Toy or Toys (the noun)?

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bhaisahab

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dawnngcm

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Thanks!

I may express my questions not clearly enough. Please allow me to take another example.

In classification of different groups of industries in an advertisement, they are written and listed as,

‘Accounting / Audit / Taxation;
Advertising & Marketing;
Mass Transportation / Airlines;
Manufacturing – Jewellery and Watches;
Manufacturing – Toys;
Entertainment / Recreation / Sports;
Investment and & Securities;
Biotechnology / Chemicals / Laboratory;
Civil & Social Services;
Design – Graphic / Fashion / Product;
Executive Search & Personnel Agency;
Legal Services;
.......


I guess that,
-- those names of the industries are uncountable nouns, they are written as they are (e.g. Transportation, Biotechnology);
-- those names of industries are countable nouns, they are written in plural form (e.g. Toys, Watches);
-- others follow the definition of dictionary to describe the names of that field/industry (e.g. ‘Building’ instead of ‘Buildings’ and 'Advertising' instead of 'Advertisement'.)

Am I right?


But why,
Agency’ in ‘Personnel Agency’, and
Graphic / Fashion / Product’ in ‘Design’ – Graphic / Fashion / Product’
aren’t in plural form?

How to determine it is plural or singular when I describe a name of a field/industry?
 

SoothingDave

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You'd really have to ask the person who compiled the list why there are seeming inconsistencies.

Why it says "laboratory" and not "laboratories" I can't say.

I can say that "advertising" is an industry, where "advertisement" is not. Similarly, "building" is an industry, where "buildings" are not.
 

bhaisahab

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A manufacturer of toys is part of the "toy industry", not the "toys industry". He/she is a "toy manufacturer".
 
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