COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

Transcription

1 COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS Countable Some nouns refer to things which are treated as separate items which can be counted. These nouns in English are countable. We can use them in singular and plural forms. We often use in affirmative sentences: a/an with singular countable nouns and some with plurals. We use in negative sentences: a/an with singular countable nouns and any with plurals. We use in questions: a/an with singular countable nouns, any with plurals or how many... - I ve got a steak, some potatoes, some red chilli peppers. - Well, I prefer a lemon, an apple and some chicken breasts. - I d like a blue pen, please. - I bought some new jeans at the weekend. (A pair of new jeans) - Some teachers left at the end of the year. (We don t know how many) - There is a cat in the garden. There isn t a dog in the garden. Are there any chairs in the garden? How many chairs are there? - There are some birds in the trees. There aren t any birds in the tree. Is there an orange on the tree? Uncountable In English grammar, some things are seen as a whole or mass. These are called uncountable nouns, because they cannot be separated or counted. Uncountable nouns can only be singular, but we can also use some or (-) with them. We use in questions: any or how much... - I have some garlic and some butter. - I m looking for information about early rock and roll. - I haven t enough paper.

2 - You have to get permission from the head teacher. - Do you want some cake? - There is some milk on the floor. - Is there any sugar? - How much wine is there? - How much is it? Some nouns always have plural form but they are uncountable because we cannot use numbers with them. Some nouns of this type are: trousers, shorts, pants, pyjamas, binoculars, scissors, tweezers, tongs, pliers, glasses (for the eyes). - I bought two pairs of trousers. (Not: I bought two trousers) Countable and uncountable Some nouns can have two meanings: one countable and one uncountable. Many foodstuffs can be countable or uncountable. - We bought a new iron and an ironing board. (Countable) People believed that ships made of iron would sink. (Uncountable) - Hamlet is one of the Shakespeare s most famous works. (Countable) I have work to do so I can t go out. (Uncountable) - I made a cake this morning. (A whole cake countable) Do you want some cake? (A piece of cake uncountable) - I love coffee with hot milk. (Uncountable) Can you get some coffee? (Uncountable) I will have a coffee, please. (A cup of coffee countable) - Can I have a glass of water, please? (Just one countable) There s some broken glass on the pavement. (Uncountable) - A box of chocolates. (Individual chocolates countable) I would like some chocolate too. (A piece or pieces of chocolate from a bar of chocolate uncountable) Explanation: In a box of chocolates, the chocolates are countable and you can take one. When you have a bar of chocolate the chocolate is uncountable and you can take some

3 Countable phrases for uncountable nouns We can sometimes use countable noun phrases to talk about an individual example of the thing an uncountable noun refers to. UNCOUNTABLE accommodation baggage/luggage bread lightning luck money poetry rain travel work COUNTABLE a house, a flat, a place to live, a place to stay a suitcase, a bag, a rucksack a loaf (of bread), a (bread) roll a flash of lightning a stroke of luck a note, a coin, a sum of money, a euro, a dollar a poem a shower, a downpour, a storm a journey, a trip a job, a task Expressions of quantity: much, many, a lot of In positive/affirmative sentences: We don t usually use much or many in positive sentences. We use a lot of. A lot of can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. - There are a lot of apples on the trees. - There is a lot of snow on the road. - Bill Gates has a lot of money.

4 In negative sentences: We use not many with countable nouns and not much with uncountable nouns. - There s a lot of beer but there isn t much wine. - There are a lot of carrots but there aren t many potatoes. Expressions of quantity: few / a few, little / a little We use few and a few with countable nouns and we use little and a little with uncountable nouns. In a positive meaning, we can use a few and a little because both mean some (small quantities). - A few friends are coming for dinner tonight. - We ve a little time before our train leaves. Should we go to a museum? In a negative meaning, we have to use few and little because both mean almost none (insufficient quantity). - I have very few friends here. I feel really lonely. - We have very little time hurry up or we ll miss the train.

5 List of some uncountable nouns List of some countable nouns Information None / No one None / No one News A lot of A lot of Research Not much Not many Knowledge A little A few Work A bit of One, two... Homework A piece of Idea Advice Fear Man Behaviour Love People Bread Luck City Rice Fun Shop Sugar Safety Book Tea Permission Advertisement Coffee Baggage Bag Water Luggage Suitcase Milk Traffic Traffic jam Chocolate Travel Journey Weather Trouble Trip Rain Equipment Device Snow Furniture Headache Air Gold Heart attack Cancer Money Hair Marketing