Numbers.

[Latoof]

Hi,
I find a hard time in deciding putting 's' after words that are preceded with their numbers:
I have seen 21 cat, or cats.
I have two best friends.

In Arabic we say that it is 21 cat, I think this what makes it diffecult for me to decide.
Can you help me please? What is the rule

[blacknomi]

Hi, Latoof!

You've seen 21 cats?! Yes, there are 21 cats in that pet shop! What's amazing, the 21st cat is pink!!!!!!!!!!!

If there is more than one cat, use plural form.


Okay, this is your second example.

I have two best friends.

This is fine because you have two good friends! Besides, they are the best ones!

In Arabic we say that it is 21 cat, I think this what makes it diffecult for me to decide.

Now I'm a bit confused! Do you mean to say "It is the 21st cat"? If yes, you are just pointing out one certain cat!

[blacknomi]

Are we discussing one cat or many cats?!

[Casiopea]

Hi,
I find a hard time in deciding putting 's' after words that are preceded with their numbers:
I have seen 21 cat, or cats.
I have two best friends.

In Arabic we say that it is 21 cat, I think this what makes it diffecult for me to decide.
Can you help me please? What is the rule

In addition,

in English the quantifier, say "2", and the word it modifies, say "cat", must agree in number. For example, if the number is "1", then the word doesn't need -s, but if the number is more than 1, say, "2" or more, then the word it needs -s, like this,

Singular number: 1 cat
Plural number: 2 cats, 3 cats, etc.

If the word is countable (e.g., cat, book, pen, house, and so on), it takes -s, but if the word is uncountable (e.g., sheep, fish, and so on), it doesn't take -s:

Non-Count Nouns: sheep, fish
Singular number: 1 sheep
Plural number: 2 sheep, 3 sheep, etc.

Singular number: 1 fish
Plural number: 2 fish, 3 fish, etc.

Be on the look out for irregular nouns like, man, child, and so on. Those nouns do not take -s. They change form, like this,

Irregular plurals
Singular number: 1 man
Plural number: 2 men, 3 men, etc.

Singular number: 1 child
Plural number: 2 children, 3 children, etc.

I hope that helps out some.

[Latoof]

Ok, that was very good.
So if they are more that one that means that they are more than one and it needs s. I thought that the 21 may make it to be a sigular.
In Arabic we apply what I mentioned about the 21 on the thing we count.
For example:
I have three friends. "Here we add the s"
I have 11 friend. "we don't add the s" The same is with 21 cat. We don't say I have 21 cats.

Thanks very much. I will be counting my 13 cats very carefully, especially the 13th one as it keeps Struggling to stay late outside very often these days.

[Latoof]

Thanks I go it, and that was helpful indeed. I was wondering about irregular plural form of some words like phenomena, Thesaurus, and so on. Where can we learn these words' plural from from?

[blacknomi]

Ok, that was very good.
So if they are more that one that means that they are more than one and it needs s. I thought that the 21 may make it to be a sigular.
In Arabic we apply what I mentioned about the 21 on the thing we count.
For example:
I have three friends. "Here we add the s"
I have 11 friend. "we don't add the s" The same is with 21 cat. We don't say I have 21 cats.

Thanks very much. I will be counting my 13 cats very carefully, especially the 13th one as it keeps Struggling to stay late outside very often these days.

Smart Latoof, you can count cats now! he he he ho ho ho!!!! wa ha ha ha..........................................contin uing giggling!

Exactly! You got the point! And I got yours too! But how to say thank you in Arabic?

By the way, there are a few mistakes in your sentence,

So if they are more that one that means that they are more than one and it needs s.

Yes, your idea of counting cat is just fine. But something's wrong with your catty sentence?!?!?! Do you see it?!?!?!


Yours,
The 13th Cat

[Casiopea]

Thanks I go it, and that was helpful indeed. I was wondering about irregular plural form of some words like phenomena, Thesaurus, and so on. Where can we learn these words' plural from from?

Here's a list of 97 irregular plural nouns. Click here.

[Latoof]

We say shokrun in Arabic.
"So if they are more that one that means that they are more than one and it needs s."

I was just saying that if we have more than one cat that means we have to add s?!?!?!?!?!?
What is wrong with the sentence? Give me a hint, I don't think that I missed counting one of the cats

[blacknomi]

"So if they are more that one that means that they are more than one and it needs s."

I understand what you mean, Lady Cat! It's just that the first part of your sentence sounds funny. No meow big meow meow deal!

Yes, if there are more than one cat, it means you have to add -s to the end of your countable cat, that is, cats.