SSC CGL English Grammar: NOUN Complete Preparation Material
Level: Tier 1 + Tier 2 | Language: Easy Hinglish | Focus: Accuracy + Speed + Tricks
1. Short Notes: NOUN
Noun kya hota hai?
Noun kisi person, place, thing, animal, idea, quality ke name ko bolte hain.
Examples: Ram, Delhi, book, honesty, team, gold
A. Types of Noun — Exam-oriented
1. Proper Noun
Specific name: India, Ram, Ganga, Monday
- Proper noun usually capital letter se start hota hai.
- Usually plural nahi hota.
✅ India is a great country.
2. Common Noun
General name: boy, city, river, teacher
✅ A teacher should be honest.
3. Collective Noun
Group ka naam: team, army, class, committee, jury, crowd, family
Collective noun agar as a single unit act kare → singular verb
Agar members individually act kar rahe hain → plural verb
✅ The committee has taken its decision.
✅ The committee are divided in their opinions.
Note: SSC me mostly collective noun ko singular treat kiya jata hai jab tak division na dikhe.
4. Material Noun
Substance/material ka naam: gold, silver, water, milk, wood, iron
Usually uncountable hote hain.
❌ Golds are precious.
✅ Gold is precious.
5. Abstract Noun
Quality, state, idea: honesty, beauty, childhood, wisdom, bravery
Usually uncountable.
❌ He gave me many advices.
✅ He gave me much advice.
B. Countable vs Uncountable Nouns
Countable Noun
Jinko count kar sakte hain: book, pen, apple, chair
Use: many, few, a few, number of, several
✅ Many students are absent.
Uncountable Noun
Jinko count nahi kar sakte: water, advice, information, furniture, luggage
Use: much, little, a little, amount of, quantity of
✅ Much information is available.
Important Uncountable Nouns for SSC (Very Important)
Inke plural form (s/es lagakar) nahi bante:
| Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|
| advices | advice |
| informations | information |
| furnitures | furniture |
| luggages | luggage |
| equipments | equipment |
| sceneries | scenery |
| machineries | machinery |
| jewelleries | jewellery |
| breads | bread |
| works | work |
| hairs | hair |
| knowledges | knowledge |
| newses | news |
| poetries | poetry |
| traffics | traffic |
✅ The furniture is expensive.
✅ The news is shocking.
C. Singular and Plural Rules
1. सामान्य plural
Most nouns me -s / -es: book → books, box → boxes, class → classes.
2. Nouns ending in -y
Consonant + y → ies (city → cities, lady → ladies)
Vowel + y → s (boy → boys, key → keys)
3. Nouns ending in -f / -fe
Usually ves: knife → knives, wife → wives, leaf → leaves, life → lives.
But exceptions: roof → roofs, chief → chiefs, proof → proofs, belief → beliefs.
4. Irregular Plurals
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| man | men |
| woman | women |
| child | children |
| tooth | teeth |
| foot | feet |
| mouse | mice |
| goose | geese |
| ox | oxen |
5. Same Singular and Plural
sheep, deer, series, species, aircraft, fish (fishes is used for different types only).
✅ Two deer were seen in the forest.
D. Nouns Always Singular
In nouns ke end me s hota hai but ye singular hote hain:
- news, mathematics, physics, economics, politics, innings, summons
✅ Mathematics is difficult.
✅ The news is true.
E. Nouns Always Plural
Ye nouns plural hote hain, singular nahi (always take plural verb):
- scissors, trousers, spectacles, goggles, tongs, pliers, surroundings, belongings, savings, riches, ashes
✅ My spectacles are new.
✅ The scissors are sharp.
Pair Rule: Agar "a pair of" lag jaye toh verb singular hoga.
✅ A pair of scissors is on the table.
F. Important Number Rules
- A number of + plural noun + plural verb (Meaning: Many)
✅ A number of students are absent.
- The number of + plural noun + singular verb (Meaning: Total count)
✅ The number of students is increasing.
Formula: One of + plural noun + singular verb
✅ One of my friends is a doctor.
✅ Each of the boys has a pen.
Formula: Many a + singular noun + singular verb
✅ Many a student has failed. (Meaning plural, structure singular).
Formula: More than one + singular noun + singular verb
✅ More than one student was absent.
G. Possessive Case (Apostrophe Rules)
- Singular noun: Ram’s book
- Plural ending with 's': Boys’ hostel (sirf apostrophe)
- Irregular plural: Children’s park
- Non-living things: 'of' ka use karein.
❌ Table's leg | ✅ The leg of the table - Exceptions (Time, Weight, Distance): A day's work, A mile's distance, India's progress.
H. Compound Nouns ka Plural
Main noun ko plural banate hain:
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| son-in-law | sons-in-law |
| commander-in-chief | commanders-in-chief |
| passer-by | passers-by |
| maid-servant | maid-servants |
| man-servant | men-servants |
| woman-doctor | women-doctors |
I. Double Plural Error
Kuch words pehle se plural hain, unme 's' na lagayein:
❌ childrens, mens, peoples
✅ children, men, people
J. Common SSC Error Words
1. People vs Peoples: People (log), Peoples (alag-alag desh/jaati ke log).
2. Hair vs Hairs: Hair collectively uncountable (Her hair is black). Individual strands ke liye "two grey hairs" keh sakte hain.
3. Fruit vs Fruits: Fruit (khana), Fruits (nateeja ya alag-alag types).
4. Work vs Works: Work (kaam), Works (sahitya/factory).
5. Custom vs Customs: Custom (parampara), Customs (tax vibhag).
2. Speed Tricks for SSC Exam
Trick 2: "One of" ke baad check karo ki noun plural hai ya nahi.
Trick 3: "A pair of" dikhe toh verb hamesha singular check karein.
3. MCQ Practice: 25 Questions (Full Set)
Q1. He gave me many useful informations about the exam.
A. He gave me | B. many useful informations | C. about the exam | D. No error
Q2. The news are very shocking.
A. The news | B. are very | C. shocking | D. No error
Q3. One of my friend is working in Delhi.
A. One of | B. my friend | C. is working in Delhi | D. No error
Q4. A number of students was absent yesterday.
A. A number of students | B. was absent | C. yesterday | D. No error
Q5. The number of candidates are increasing every year.
A. The number of candidates | B. are increasing | C. every year | D. No error
Q6. My spectacles is lying on the table.
A. My spectacles | B. is lying | C. on the table | D. No error
Q7. A pair of shoes are kept outside the room.
A. A pair of shoes | B. are kept | C. outside the room | D. No error
Q8. She has bought new furniture for her house.
A. She has bought | B. new furniture | C. for her house | D. No error
Q9. Many a student have faced this problem.
A. Many a student | B. have faced | C. this problem | D. No error
Q10. These sceneries are beautiful.
A. These sceneries | B. are | C. beautiful | D. No error
Q11. The police has arrested the thief.
A. The police | B. has arrested | C. the thief | D. No error
Q12. He is one of the best player in the team.
A. He is | B. one of the best player | C. in the team | D. No error
Q13. The committee has submitted its report.
A. The committee | B. has submitted | C. its report | D. No error
Q14. The children’s are playing in the garden.
A. The children’s | B. are playing | C. in the garden | D. No error
Q15. I need some advices from you.
A. I need | B. some advices | C. from you | D. No error
Q16. My brother-in-laws are coming today.
A. My brother-in-laws | B. are coming | C. today | D. No error
Q17. The table’s legs are broken.
A. The table’s legs | B. are | C. broken | D. No error
Q18. Mathematics are my favourite subject.
A. Mathematics | B. are | C. my favourite subject | D. No error
Q19. Each of the boys have completed the work.
A. Each of the boys | B. have completed | C. the work | D. No error
Q20. There are two grey hairs on his head.
A. There are | B. two grey hairs | C. on his head | D. No error
Q21. More than one student were punished.
A. More than one student | B. were punished | C. No error | D. None of these
Q22. The cattle is grazing in the field.
A. The cattle | B. is grazing | C. in the field | D. No error
Q23. He bought two dozen mangoes.
A. He bought | B. two dozen mangoes | C. No error | D. None of these
Q24. The jury were divided in their opinion.
A. The jury | B. were divided | C. in their opinion | D. No error
Q25. She gave me a good advice.
A. She gave me | B. a good advice | C. No error | D. None of these
Answer Key with Explanation
Q1. B: Information uncountable hai. (Correct: much information/pieces of information)
Q2. B: News singular hai. (Correct: The news is...)
Q3. B: One of + plural noun. (Correct: One of my friends)
Q4. B: A number of + plural verb. (Correct: were absent)
Q5. B: The number of + singular verb. (Correct: is increasing)
Q6. B: Spectacles plural hai. (Correct: are lying)
Q7. B: "A pair" subject hai, so singular verb. (Correct: is kept)
Q8. D: No error. Furniture uncountable hai.
Q9. B: Many a + singular verb. (Correct: has faced)
Q10. A: Scenery uncountable hai. (Correct: This scenery is...)
Q11. B: Police plural sense me hota hai. (Correct: have arrested)
Q12. B: One of + plural noun. (Correct: one of the best players)
Q13. D: No error. Committee as a unit singular hai.
Q14. A: Children already plural hai. (Correct: The children are...)
Q15. B: Advice uncountable hai. (Correct: some advice)
Q16. A: Compound plural main word par banta hai. (Correct: brothers-in-law)
Q17. A: Non-living ke liye 'of' lagayein. (Correct: The legs of the table)
Q18. B: Mathematics singular subject hai. (Correct: is my favourite)
Q19. B: Each of + singular verb. (Correct: has completed)
Q20. D: No error. Individual strands ke liye hairs sahi hai.
Q21. B: More than one + singular verb. (Correct: was punished)
Q22. B: Cattle plural hai. (Correct: are grazing)
Q23. C: No error. Number + dozen ke saath 's' nahi lagta.
Q24. D: No error. Jury divided hai toh plural verb 'were' sahi hai.
Q25. B: Advice uncountable hai. (Correct: some good advice / a piece of good advice)
4. Practice Exercise: 10 Mixed Questions
Q1. Correct sentence: C. He gave me some advice.
Q2. Error: B. are decreasing (The number of is singular).
Q3. Plural of Son-in-law: B. sons-in-law.
Q4. Error: B. is very expensive (Trousers are plural).
Q5. Correct: C. The furniture is costly.
Q6. Error: B. have lost (One of is singular).
Q7. Correct: B. A pair of scissors is on the table.
Q8. Error: B. were injured (Many a is singular).
Q9. Correct: B. The news is fake.
Q10. Error: D. No error (Students' honesty correct possessive).
5. PYQ Pattern Questions
PYQ 1: B. a lot of informations (Correct: information).
PYQ 2: B. are (Police are investigating).
PYQ 3: B. are living (Correct: is living).
PYQ 4: B. The news is shocking.
PYQ 5: B. was waiting (A number of people were).
PYQ 6: B. Brothers-in-law.
PYQ 7: A. The sceneries (Correct: The scenery of Kashmir is...).
PYQ 8: B. A pair of shoes is missing.
PYQ 9: B. have submitted (Correct: has submitted).
PYQ 10: C. Many a man has tried this.
6. Quick Revision: One Page Notes
Uncountable (No -s): Advice, Information, Furniture, Luggage, Equipment, Scenery, Poetry, News.
Always Plural: Scissors, Trousers, Spectacles, Cattle, Police, People.
Singular Nouns (with -s): Physics, Mathematics, News, Innings, Economics.
Formula: One of / Each of / Many a / The number of + Singular Verb.
Formula: A number of + Plural Verb.
Possessive: No apostrophe with non-living things (Table's leg ❌, Leg of table ✅).
Best of Luck for your SSC Exam!