plural-only nouns

plural-only nouns (substantiv som bare forekommer i flertall): nouns which do not exist in singular form. Some examples are binoculars, jeans, scissors, shorts, spectacles, trousers, which are seen to consist of two parts. Reference to one 'item' is done by means of a pair of. Other plural-only nouns are surroundings, suburbs, congratulations, thanks. A special category is made up by people, police, cattle, clergy, which lack the plural ending, but co-occur with plural verbs and plural determiners (including numerals above one, and other determiners which imply countability). Nominalized adjectives with reference to people may also be included in this category: There are many homeless in this city; The Dutch were informally dressed.