Nouns that exist only in the singular or plural form

In English, there are several nouns that exist only in the plural form. Except for a few, they all end in –s.

Examples are:

• Amends (to make ‘amends’ for causing some loss)
• Annals (pages of books of history)
• Archives
• Arms (weapons)
• Arrears
• Ashes (of a dead cremated body)
• Auspices (patronage)
• Bowels
• Brains (intellect)
• Contents
• Customs (duty)
• Earnings
• Entrails
• Fireworks
• Funds (money)
• Goods
• Guts (bowels, courage)
• Letters (in the expression ‘a man of letters’)
• Looks (e.g. She has got attractive looks)
• Manners (in the expression ‘good manners’)
• Odds (in the expression ‘heavy odds’)
• Outskirts
• Pains (e.g. to take pains)
• Premises (building)
• Riches (wealth)
• Stairs (e.g. a flight of stairs)
• Surroundings (environment)
• Thanks
• Troops
• Tropics
• Valuables
• Wages
• Proceeds
• Tidings
• Nuptials
• Alms
• Drawers

The following are unmarked plurals which do not end in –s. Examples are: cattle and plural.

Some words ending in –s do not change in the plural. Examples are:

• Barracks
• Crossroads
• Headquarters
• Means
• Series
• Species
• Works (= factory)
• Swiss

Special cases

Some singular uncountable nouns end in –s. They have no plural forms. Examples are: news, billiards, draughts, measles etc.

• Measles is highly contagious.

Most words ending in –ics are also usually singular uncountables and have no plurals. Examples are: mathematics, physics, athletics, politics.

• Politics is a dirty game.
• Mathematics isn’t the easiest of all subjects.

Other nouns which do not change in the plural are craft, sheep, fish and deer.