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# 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 →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#m1)

2) (formal) Singular means very unusual or special, one of a kind. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#m2)

3) The singular is the form of a word for just one thing. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#m3)

### 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 →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x1)
- Use a singular verb with «everyone». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x2)
- Write the singular of «children». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x3)
- She showed singular bravery. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x4)
- «Is» goes with a singular subject. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x5)
- «Sheep» is the same in singular and plural. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x6)
- They were of the most singular shapes, and glittered like diamonds. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x7)

### 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.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/6-spelling-plurals/17/)
- [Sheep, deer and moose are the same in singular and plural; fish is usually the same too (three fish).](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/language/10-plurals-mice-sheep-and-geese/6/)
- [Thus saith the Lord GOD: An evil, a singular evil, behold, it cometh.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/EZK.124/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «singular» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.