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The noun 'tongs' is one of a group of nouns sometimes called 'binary nouns', a word for things that require two halves to form a whole object. The binary nouns, like tongs are both singular and plural because they are a shortened form for 'a pair of'. Some examples:

  • a pair of tongs; two pairs of tongs
  • a pair of scissors; two pairs of scissors
  • a pair of tweezers; two pairs of tweezers
  • a pair of pants; two pairs of pants
  • a pair of shorts; two pairs of shorts
  • a pair of pajamas; two pairs of pajamas
  • a pair of binoculars; four pairs of binoculars
  • a pair of glasses; two pairs of glasses
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Why is there no singular form for the tongs?

There is a singular and plural form for the noun tongs. The word tongs is actually a shortened form for 'a pair of tongs' (singular), or pairs of tongs (plural). Examples of other shortened forms for 'a pair of' are:a pair of binoculars, two pairs of binocularsa pair of glasses, two pairs of glassesa pair of pajamas, two pairs of pajamasa pair of pants, two pairs of pantsa pair of scissors, two pairs of scissorsa pair of shorts, two pairs of shortsa pair of tweezers, two pairs of tweezersThe part of the term is used alone (tongs) because the rest of the term is understood. This form of singular and plural only applies to things that are made by joining two parts to make a single object. For example you can separate a pair of shoes or a pair of socks and you will still have a usable shoe or sock; but if you separate a pair of tongs, or pants, or scissors, they're not of much use.


What is the plural form of tongs?

Tongs is already the plural of tong.


What is the plural noun for jeans?

The plural form for the singular noun jeans is two pairs of jeans.The word jeans is one of a group of words that is a shortened form of 'a pair of...'. Some others are pants, trousers, glasses, binoculars, scissors, tongs, etc. They are all singular that use the plural form, such as two pairs of tongs or two pairs of glasses.


Is did singular?

"Did" can be used with either a singular or plural subject.Examples:"I did the homework last night." - singular subject"We did the homework last night." - plural subjectNo. Even though the instrument itself is one unit, it is actually a pair of tongs or pincers. Just like scissors is also a plural word because it is a pair of cutters working together.


Is tongues and tongs a homophone?

No, "tongues" and "tongs" are not homophones. "Tongues" refers to the muscular organ in the mouth or languages spoken by people, while "tongs" are tools used for gripping or lifting objects.

Related Questions

Why is there no singular form for the word tongs?

The noun "tongs" is a BINARY NOUN, a word for the thing that has two parts that make up the whole. Binary nouns don't have a singular form. Other examples of binary nouns are trousers, pants, tweezers, scissors, etc.


What is the singular form of tongs?

The noun "tongs" is a BINARY NOUN, a word for a thing that has two parts that make up the whole. Binary nouns don't have a singular form. Other examples of binary nouns are scissors, pants, shorts, tweezers, etc.


Why is there no singular form for the tongs?

There is a singular and plural form for the noun tongs. The word tongs is actually a shortened form for 'a pair of tongs' (singular), or pairs of tongs (plural). Examples of other shortened forms for 'a pair of' are:a pair of binoculars, two pairs of binocularsa pair of glasses, two pairs of glassesa pair of pajamas, two pairs of pajamasa pair of pants, two pairs of pantsa pair of scissors, two pairs of scissorsa pair of shorts, two pairs of shortsa pair of tweezers, two pairs of tweezersThe part of the term is used alone (tongs) because the rest of the term is understood. This form of singular and plural only applies to things that are made by joining two parts to make a single object. For example you can separate a pair of shoes or a pair of socks and you will still have a usable shoe or sock; but if you separate a pair of tongs, or pants, or scissors, they're not of much use.


What is the singular of tong?

The noun 'tong' is the singular form, a word for a Chinese association or secret society in the US, frequently associated with underworld criminal activity. The plural form is tongs.The noun 'tongs' is also an uncountable noun, a form of binary noun, a word for something with two parts making up the whole; a shortened form for 'a pair of'.The singular form is a pair of tongs.The plural form is pairs of tongs.


What is the plural form of tongs?

Tongs is already the plural of tong.


What is the plural noun for jeans?

The plural form for the singular noun jeans is two pairs of jeans.The word jeans is one of a group of words that is a shortened form of 'a pair of...'. Some others are pants, trousers, glasses, binoculars, scissors, tongs, etc. They are all singular that use the plural form, such as two pairs of tongs or two pairs of glasses.


How can you use tongs in a sentence?

"My dad used the tongs to pick up the meat." Is a sentence using tongs.


What are the different types of tongs used in cooking and their specific purposes?

There are various types of tongs used in cooking, including serving tongs, grill tongs, and salad tongs. Serving tongs are used for serving food, grill tongs are used for grilling and flipping food on a grill, and salad tongs are used for tossing and serving salads. Each type of tong is designed for a specific purpose in the kitchen.


Where is the fulcrum load and effort in a tongs?

In tongs, the fulcrum is the hinge point where the two arms of the tongs meet. The load is the object being picked up by the tongs, and the effort is the force applied by the user's hand to close the tongs around the object.


When was The Terror of the Tongs created?

The Terror of the Tongs was created in 1961.


Is did singular?

"Did" can be used with either a singular or plural subject.Examples:"I did the homework last night." - singular subject"We did the homework last night." - plural subjectNo. Even though the instrument itself is one unit, it is actually a pair of tongs or pincers. Just like scissors is also a plural word because it is a pair of cutters working together.


When was Sung Tongs created?

Sung Tongs was created in 2003-09.