One way to check whether a noun phrase is singular or plural is by seeing whether it triggers singular or plural agreement with a verb when it appears as the subject of a sentence:
- Singular: This monkey likes bananas. [and not This monkey like...]
- Plural: These monkeys like bananas. [and not These monkeys likes...]
Another way, also illustrated in the above examples, is by looking at whether a singular or plural determiner is used (in these examples, the determiner this is singular and the determiner these is plural), though with a determiner like the, the form doesn't change, and there are a few cases where the determiner appears to be singular, but plural agreement is triggered:
- Plural: A few/dozen/hundred/million monkeys like bananas.
