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Osee Posted 18 years ago
Vocabulary

the single and plural forms of debris

I know they actually are the same with different pronouciations and silent s for the single form. But when I should use the single form and when plural form?
  

Top answer

There is no plural, and the word is always pronounced without the /s/. It is an uncountable noun: There is not much debris remaining from the 9/11 attack .

  • There is no plural, and the word is always pronounced without the /s/.
  • It is an uncountable noun: There is not much debris remaining from the 9/11 attack .
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9 Answers
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There is no plural, and the word is always pronounced without the /s/. It is an uncountable noun: There is not much debris remaining from the 9/11 attack.
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Math Entry: debris
Pronunciation: de-’brê, dã-’, ‘dã-1, Brit usa ‘de-(,)brè
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural debris \-‘brez, -,brez\
Etymology: French debris, from Middle French, from debriser to break to pieces, from Old French debrisier, from de- + brisier to break, of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish b
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I doubt that M-W has made an outright error-- no doubt they found someone using it in a plural forum. My Shorter Oxford does not indicate any plural, and all of the other major on-line dictionaries characterize the noun as uncountable. Note the on-line Oxfords' definitions:
debris: noun 1 scattered items or pieces of rubbish. 2 loose brok
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I dont know I am trying to figure out forms of the word debris, but every website I have tried doesnt work. Do you know anything that couild help me? O and by the way, here is a sentence using the word debris: After the tornado, we saw lots of debris and we picked it up.
Thats how you can use the word.
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[url=http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?dict=CALD&key=19984&ph=on]DEBRIS[/url] is an uncountable noun: Much debris; little debris.
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Any uncountable noun can be made plural, provided that they are used properly. For instance:

"The waters at the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean are saltier than those of any other
ocean."

"In deeper waters, the North Atlantic temperatures can vary from about 2.5°C at the very bottom to about 5°C at 3,000 feet."

"Worldwide, the waters around the
equator are
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Can both of these be correct.
1. Is there any excess visible debris in the oil filter?
2. Are there any excess visible debris in the oil filter?
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No. Read my earlier post.
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Always singular, no matter what!

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