Can the adjectivized nouns have a plural form?

Question

Good day! Explain it to me please:)

Is is right to say:

Five-storeys houses

or

Five-storey houses?

Thanks a lot!

BTW, I would not know how to explain you. :) The word after the verb explain without any prepositions is often considered as its object. A more correct sentence to say would be "Explain it to me please." Hope that helps. — M.A.R., Jul 26 '15 at 19:26

Glorfindel · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-26T16:47:34.857

5

Unlike some other languages such as French, English adjectives (and adjective nouns) don't 'agree' with the nouns they describe. Only

five-storey houses

is correct.

edited Jul 26 '15 at 16:47

answered Jul 26 '15 at 12:33

Glorfindel

1

You might edit to explicitly point out (she's a learner, after all) that there aren't any plural adjective forms in English, so adjectivized nouns don't have a plural form either. – WhatRoughBeast Jul 26 '15 at 13:19
2

What is "arms" in "arms control"? – Jim Reynolds Jul 26 '15 at 15:01
That is the exception which proves the rule. English is full of them, unfortunately. But, well noted! – Glorfindel Jul 26 '15 at 16:49
Yes: The word "storey" (US: story) cannot be an adjective, nor has it been "adjectivized". If we add a y to fruit, we have adjectivized the noun "fruit". As Khan writes, "storied" is an adjectivized noun. When we use a noun to modify another noun, it's an attributive noun or a noun adjunct. – Jim Reynolds Jul 27 '15 at 02:57

1 Answers1