Hi Everyone! Grammar is one of the easiest scoring section on the MDCAT yet students find it very challenging. We at Nearpeer struggle hard to make concepts easy for you through our online course and the blogs such as this one that you are reading right now. 

In this blog, we address an old friend of English called Nouns. They look pretty straightforward, but UHS can test even this simple thing in a complex manner. Read on to understand the rules and see some examples. 


RULES FOR NOUN:


1. 
A. The student who conducted the research for the last three months have determined that the amount of sales generated will decrease by five percent.
B. The student who conducted the research for the last three months has determined that the amount of sales generated will decrease by five percent.

Here option B is correct because "student" is a singular noun and we only use a singular verb with a singular noun. Same goes for plural nouns. 

* With a singular noun => use third person singular pronouns (his, her, it's), has, singular verb like reads, writes.
*With a plural noun => use third person plural pronouns (they, them, their), have, plural verbs like read, write.

Another example:
A. Everyone has a right to express their opinion on media in a democratic country.
B. Everyone has a right to express his/her opinion on media in a democratic country.
Here correct sentence is option D. 

2. 
A. The teacher as well as the students were not present during the presentation.
B. The teacher as well as the students was not present during the presentation.
Correct option: B

In sentences where two or more than two nouns are given along with the phrases 'along with', 'as well as', 'with', 'like', 'except', the verb should be according to the first noun.
Here's another example:

A. The gorilla, along with monkeys, a kangaroo and a white bird was seen on the desk of a boat yesterday.
B. The gorilla, along with monkeys, a kangaroo and a white bird were seen on the desk of a boat yesterday.
Correct option: A

3.
A. Neither the ministers nor the Prime Minister have expressed their concern for the victims of terrorism. 
B. Neither the ministers nor the Prime Minister has expressed his concern for the victims of terrorism. 
Correct option: B 

In sentences where two or more than two nouns are given along with 'neither...nor', 'either....or' and 'not only....but also' type phrases, the verb should be according to the second noun. 
Here's another example:

A. Either the yellow bulletin board or the blue cork boards are suitable for your class project.
B. Either the yellow bulletin board or the blue cork boards is suitable for your class project.

4.
A. He believes that the honesty is the best policy.
B. He believes that honesty is the best policy.
Correct option is B. 

The reason is that we do not use articles with uncountable and abstract nouns. For example 
Ideas and experiences: advice, information, progress, news, luck, fun, work
Materials and substances: water, rice, cement, gold, milk
Weather words: weather, thunder, lightning, rain, snow

Other common uncountable nouns include: accommodation, baggage, money, traffic, travel

Here's another example:

A. He has decorated his newly constructed house with the beautiful furniture.
B. He has decorated his newly constructed house with beautiful furniture
Correct answer: Option B

However, we can use 'the' with an uncountable noun if we are specifying something. For example:
-The rice of Narowal is more delicious than that of any other area of Pakistan.
-The courage of Hazrat Ali is an example for the soldiers of Islam.

5. 
SINGULAR NOUNS:
-Nouns that are uncountable and singular:
Baggage, Luggage, Advice, Music, Furniture, Information, Scenery, Poetry, Work, Soap, Food, Machinery, Offspring, Expenditure, Equipment
-Nouns that look plural but are singular:
Ethics. News, Politics, Measles, Mumps, Rickets, Innings 
-Names of subjects if taken as an academic discipline:
Mathematics, Economics, Statistics, Physics

However, when the name of a subject is used as a skill, it can be used as a plural noun. 
-His mathematics were not good enough to pass the test.

-Material nouns are also singular:
Plastic, Gold, Diamond, Iron, Brass, Cotton

Here are a few examples:

A. The alluring scenery of of the Northern areas attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world.
B. The alluring scenery of the Northern areas attract thousands of tourists from all over the world.
Correct answer: Option A 

A. Mathematics are one of my most favorite subjects.
B. Mathematics is one of my most favorite subjects.
Correct option: B 

A. Please take good care of my photocopiers. They are expensive equipments.
B. Please take good care of my photocopiers. They are expensive pieces of equipment.
Correct answer: Option B

6. 
SAME WHETHER SINGULAR OR PLURAL
Some nouns have the same form, whether used as singular or plural nouns.
For example cattle, deer, series, species, apparatus.

A. Pigs, sheep and goats are kept in a considerable number.
B. Pigs, sheeps and goats are kept in a considerable number.
Correct option: A

A. A series of disasters frustrated the gigantic scheme.
B. Serieses of disaster frustrated the gigantic scheme.
Correct option: A

7.
PLURAL NOUNS: 
Some nouns look singular but are actually plural nouns. They are always used with plural verbs. For example, cattle, people, police, poultry, trousers, scissors, spectacles, valuables, public. 
For example:

A. The thieves made away with the valuable of of the old man while he was asleep.
B. The thieves made away with the valuables of the old man while he was asleep. 
Correct option: B 

A. Harry was asked to pick up shear to cut Mecutcheon's hair. 
B. Harry was asked to pick up shears to cut Mecutcheon's hair. 
Correct option: B 

8. 
A. The jury have passed a unanimous decision against the corruption of the minister.
B. The jury has passed a unanimous decision against the corruption of the minister.
Correct option: B

A. The jury have not rendered a unanimous verdict to exonerate the accused.
B. The jury has not rendered a unanimous verdict to exonerate the accused.
Correct option: A

Some nouns such as committee, army, class, jury are used as a singular noun when they are taken as a whole. But when they are considered as a collection of individuals, they are considered as plural nouns.
For example:

-The committee has submitted its report.
-The committee were allowed to go home to their families.
-The class disagree among themselves.

9.
A. He gave his sister a five rupees note. 
B. He gave his sister a five rupee note. 

Here the correct answer is option B because when a noun is used as an adjective, it is considered singular. For example

-He was dead tired after a four mile walk. 
-He just came back after a four week vacation in London. 

10. 
A. Ahmed is so brilliant that he is considered Shakespeare of our class. 
B. Ahmed is so brilliant that he is considered the Shakespeare of our class. 

Here the correct answer is option B because when a proper noun is used as a common noun, we use article 'the' before it.

11. 
A. My father does not like my going to a cafe and often scolds me for this. 
B. My father does not like me going to a cafe and often scolds me for this. 

Here option A is correct. 'My going to a cafe' and 'her fighting with the teacher' type of phrases are called 'Gerund'. A gerund has the quality of both the verb and noun and usually has '-ing' at the end. 
Here's another example:

A. His obesity is the result of him eating too much and sluggishness. 
B. His obesity is the result of his eating too much and sluggishness. 

12. 
A. Horse is a faithful animal.
B. The horse is a faithful animal. 
Correct option: B 

When a common noun represents the whole race of that specie, it is followed by 'the'. Here's another example:

A. The rich should be generous to the poor. 
B. The rich should be generous to poors. 

13. 
Singular form  |  Plural form
Crisis | Crises 
Phenomenon | Phenomena 
Hypothesis | Hypotheses
Datum | Data
Analysis | Analyses 

These are some unusual singular and plural nouns. While constructing a sentence, verb should be used with them accordingly. For example 

A. The government has failed to resolve the petroleum crises in the country.
B. The government has failed to resolve the petroleum crises in the country. 

14.
- John ate three pieces of fruit. 
- John ate three slices of fruit.
- Orange, banana and mango are his three most favorite fruits. 

In above example, when fruit is as a general/overall noun, it is used as singular noun. But when different kinds of fruits are considered, it is used as a plural noun. Same goes for people and fish.
Similarly, hair is considered plural when countable and singular when uncountable.
For example
A. Her hair is so beautiful. 
B. I saw two white hairs in her coat.


Nearpeer.org brings you the online MDCAT Program that is most effective MDCAT prep program out there. You can get access to video lectures, MCQs, lecture notes, and books on your laptop/cell phone. No need to go academies. To learn more click here



Click here to Read More MDCAT related Blogs to Learn more about right ways of Studying