I am working with an executive who speaks English as a second language, with Chinese as her first language. She was very surprised to learn that the words information, knowledge, and jewelry have no plural forms.
Would you join me in making a list of such words for her? I have started the list below, and I would appreciate your additions. Not one of my reference books has a list of nouns without plural forms.
These are called “mass nouns.” I call them nouns that do not have a plural form in English.
Here is my list so far:
furnitureinformationknowledgejewelryhomeworkmarketinglivestockeducationcouragebraverycowardicegreedclarityhonestyevidenceinsurancemudweatherracismsexismpatriotism (and the other -ism words)
I am certain my client will be grateful for your help, and so will I. Ah–that statement made me think of another word: gratefulness!
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