Number indicates whether a noun is singular or plural.
A singular noun refers to one person, place, thing, or idea.
supervisor, warehouse, monitor
A plural noun refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
secretaries, closets, calculatorsA Closer Look
When it comes to their number, some nouns are not what they appear to be. For example, earnings refers to a single thing, but it is actually a plural noun.
Our third-quarter earnings were better than expected.
Singular nouns that appear to be plural:
economics, news, mathematics, mumps, measles, lens, summons
Plural nouns that refer to a single thing:
assets, earnings, media, premises, proceeds, quarters, scissors, trousers, goods, grounds, thanks, dues
Nouns that can be singular or plural (depending upon how they are used):
corps, headquarters, gross, means, ethics, data, species, series, class, group, staff, company, committee, board, public
(From Write for Business, page 242, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 54)
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