Looks or look

Question

I found following sentence in a book.

He denied that he got the film contract just because of his looks.

My question is why they have written "looks", though "his" is a singular noun. In above case, what I can understand is "looks" acts as a noun. Therefore if I was the person who wrote that sentence, I would have written it in the following way.

He denied that he got the film contract just because of his look.

Please someone tell me what is the correct sentence. If both sentences are correct, please let me know what it the difference between the above sentences.

GPY · Accepted Answer

"looks" in this sense is somewhat idiomatic. It refers to someone's attractive appearance, especially facial appearance. In this sense it is always plural.

"look" has a different meaning: in your context, "his look" would be understood to refer to his overall type, or style, of appearance, especially including clothing appearance and/or hairstyle. For example, a man with a flowery shirt, long hair and beads could have a "hippie look". In your sentence, "look" seems less likely, I suppose partly because someone's "look" can be changed, while their "looks" can't.

Clive · Answer

Both are nouns, and both are correct. The two terms usually can be interchanged, but below are a few comments about nuances.

his look refers to his appearance. In a context like yours, it also implies that the star's appearance is usually the same. Sylvester Stallone, for example, usually looks the same in his movies.

his looks also refers to his appearance. In a context like yours, it also implies that the star's appearance is not usually the same. Christian Bale for example, usually looks different in his movies.

Clive

Looks or look

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