The following words cause a lot of trouble for people learning English ESL Collective Nouns: Furniture, Slang, Vocabulary, Staff, Cutlery, Advice and Scenery. They are often misspelt as Slangs and Vocabularies.

1. Collective nounsCollective nouns
FurnitureS, SLANGS, VOCABULARIES,
STAFFS, CUTLERIES, SOFTWARES,
SCENERIES. ADVICES
Furniture, SLANG, VOCABULARY, STAFF,
CUTLERY SOFTWARE SCENERY ADVICECUTLERY, SOFTWARE, SCENERY. ADVICE

2. Collective nouns are used
to name a collection ofto name a collection of
similar things.
The collective noun itself is usuallyThe collective noun itself is usually
treated as an uncountable noun
so it cannot be used in plural form.

3. Furnitures -> FurnitureFurnitures > Furniture
Objects found in a room that make it suitable
for living – tables, chairs, sofa, couch,for living tables, chairs, sofa, couch,
A piece of furniture - Antique furniture –
Office furniture

4. FurnitureFurniture
The items in the collection are countable
(one sofa, two chairs) but the collective noun is
uncountable. two furnitures IS WRONG
You can use quantifiers:
There is a lot of furniture in the house.
There isn’t much furniture in the room.
There isn’t any furniture in the houseThere isn t any furniture in the house.

5. VOCABULARIES ->
VOCABULARY
ALL THE WORDS A PERSON KNOWS IN A
PARTICULAR LANGUAGE
I have a wide vocabulary
HE HAS A LIMITED VOCABULARYHE HAS A LIMITED VOCABULARY
READING INCREASES YOUR VOCABULARY
FRENCH VOCABULARY
I learnt 20 new words which
increased my vocabulary

6. Slangs -> SlangSlangs > Slang
Very informal words and expressionsVery informal words and expressions
that are more common in spoken
English and used by a particular group
of people such as teenagers
Slang word
Slang expression
Teenage slangTeenage slang
Australian slang

7. Staffs -> StaffStaffs > Staff
all the workers employed in a shopall the workers employed in a shop
or business
Male staff members
Customer Service staffCustomer Service staff
One of our staff can help you

9. Cutleries -> CutleryCutleries > Cutlery
Cutlery is a collection ofCutlery is a collection of
knives, forks and spoons,
used for eating and serving food.
cutlerystainless steel cutlery set
Put the cutlery in the drawerPut the cutlery in the drawer

10. CutleriesCutleries

11. SOFTWARES -> SOFTWARESOFTWARES > SOFTWARE
All the programs apps and utilitiesAll the programs, apps and utilities
installed ON YOUR COMPUTER
MY COMPUTER HAS A LOT OF
SOFTWARE INSTALLEDSOFTWARE INSTALLED.
ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE.

12. ADVICES -> ADVICEADVICES > ADVICE
An opinion or suggestion ABOUT WHATAn opinion or suggestion ABOUT WHAT
SOMEONE SHOULD DO IN A PARTICULAR
SITUATION
MY ADVICE
A PIECE OF ADVICEA PIECE OF ADVICE
PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
ASK YOUR TEACHER’S ADVICE

13. SCENERIES -> SCENERYSCENERIES > SCENERY
The natural features of an area SUCHThe natural features of an area SUCH
AS MOUNTAINS, VALLEYS, RIVERS, OCEAN,
COAST
The scenery is MAGNIFICENT
A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL SCENERY INA LOT OF BEAUTIFUL SCENERY IN
TASMANIA.
ENJOY THE SCENERY!