Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Teo]

Each child is to use a scissors. How many scissors should there be for this row of children? (page 19, Making Number Discoveries, written by Leo J. Brueckner et al., published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.)

In the above passage, "scissors" is used as a countable noun whose plural form is the same as its singular form. Since the book is a math textbook for elementary school students, it is supposed to be standard usage, isn't it? If not, should I tell my students to avoid such usage?

PS. I am a Taiwanese teacher of English.
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Thank you very much for your reply.

[myprofe]

There's no mistake.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=scissors
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I'm never going to learn if you don't correct my mistakes!

[Teo]

Can we say "a pants (shorts, glasses, ...)" or "how many pants(shorts, glasses, ...)"? If not, scissors is an exception, isn't it?
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Thank you very much for your reply.

[2006]

I would say a pair of (scissors) (pants) (shorts) (glasses) (shoes) etc.

[myprofe]

I would also say "a pair of scissors" but two scissors is Ok.
Here's another link on the topic:
http://www.englishforums.com/English/ClassificationWordsArticleAttached-AbstractPlural/ddzkk/Post.htm
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I'm never going to learn if you don't correct my mistakes!