Eliminating Singular Plural Errors
Content
Singular-Plural Error Correction - Introduction
What is Singular-Plural?
Singular: Refers to one object or person
Plural: Refers to two or more objects or persons
What is Singular-Plural Error?
Using singular-plural forms incorrectly by violating rules is called singular-plural error.
Importance
- ✓ 2-3 questions in TNPSC exam
- ✓ Essential for sentence structure
- ✓ Important for correct language usage
- ✓ Easy to score marks
Plural Suffixes
Tamil has several suffixes to indicate plural:
1. "gal" Suffix (Most Common)
Singular → Plural:
- tree → trees
- flower → flowers
- book → books
- lizard → lizards
- child → children
2. "aar, or, ar" Suffixes (For Humans)
Singular → Plural:
- teacher → teachers
- student → students
- elder → elders
- boy → boys
- girl → girls
3. "eer" Suffix (Honorific Plural)
Singular → Plural:
- he → they
- this person → these people
- who → who all
First 5 Errors & Corrections
Error 1: Wrong Use of "gal" Suffix
Wrong: "maanavankal vanthaar" ❌
Correct: "maanavargal vanthaar" ✓
Explanation: For humans, add "ar" first, then "gal".
Error 2: Double Plural Suffix
Wrong: "pookkalgal" ❌
Correct: "pookkal" ✓
Explanation: One plural suffix is enough.
Error 3: Singular Verb with Plural Noun
Wrong: "paravaigal parakkiṟathu" ❌
Correct: "paravaigal parakkiṉṟaṉa" ✓
Explanation: Plural noun needs plural verb.
Error 4: Plural Verb with Singular Noun
Wrong: "paravai parakkiṉṟaṉa" ❌
Correct: "paravai parakkiṟathu" ✓
Explanation: Singular noun needs singular verb.
Error 5: Wrong Plural Suffix
Wrong: "aasiriyankal" ❌
Correct: "aasiriyargal" ✓
Explanation: For humans, add "ar" first.
Basic Singular-Plural Rules
Rule 1: Add "gal" for Objects
Examples:
- tree → trees ✓
- flower → flowers ✓
- book → books ✓
- pen → pens ✓
- ball → balls ✓
Rule 2: "ar + gal" for Humans
Examples:
- student → students ✓
- teacher → teachers ✓
- engineer → engineers ✓
- doctor → doctors ✓
- merchant → merchants ✓
Rule 3: Add "gal" for Animals
Examples:
- elephant → elephants ✓
- dog → dogs ✓
- cat → cats ✓
- horse → horses ✓
- bird → birds ✓
Singular-Plural - Common Mistakes (6-15)
Category 1: Noun Errors
Error 6: Wrong Suffix for Humans
Wrong: "boys are playing" (wrong suffix) ❌
Correct: "siruvargal vilaiyaadukirargal" ✓
Explanation: "siruvan" → "siruvar" + "gal"
Error 7: Unnecessary Plural Suffix
Wrong: "girlsgals" ❌
Correct: "pengal" ✓
Explanation: "pen" + "gal" = "pengal"
Error 8: No Suffix Change
Wrong: "student came" (plural verb, singular noun) ❌
Correct: "students came" ✓
Explanation: "maanavan" → "maanavargal"
Error 9: Wrong Suffix Selection
Wrong: "booksars" ❌
Correct: "books" ✓
Explanation: Objects take "gal" not "ar"
Error 10: Compound Plural
Wrong: "maagal" ❌
Correct: "marangal" ✓
Explanation: "maram" + "gal" = "marangal" (m → ng)
Category 2: Verb Errors
Error 11: Singular-Plural Mismatch
Wrong: "students comes" ❌
Correct: "students come" ✓
Explanation: Plural noun + plural verb
Error 12: Wrong Plural Verb
Wrong: "he comes (plural)" ❌
Correct: "he comes (singular)" ✓
Explanation: Singular noun + singular verb
Error 13: Auxiliary Verb Error
Wrong: "children cries (singular)" ❌
Correct: "children cry (plural)" ✓
Explanation: Use plural form
Error 14: Honorific Plural Error
Wrong: "teacher comes (informal)" ❌
Correct: "teacher comes (formal)" ✓
Explanation: Use respectful form
Error 15: Rational-Irrational Error
Wrong: "birds fly (human verb)" ❌
Correct: "birds fly (animal verb)" ✓
Explanation: Use appropriate form
Category 3: Special Type Errors
Error 16: Collective Noun Error
Wrong: "people comes" ❌
Correct: "people come" ✓
Explanation: "makkal" is already plural
Error 17: Number Error
Wrong: "five student came" ❌
Correct: "five students came" ✓
Explanation: Number needs plural suffix
Error 18: Many/Most Words
Wrong: "many book is there" ❌
Correct: "many books are there" ✓
Explanation: "pala" means plural
Error 19: Some Error
Wrong: "some students came (wrong verb)" ❌
Correct: "some students came (correct verb)" ✓
Explanation: Use appropriate form for humans
Error 20: All Error
Wrong: "all student came" ❌
Correct: "all students came" ✓
Explanation: "ellaa" indicates plural
Singular-Plural - Correction Practice
Practice 1: Find and Correct Error (1-5)
1. "maanavankal vanthaar"
- Error: maanavankal ❌
- Correct: maanavargal ✓
- Reason: For humans, add "ar"
2. "poo pookkiraar"
- Error: poo (singular) + pookkiraar (plural verb) ❌
- Correct: pookkal pookkindrana ✓
- Reason: Plural noun + plural verb
3. "paravaigal parakkiṟathu"
- Error: paravaigal (plural) + parakkiṟathu (singular verb) ❌
- Correct: paravaigal parakkindrana ✓
- Reason: Need plural verb
4. "aasiriyankal karpikkirargal"
- Error: aasiriyankal ❌
- Correct: aasiriyargal ✓
- Reason: "aasiriyar" + "gal"
5. "kuzhandhai vilaiyaadukindrana"
- Error: kuzhandhai (singular) + vilaiyaadukindrana (plural verb) ❌
- Correct: kuzhandhai vilaiyaadukirathu ✓
- Reason: Need singular verb
Practice 2: Select Correct Form (6-10)
6. "maram / marangal valarkirathu"
- A) maram valarkirathu ✓
- B) maram valarkindrana ❌
- C) marangal valarkirathu ❌
- D) marangal valarkindrana ✓
Answer: A or D (depending on context)
7. "siruvan / siruvargal padikkiraan"
- A) siruvan padikkiraan ✓
- B) siruvan padikkirargal ❌
- C) siruvargal padikkiraan ❌
- D) siruvargal padikkirargal ✓
Answer: A or D
8. "yaanai / yaanaigal nadakkirathu"
- A) yaanai nadakkirathu ✓
- B) yaanai nadakkindrana ❌
- C) yaanaigal nadakkirathu ❌
- D) yaanaigal nadakkindrana ✓
Answer: A or D
9. "maruththuvar / maruththuvargal sigichchai"
- A) maruththuvar aḷikkiṟār ✓
- B) maruththuvar aḷikkiṟārgaḷ ❌
- C) maruththuvargal aḷikkiṟār ❌
- D) maruththuvargal aḷikkiṟārgaḷ ✓
Answer: A or D
10. "puththagam / puththagangal mesaiyil"
- A) puththagam uḷḷathu ✓
- B) puththagam uḷḷaṉa ❌
- C) puththagangal uḷḷathu ❌
- D) puththagangal uḷḷaṉa ✓
Answer: A or D
Practice 3: Find Error in Sentence (11-15)
11. "Five student are in class"
- Error: maanavar (singular) ❌
- Correct: ainthu maanavargal ✓
12. "Many book is on shelf"
- Error: puththagam (singular) + uḷḷathu (singular) ❌
- Correct: pala puththagangal uḷḷaṉa ✓
13. "All student studies"
- Error: maanavan (singular) + padikkiraan (singular) ❌
- Correct: ellaa maanavargalum padikkirargal ✓
14. "Cat plays (plural verb)"
- Error: poonai (singular) + vilaiyaadukirargal (plural, human verb) ❌
- Correct: poonai vilaiyaadukirathu ✓
15. "Children cries (singular)"
- Error: kuzhandhaigal (plural) + azhugiraan (singular) ❌
- Correct: kuzhandhaigal azhugindrana ✓
Practice 4: Convert Singular to Plural (16-20)
16. maram
- Plural: marangal ✓
17. poo
- Plural: pookkal ✓
18. maanavan
- Plural: maanavargal ✓
19. aasiriyar
- Plural: aasiriyargal ✓
20. kuthirai
- Plural: kuthiraigal ✓
Practice 5: Convert Plural to Singular (21-25)
21. pengal
- Singular: pen ✓
22. siruvargal
- Singular: siruvan ✓
23. naaygal
- Singular: naay ✓
24. puththagangal
- Singular: puththagam ✓
25. maruththuvargal
- Singular: maruththuvar ✓
Singular-Plural - Exam Strategies
TNPSC Exam Pattern
Question Types:
Type 1: Error Identification (1-2 questions)
Question: Which word is wrong in the sentence?
"maanavankal are studying"
Answer: maanavankal (Correct: maanavargal)
Type 2: Select Correct Form (1 question)
Question: Which is correct?
- A) maanavankal ❌
- B) maanavargal ✓
- C) maanavagal ❌
- D) maanavargalgal ❌
Type 3: Sentence Correction (1 question)
Question: Which sentence is correct?
- A) bird fly (plural verb) ❌
- B) birds flies (singular verb) ❌
- C) birds fly (plural verb) ✓
- D) bird flies (plural human verb) ❌
Exam Writing Strategies
Strategy 1: 3-Step Test
Step 1: Identify Noun
- Singular or plural?
- Human, object, or animal?
Step 2: Check Verb
- Singular or plural verb?
- Matches noun?
Step 3: Examine Suffix
- Correct plural suffix?
- No double suffix?
Strategy 2: Quick Test Table
| Noun Type | Plural Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Objects | gal | tree → trees |
| Humans | ar + gal | student → students |
| Animals | gal | dog → dogs |
| Birds | gal | bird → birds |
Strategy 3: Verb Matching
Singular Verbs:
- kiraan, kiraal, kirathu
- kiraar (respectful)
- aan, aal, athu
- vaan, vaal, vathu
Plural Verbs:
- kiraargal (humans)
- kindrana (objects, animals)
- aargal (humans)
- ana (objects, animals)
Strategy 4: Avoid Common Errors
Error Type 1: Double Suffix
❌ maanavargalgal
✓ maanavargal
Error Type 2: Wrong Suffix
❌ maanavankal
✓ maanavargal
Error Type 3: Verb Mismatch
❌ maanavargal varukiraan
✓ maanavargal varukiraargal
Important Rules - Quick Reference
10 Golden Rules:
1. Objects take "gal" only
maram → marangal ✓
2. Humans take "ar" + "gal"
maanavan → maanavargal ✓
3. Singular + singular verb
poo pookkirathu ✓
4. Plural + plural verb
pookkal pookkindrana ✓
5. Number with plural
five books ✓
6. Many/all = plural
many trees ✓
7. Humans take "kiraargal"
students come ✓
8. Objects take "kindrana"
books are there ✓
9. Respect takes "aar"
teacher comes ✓
10. No double suffix
❌ marangalgal → ✓ marangal
Time Management
30 seconds per question:
10 seconds: Identify noun
10 seconds: Check verb
10 seconds: Select answer
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Only "gal" for Humans
❌ maanavankal
✓ maanavargal (ar + gal)
Mistake 2: Verb Mismatch
❌ kuzhandhaigal vilaiyaadukirathu
✓ kuzhandhaigal vilaiyaadukindrana
Mistake 3: Unnecessary Suffix
❌ pengalgal
✓ pengal
Success Plan
Week 1: Learn Suffixes
- 3 main suffixes (gal, ar, or)
- 10 words daily practice
- Target: 70 words
Week 2: Verb Matching
- Singular verbs (5 types)
- Plural verbs (5 types)
- Target: 50 sentences
Week 3: Practice
- 15 questions daily
- Sentence correction
- Target: 100 questions
Week 4: Exam
- 4 model exams
- Error analysis
- Target: 95% accuracy
Memorization List
Set 1: Common Words
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| tree | trees |
| flower | flowers |
| book | books |
| bird | birds |
| dog | dogs |
Set 2: Humans
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| student | students |
| teacher | teachers |
| boy | boys |
| girl | girls |
| doctor | doctors |
Set 3: Verbs
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| comes (he) | come (they) |
| comes (it) | come (they-things) |
| is (he) | are (they) |
| is (it) | are (they-things) |
| does (he) | do (they) |
Final Tips
In Exam Hall:
-
📖 Note Noun
- Singular or plural?
-
🔍 Check Verb
- Matches?
-
✓ Examine Suffix
- Correct?
-
⚡ Finish Quickly
- In 30 seconds
-
🎯 Confirm
- Check once more
Success Formula:
Suffixes + Verb Matching + Time Management = 3/3 Marks
Congratulations! You've mastered singular-plural error correction! 🎉