finger.
Assessment Exercise: Plural Nouns for Clothes and Tools
Part 1: Fill in the Blanks Complete the sentences using the correct plural noun from the word bank below. Use each word only once.
Word Bank:
scissors, jeans, glasses, pyjamas, pliers, tweezers, trousers, binoculars, overalls, compasses
He wore his favourite pair of ________ to the casual party.
The mechanic grabbed his ________ to fix the car’s wiring.
I can’t see clearly without my ________; where did I put them?
She changed into her ________ before going to bed.
The tailor used sharp ________ to cut the fabric perfectly.
The hikers used their ________ to spot birds in the distance.
He put on his ________ to protect his clothes while painting.
She used ________ to pluck the tiny splinter from her finger.
The explorer used his ________ to draw a perfect circle.
The formal event required everyone to wear ________ instead of shorts.
Shears
Part 2: True or False
Write True if the statement is correct, and False if it is incorrect.
"Scissors" is a plural noun because it has two similar parts.
You can say "a trouser" to refer to one pair of trousers.
A pair of glasses is considered singular when discussing its function.
To refer to one item of clothing like jeans, you can say "a pair of jeans."
Pliers are tools that are usually referred to in singular form.
Part 3: Matching Match the plural noun with its correct description.
Glasses
Nutcrackers
Trunks
Secateurs
Spectacles
a. Cutting tools for plants
b. Swimsuit bottoms for men
c. Another term for glasses
d. Device for opening nuts
e. Lenses used to correct or protect vision
Part 4: Short Answer:
Answer the following questions in 1-2 sentences.
Why are nouns like "trousers" and "scissors" always in the plural form?
How would you refer to a single item from these plural nouns? Provide an example.
Give an example of a sentence using the plural noun "binoculars."
Part 5: Multiple Choice Choose the correct answer for each question.
Which of the following is not a plural noun for clothes?
a) Trousers
b) Shorts
c) Shirt
d) Jeans
When you want to refer to a single item from a plural noun like "tights," which phrase would you use?
a) One tights
b) A pair of tights
c) A single tights
d) Some tights
Which tool is used for cutting plants?
a) Secateurs
b) Tweezers
c) Compasses
d) Pincers
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ANSWERS
Part 1: Fill in the Blanks
He wore his favourite pair of jeans to the casual party.
The mechanic grabbed his pliers to fix the car’s wiring.
I can’t see clearly without my glasses; where did I put them?
She changed into her pyjamas before going to bed.
The tailor used sharp scissors to cut the fabric perfectly.
The hikers used their binoculars to spot birds in the distance.
He put on his overalls to protect his clothes while painting.
She used tweezers to pluck the tiny splinter from her finger.
The explorer used his compasses to draw a perfect circle.
The formal event required everyone to wear trousers instead of shorts.
Part 2: True or False
True – "Scissors" is a plural noun because it has two similar parts.
False – You cannot say "a trouser"; you must say "a pair of trousers."
True – A pair of glasses is considered singular when discussing its function.
True – To refer to one item of clothing like jeans, you say "a pair of jeans."
False – Pliers are always referred to in the plural form, not singular.
Part 3: Matching
Glasses – e. Lenses used to correct or protect vision
Nutcrackers – d. Device for opening nuts
Trunks – b. Swimsuit bottoms for men
Secateurs – a. Cutting tools for plants
Spectacles – c. Another term for glasses
Part 4: Short Answer
Nouns like "trousers" and "scissors" are always in the plural form because they consist of two similar parts, like legs or blades, that make up the whole item.
To refer to a single item from these plural nouns, you use "a pair of." For example, "a pair of trousers" or "a pair of scissors."
Example sentence using "binoculars": "The birdwatcher used his binoculars to observe the distant wildlife."
Part 5: Multiple Choice
Which of the following is not a plural noun for clothes?
c) Shirt
When you want to refer to a single item from a plural noun like "tights," which phrase would you use?
b) A pair of tights
Which tool is used for cutting plants?
a) Secateurs
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