Is-news-singular vs. Plural: What's the Difference?
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Even though 'news' ends in -s, it is always singular and takes the verb 'is', never 'are'.
- Always use singular verbs: 'The news is good' (not 'are').
- Use 'this' or 'that', never 'these' or 'those' with news.
- Count news using 'a piece of' or 'some', never 'a news'.
Overview
At the heart of English grammar, some words challenge our expectations. The noun news is a prime example. Despite its -s ending, which typically signals a plural, news is a singular, uncountable noun. This is a non-negotiable rule.
This means news always pairs with singular verbs. You would say, The news is on at 6 p.m., never The news are on.... This might feel counterintuitive, but it's fundamental to sounding natural in English. The -s is a permanent part of the word itself, not a plural marker.
Think of news like other uncountable nouns such as information, advice, water, or music. These words represent a mass or a concept that cannot be easily counted as individual units. You can't have one water or two musics, and similarly, you can't have one news or two news.
Understanding this classification is the key to mastering its use.
This guide will move beyond the basic rule. We will explore the linguistic reasons for this behavior, examine its formation across all tenses, see how native speakers use it in real-world contexts, and highlight common mistakes to avoid. By the end, you'll have a deep and practical understanding of how news functions.
How This Grammar Works
news is rooted in the distinction between countable and uncountable (or mass) nouns. This concept governs much of English grammar, from verb agreement to quantifier usage.one report, two reports; one story, two stories. You can use the articles a/an with their singular form and numbers with their plural form.weather, knowledge, traffic, and luggage. They generally do not have a plural form, and you cannot use a/an or numbers directly with them.News belongs firmly in this category.report) | Uncountable Nouns (news) |one report, three reports) | No (one news, three news is incorrect) |reports) | No (The word news never changes) |a/an? | Yes (a report) | No (a news is incorrect) |many, few, several (many reports) | much, little, some (much news) |-s ending is a historical fossil. The word news entered English around the 15th century as a direct translation of the Old French nouvelles, which meant 'new things' or 'tidings'. While the French word was plural, English adopted the concept as a singular, undifferentiated mass of information.-s was retained but lost its plural function, becoming an inseparable part of the noun.-s but is treated as singular, is not unique to news. Recognizing these other words helps solidify the principle.- Fields of Study: Many academic subjects ending in
-icsare singular because they refer to a single, unified body of knowledge. Mathematics is my favorite subject.Politics plays a significant role in our society.Economics provides insights into market behavior.
- Illnesses: Certain diseases with
-sendings are treated as a single medical condition. Measles is a highly contagious disease.Rabies has a very high mortality rate if left untreated.
- Games and Activities: The names of some games and physical activities are singular.
Billiards requires a steady hand.Gymnastics is a demanding sport.
- Other Specific Nouns: Words like
seriesandspecieshave the same form for both singular and plural, but when referring to one, they take a singular verb. A series of events is planned for the festival.This species of bird is native to the region.
Formation Pattern
news is consistent and straightforward: always use a singular verb.
News + Singular Verb
is, has, seems, comes).
The news is always interesting. | Bad news travels fast. |
The news was quite shocking. | The news came as a complete surprise. |
The news has been confirmed. | No news has arrived yet. |
The news had been positive until yesterday. | The team had heard the news before the announcement. |
The news will be released at noon. | The news will affect stock prices. |
The news is spreading across social media. | The story is bringing a lot of news coverage. |
The news was still developing at midnight. | The reporter was covering the news as it broke. |
News
news is uncountable, you cannot use numbers directly with it. To talk about one or more specific pieces of information, you must use partitive expressions (also called counter nouns). These phrases allow you to count the uncountable.
news include:
a piece of news
an item of news
a bit of news (more informal)
a story (when referring to a report or narrative)
news itself. This is a common point of confusion.
a piece), the verb is singular.
A single piece of news has changed my entire perspective.
two pieces), the verb is plural.
Two important pieces of news were announced this morning.
That item of news is very relevant. | is agrees with the singular noun item. |
Several items of news are conflicting. | are agrees with the plural noun items. |
some, any, much, little, and a lot of.
I have some news for you.
Is there any news about the flight delays?
There wasn't much news on the topic.
When To Use It
news is universal across all registers of English, from the most formal documents to the most casual text messages. Mastering its use is a sign of fluency.news demonstrates professionalism.- Business Communication:
The news from our marketing department is extremely positive this quarter. - Journalistic Reporting:
Breaking news from the capital: a new policy has been announced. - Academic Writing:
This news challenges the prevailing theory in the field.
- Asking for updates:
What's the news with you? I haven't heard from you in a while. - Sharing information:
Guess what? The news is that I got the job! - Social Media/Texting:
Did u hear the news about the concert? It sounds amazing.
News is a core component of several common English idioms. These expressions are fixed and always use a singular verb.- "No news is good news." (Meaning: If you haven't heard anything, it's likely that nothing bad has happened.)
- "Bad news travels fast." (Meaning: Information about negative events circulates much more quickly than positive information.)
- "That's news to me." (Meaning: I am hearing this information for the very first time; I was unaware.)
News with Countable Alternativesnews. This is useful when you want to emphasize individual, distinct units of information.- Uncountable:
The news from the conference was exciting.(Refers to the general body of information.) - Countable:
The announcements from the conference were exciting.(Refers to specific, individual announcements.) - Uncountable:
The news this morning is terrible. - Countable:
The story on the front page is terrible.
Common Mistakes
-s ending.- 1Using a Plural Verb
-s leads learners to select a plural verb like are or were.- Incorrect:
The news you told me yesterday were very helpful. - Correct:
The news you told me yesterday was very helpful. - The Fix: Train your brain to associate
newswithit, notthey. Just as you would sayIt was helpful, you must sayThe news was helpful.
- 1Using
aoranto mean 'one piece of'
news cannot be preceded by the indefinite articles a or an.- Incorrect:
I have a good news to share with you. - Correct:
I have some good news to share with you. - Correct:
I have a piece of good news to share with you. - The Fix: When you want to single out one unit of news, always insert a partitive like
a piece oforan item of.
- 1Confusing the Noun
newswith the Adjectivenew
New is an adjective that describes a noun, while news is a noun itself.- Incorrect:
What's the new in the office today? - Correct:
What's the news in the office today? - Correct:
What's the new information in the office today?(Herenewcorrectly modifies the nouninformation.) - The Fix: Remember that
newsis the thing (the information), whilenewdescribes a thing (a new car,a new idea).
- 1Using
manyorfewfor Quantification
Many and few are reserved for countable nouns. Using them with news is a clear error.- Incorrect:
There weren't many news about the incident on TV. - Correct:
There wasn't much news about the incident on TV. - Correct:
There were few news reports about the incident on TV. - The Fix: For general quantity, use
muchorlittle. If you want to usemanyorfew, you must add a countable noun likereports,stories, oritems.
- 1Attempting to Pluralize
news
news never changes its form. There is no such word as *newses in standard English.- Incorrect:
He told me three interesting newses. - Correct:
He told me three interesting pieces of news. - The Fix: The noun
newsis immutable. To make the concept plural, you must make the partitive plural (piecebecomespieces).
Real Conversations
Here’s how you’ll see news used in natural, everyday situations. Notice how the singular verb is consistent across different contexts.
Scenario 1
> Alex: hey, any news on the apartment? did the landlord call back?
> Ben: Yeah, but it's not good news. He says it's already taken. The news was pretty disappointing.
> Alex: ah that's too bad. don't worry, some good news is bound to come our way soon.
Scenario 2
> Maria: "Morning, Tom. Did you see the CEO's email?"
> Tom: "I did. That's big news. I wasn't expecting a company-wide restructuring."
> Maria: "Me neither. The news seems to have come out of nowhere. I wonder when more specific news is going to be released about our department."
Scenario 3
> Chloe: "So, what's the latest news with you? It feels like I haven't seen you in ages!"
> David: "Not much news, really. Same job, same city. Oh, but I do have one exciting piece of news! I'm finally learning to play the guitar."
> Chloe: "That's fantastic! That is great news."
Quick FAQ
news can never be plural?That's correct. In modern English, news is always treated as a singular, uncountable noun. It never takes a plural verb, and a plural form *newses does not exist in standard usage.
-s on the end if it's singular?The -s is a historical remnant. The word comes from the Old French plural noun nouvelles (meaning 'new things'). When English adopted it, the -s ending was kept, but the word's function changed to represent a single concept: a mass of new information.
You must use partitive expressions. Say two pieces of news, several items of news, or a few news stories. Remember that the verb will then agree with the plural partitive: Three pieces of news are waiting for you on your desk.
news in formal writing?Absolutely. News is a neutral word appropriate for all contexts, from academic papers and business reports to casual conversation and text messages. Its grammatical rules do not change with formality.
news and information?Grammatically, they are very similar; both are singular uncountable nouns. The main difference is in meaning. News specifically refers to information about recent or current events. Information is a much broader term for any data or knowledge. Think of it this way: all news is a type of information, but not all information is news.
Verb Agreement with 'News'
| Tense | Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
The news is
|
The news isn't
|
Is the news...?
|
|
Past Simple
|
The news was
|
The news wasn't
|
Was the news...?
|
|
Present Perfect
|
The news has been
|
The news hasn't been
|
Has the news been...?
|
|
Future (Will)
|
The news will be
|
The news won't be
|
Will the news be...?
|
|
Modals
|
The news might be
|
The news can't be
|
Could the news be...?
|
Contractions with 'News'
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
|
News is
|
News's
|
Common in spoken English (e.g., 'The news's good')
|
|
News has
|
News's
|
Used for present perfect (e.g., 'The news's been leaked')
|
|
News was
|
None
|
We do not contract 'news' and 'was'
|
Meanings
Information about recent events or happenings, reported by media or shared between people.
Media Reports
Information provided by newspapers, television, or digital platforms regarding current affairs.
“The news is full of reports about the election.”
“I don't watch the news because it is too depressing.”
Personal Updates
New information about someone's life or a specific situation shared privately.
“I have some great news for you!”
“The news of her promotion was a surprise.”
Gossip/Rumors
Informal or unofficial information circulating within a community.
“The news travels fast in this small town.”
“That news is just a rumor; don't believe it.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
News + Singular Verb
|
The news is shocking.
|
|
Negative
|
News + Singular Negative Verb
|
The news isn't true.
|
|
Question
|
Singular Verb + News
|
Is the news out yet?
|
|
With Determiner
|
This/That + News
|
This news is great.
|
|
Quantified (Some)
|
Some + News
|
I have some news for you.
|
|
Quantified (Piece)
|
A piece of + News
|
That is a sad piece of news.
|
|
Quantified (Much)
|
Much + News
|
There isn't much news today.
|
Formality Spectrum
The news is favorable. (General update)
The news is good. (General update)
The news is great! (General update)
The news is fire! (General update)
The 'News' Grammar Map
Verbs
- is singular
- was singular
Quantifiers
- some some news
- a piece of one item
News vs. Regular Plurals
Is it 'Is' or 'Are'?
Does the word end in 's'?
Is the word 'News'?
How to Count News
Correct Ways
- • Some news
- • A piece of news
- • An item of news
Incorrect Ways
- • A news
- • Two newses
- • Many news
Examples by Level
The news is good.
I have some news.
Is the news on TV?
This news is sad.
That was a great piece of news!
There isn't much news today.
The news wasn't very interesting.
Do you have any news about the cat?
The news about the new taxes is quite worrying.
I'm afraid the news isn't what we expected.
How much news has been reported so far?
This piece of news is going to change everything.
The news, despite being unconfirmed, is spreading rapidly.
Whatever the news is, we must remain calm.
The news that he had resigned was a shock to everyone.
Is there any further news regarding the contract?
The news concerning the environmental crisis is increasingly dire.
Seldom is the news as objective as we would like it to be.
The news of the discovery was met with widespread acclaim.
Such news is rarely welcomed by the shareholders.
The news, as it stands, is merely a collection of unsubstantiated rumors.
Notwithstanding the gravity of the situation, the news is being handled with discretion.
The news that the treaty had been signed resonated throughout the continent.
Rarely has news of such magnitude been delivered so nonchalantly.
Easily Confused
Both are uncountable, but news ends in 's' while information does not.
Learners often use the adjective 'new' when they mean the noun 'news'.
Reports is a countable plural noun, while news is uncountable singular.
Common Mistakes
The news are good.
The news is good.
I have a news.
I have some news.
These news are sad.
This news is sad.
Many news today.
A lot of news today.
The news were on TV.
The news was on TV.
I heard two news.
I heard two pieces of news.
Is there many news?
Is there much news?
The news about the results are out.
The news about the results is out.
The news have been leaked.
The news has been leaked.
Those news you told me...
That news you told me...
The news, which were broadcasted, were false.
The news, which was broadcast, was false.
A news item were reported.
A news item was reported.
The news are a vital part of democracy.
The news is a vital part of democracy.
Sentence Patterns
The news about ___ is ___.
I have some ___ news to ___ you.
Is there any news regarding ___?
That piece of news was ___ by ___.
Real World Usage
The news is on at 8 PM.
I have some news! Call me.
The news about your company's growth is impressive.
This news is breaking my heart. 💔
No news is good news.
Is there any news on the budget?
The 'Is' Test
Avoid 'A News'
Use 'Some' for Safety
No News is Good News
Smart Tips
Immediately think of the word 'Information'. If 'Information is' sounds right, then 'News is' is also right.
Use the 'Piece' trick. Always put 'piece of' in front of 'news' if you want to count it.
Ignore any plural words that come after 'news'. The verb only cares about the word 'news' itself.
Remember: News is a 'This', never a 'These'.
Pronunciation
The 's' sound
The 's' in news is pronounced like a /z/.
Linking 'news' and 'is'
In natural speech, the /z/ at the end of 'news' links to the 'i' in 'is'.
Statement Intonation
The news is GOOD. ↘
Conveying a fact clearly.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
NEWS stands for North, East, West, South—four directions, but only ONE world of information.
Visual Association
Imagine a giant newspaper (News) being squeezed into a single, small bucket (Singular). The 's' at the end is just a tail, not a sign of many things.
Rhyme
Though it ends with an S, it's a singular mess; use 'is' for the news, and you'll surely impress!
Story
A reporter named Sam always brought 'some news' to the office. He never brought 'a news' because his boss, Mr. Singular, would get angry. Sam always said, 'The news is ready!' because he knew the news was just one big story.
Word Web
Challenge
Write three sentences about today's events using 'The news is...', 'This news...', and 'A piece of news...'. Check that you didn't use 'are'!
Cultural Notes
In the UK, the BBC is often referred to as 'The News'. While collective nouns like 'team' can be plural in the UK (The team are playing), 'news' remains strictly singular.
Americans often use 'the news' to refer to the local TV broadcast. It is always singular.
Journalists use 'hard news' for serious topics and 'soft news' for entertainment. Both are uncountable and singular.
The word 'news' developed in the 14th century as a special use of the plural of the adjective 'new'. It is a translation of the Old French 'nouvelles'.
Conversation Starters
What is the most interesting news you heard today?
Is the news in your country usually positive or negative?
If you had some great news to share, who would you call first?
Do you think the news is becoming too sensationalist?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
The news about the holidays ___ very exciting.
___ news is going to surprise everyone.
Find and fix the mistake:
I heard a news today about the strike.
The reports were very helpful. -> The news ___ very helpful.
'News' can be plural if there are many different stories.
A: Did you hear the news? B: No, what ___ it?
Select all that apply.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesThe news about the holidays ___ very exciting.
___ news is going to surprise everyone.
Find and fix the mistake:
I heard a news today about the strike.
The reports were very helpful. -> The news ___ very helpful.
'News' can be plural if there are many different stories.
A: Did you hear the news? B: No, what ___ it?
Select all that apply.
1. A piece of... 2. Many...
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesI have a ___ of good news for you.
All the news from the conference ___ positive so far.
The news about the layoffs weren't handled well.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Las noticias son buenas.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the tricky singular noun to its category:
Not all news ___ worth reading.
I have many news to tell you from my trip.
Choose the correct question:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Score: /11
FAQ (8)
It's a historical remnant. It comes from the plural of 'new' (new things), but over time, English speakers began to treat it as a single mass of information.
In standard modern English, no. It is always 'the news is'. Even in British English, where some collective nouns take plural verbs, 'news' stays singular.
Use the phrase 'pieces of news' or 'items of news'. For example, 'I have three pieces of news to tell you.'
They are both uncountable, but 'news' specifically refers to recent events, while 'information' can be any kind of data.
No, this is a common mistake. You should say 'some news' or 'a piece of news'.
Yes. You say 'Good news is hard to find,' not 'Good news are hard to find.'
It is still singular. 'The evening news starts at 6:00.'
Yes, in all modern contexts, 'news' is treated as an uncountable mass noun.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Las noticias
Spanish uses plural verbs and articles; English uses singular.
Les nouvelles
French is plural; English is singular.
Die Nachrichten
German uses plural agreement.
ニュース (Nyūsu)
Japanese lacks the singular/plural verb distinction.
أخبار (Akhbar)
Arabic treats it as a countable plural.
新闻 (Xīnwén)
Chinese has no morphological plural for 'news'.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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