Nom

La fonction du nom dans un nonc peut tre

Sujet :
Attribut du sujet :
COD :
COI :
CC:

These books belongs to him.

She is a nurse.
They bought this wine in France.
Look at the moon.
They bought this wine in a shop.

(attribut est reli au sujet par un verbe dtat )

( COD est reli au verbe sans prposition )
( COI est introduit par une prposition )
(apporte une info complmentaire )

Formation des noms

A partir dautres noms
percent
democrat
martyr
child
alcohol
chemist

+ age
+ cy
+ dom
+ hood
+ ism
+ ry

=
=
=
=
=
=

percentage
democracy
martyrdom
childhood
alcoholism
chemistry

=
=
=
=
=
=

shortage
bankruptcy
likelihood
socialism
normality
kindness

=
=
=
=
=
=

breakage
arrival
utterance
starvation
operation
treatment

A partir dadjectifs
short
bankrupt
likely
social
normal
kind

+
+
+
+
+
+

age
cy
hood
ism
ity
ness

A partir de verbes
break
arrive
utter
starve
operate
treat

+ age
+ al
+ ance
+ tion
+ ion
+ ment

Les noms forms partir de verbes particule

a blow-out
a blow-up
a count-down
a fill-up
(to have a ) knock-up
a pick-me-up
a runaway success
a set-up
a show-down
a stand-in
a take-over bid
a break-in
a try-on
a wash-out

crevaison, clatement
agrandissement
compte rebours
plein dessence
schauffer (en sport)
remontant
triomphe
pige, coup monte ; organisation, installation
preuve de force
remplaant
offre publique dachat
cambriolage
chiqu, bluff
chec complet ; personne rat ; nul

Le genre du nom
Noms de personnes
man / woman
brother / sister
hero / heroine
uncle / aunt
bridegroom / bride
widower / widow
friend
relative
singer
cousin
servant
nurse
guest
secretery

actor / actress
duke / duchess
waiter / waitress
host / hostess
steward / stewardess
shepherd / shepherdess
barman / barmaid
usher / usherette
god / goddess
nephew / niece
master / mistress
emperor / empress
prince / princess
father / mother

(hro / hrone)
(mari / marie)
veuf / veuve
ami/ amie
parent / parente
chanteur/ chanteuse
cousin / cousine
un domestique / une domestique
infirmier / infirmire
un invit / une invite

(garon / serveuse )
( hte / htesse )
(steward/ htesse de lair)
(berger / bergre)
(huissier / ouvreuse)
(matre / matresse)
imprateur / impratrice

On peut lever lambigut (ou rendre neutre)

boy-friend / girl-friend
girl-student / boy-student
girl- pupil
female secretary
gentleman farmer
chairman
=> chairperson
spokesman => spokesperson
man-student => woman-student
newsboy => newsgirl
male nurse => female nurse
man servant => woman servant
doctor => a lady doctor
driver => a woman driver
a man servant => a woman servant
a policeman => a policewoman
a woman-doctor (la mdecin)
pl. : woman-doctors

a women- doctor
women- doctors

(gyncologue)

Noms danimaux : it & they

horse / mare ( foal : poulain) (cheval / jument)
pig / sow ( cochon/ truie)
drake / duck
fox / vixen
dog / bitch
( chien / chienne)
ram / ewe ( blier / brbis )
bull / cow (taureau / vache )
stag / hind ( serf / biche )
lion / lioness
eagle / eagless
tiger / tigress
hare / doe hare
hen bird
hen pheasant
dog-fox
buck-rabbit
bull- ( cow- ) elephant
tom-cat / cat

(livre / hase )
oiseau femelle
faisane
un renard
un lapin
un lphant
(matou / chatte)

a bear / un ours
she- bear / une ourse
he-goat / un bouc
a goat / une chvre
Les noms des animaux sont neutres en gnral,

mais on peut les personnifier :

Look at this turtle, its really big.

Thers are many birds in the garden, but they are nice, arent they ?
This is Rex: he is a good dog.
What a lovely cat ! Whats her name.
Bruce is a clever dog, he understands everything you say.
A wretched dog kept me awake, it barked the whole night.

est un chien intelligent,

Un maudit chien ma empch de dormir

Noms de choses
Ils sont en gnral neutres mais peuvent aussi tre personnifies ( et le contraire * ) (bteaux, pays => fminin )
Have you seen my house, it is beautiful, isnt it ?
I have found my shoes: they were in the bathroom.

I liked this boat because ( it ) she was a very good sailor.

The Queen Mary was on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic.
France may be proud of (its ) her culture.
Fill it ( her ) up, please.
Death and his scythe.

Jaimais ce bateau parce quil naviguait trs bien.

Le Queen Mary faisait sa premire traverse de lAtlantique.

I enjoyed travelling around Britain. I espesially enjoyed her southern cities.

sud.

Jai aim parcourir la GB. Jai surtout apprci ses villes du

* How is her baby ? Well, it never stops crying.

* The child sat on its mothers lap.

Oh, il narrte pas de pleurer.

Lenfant tait assis sur les genoux de sa mre.

Faites le plain, sil vous plat.

La mort et sa faux

Les noms dnombrables : les pluriels

Pluriels rguliers
[s]

[ iz ]

car
clock
a brother

=> cars
=> clocks
=> brothers

( ou : brethren

religieux )

summons => summonses

house => houses
quiz => quizzes
bus => buses
brush => brushes
church => churches
box => boxes
consonne
baby => babies
city => cities
cry => cries
family => families
voyelle
day => days
toy => toys
trolley => trolleys
the Kennedys
the two Germanys

Invariables
tjrs. singuliers

tjrs.

pluriels

hake => hake

(morue )
cod => cod
(morue )
pike => pike
(brochet )
plaice => plaice
mackerel => mackerel
deer => deer
sheep => sheep

Certains peuvent semploier dans un sens singulier avec are :

barraks, gallows, headquarters, -works.
These are the new steelworks. Cette usine est nouvelle.

trout => trout

shark => sharks
salmon => salmon
craft => craft
swine => swine
grouse => grouse
counsel => counsel
quid => quid
( balles : argent )
Both counsel asked for an adjournment.
To be represented by counsel.
The crossroads is straight ahead.
Both crossroads are dangerous.
The printing works is on the corner.
All the steelworks have closed down.
This will cost you ten quid.

a va te coter 100 balles.

the crossword

les mots croiss

barrcks => barracks

crossroads => crossroads
means => means
series => series

( caserne )
( carrefours )
( moyen )
( srie )

species => species

( espce )
works => works
( usine )
links => links
( terrain de golf )
gallows => gallows
( la potence )
shambles => shambles
(dsordre )
headquarters => headquarters ( quartier gnral )

Les noms dnombrables : les pluriels

Pluriels irrguliers
elf => elves
(lutin, elfe )
calf => calves
half => halves
knife => knives
wife => wives
loaf => loaves
wolf => wolves
thief => thieves
shelf => shelves
sheaf => sheaves
(gerbe,liasse)
leaf => leaves
staff => staves ( bton )

a man => men

a child => children
dwarf => dwarves => dwarfs
(nain)
hoof => hooves => hoofs (sabot de cheval )
scarf => scarves => scarfs
wharf => wharves => wharfs ( quai )

tomato => tomatoes

potato => potatoes
hero => heroes
cargo => cargoes
mosquito => mosquitoes
domino => dominoes
echo => echoes
negro => negroes
torpedo => torpedoes
innuendo => innuendoes
piano => pianos
zero => zeros
zoo => zoos
canto => cantos
memento => mementos
proviso => provisos
quarto => quartos
solo => solos
embryo => embryos
studio => studios
flamingo => flamingos
motto => mottos
volcano => volcanos
commando => commandos
banjo => banjos
buffalo => buffalos
ghetto => ghettos
commando => commandos
archipelago => archipelagos
photo => photos
piano => pianos
video => videos

louse => lice

( pou / poux )
mouse => mice
man => men
ox => oxen
( buf / bufs )
child => children
goose => geese
(oies)
foot => feet
tooth => teeth

index => indices => indexes

appendix => appendices => appendixes
matrix => matrices => matrixes
vortex => vortices => vortexes
emphasis => emphases
synopsis => synopses
parenthsis => parenthses
hypothesis => hypotheses
diagnosis => diagnoses
basis => bases
axis => axes
thesis => theses
oasis => oases
crisis => crises
analysis => analyses
criterion => criteria
phenomenon => phenomena
dilettante => dilettanti
virtuoso => virtuosi
libretto => libretti
tempo => tempi
kibbutz => kibbutzim
cherub => cherubin
seraph => seraphim
tableau => tableaux => tableaus
corps => corps
( army corps = des corps arms)

roof => roofs

cliff => cliffs
chief => chief
life => lives
handkierchief => handkierchief
safe => safes
belief => beliefs
proof => proofs
sniff => sniffs
penny => pence

museum => museums

stadium => stadiums
gymnasium => gymnasiums
demon => damons
electron => electrons

virus => viruses

chorus => choruses
campus
=> campuses
alumnus => alumni
stimulus => stimuli
bacillus => bacilli
fungus => fungi
cactus => cacti
terminus = > termini
nucleus => nuclei
syllabus => syllabi
( programme universitaire )
papirus => papiri
genius => geniuses ( trs intell. ) => genii (bon / mauvais espris )

automaton => automata

symposium => symposia
millenium => millenia
memorandum => memoranda
addendum => addenda
ovum => ova
erratum => errata
curriculum => curricula
bacterium => bacteria
datum => data
stratum => strata
millenium => millenia
medium => media
(mass media )
=> mediums ( extra lucide)
antenna => antennae (sc.)
=> antennas (tl)
lacuna => lacunae
arena => arenas
drama => dramas (gen.)
alumna => alumnae (sc.)
larva => larvae
formula => formulae
vertebra => vartebrae

Les noms collectifs

Certains noms collectifs saccordent tjrs. au pluriel (sauf le contexte)
army
party
enemy
audience
company
crew
group
public
press
team
people
folk
( folks familier )
cattle (btail) ( head of cattle )
class
firm
orchestra
vermin
poultry (volailles / volaille)

crowd
clergy (clerg)
Parliament
cast
management
crowd
poultry
family
staff
police (police)
jury
choir
chorus
committee
gang
offspring
livestock

The staff arent happy with their working conditions.

The staff of that school has a good record.
The staff dont always behave themselves.
The English Department had to get rid of five staff.
Members of staff ( = staff members ).

Le personnel nest pas satisfait de ses conditions de travail.

Le personnel de cette cole a obtenu de bons rsultats.
Le personnel ne se conduit pas toujours bien.
Le dpartement danglais a d renvoier cinq personnes.

The committee is undecided over what action to take. (pris en bloc)

The committee are undecided over what action to take. (pris sparment)

La commission ne sait pas encore quelles mesures prendre.

La commission ne sait pas encore quelles mesures prendre.

Twenty police were on duty.

At least thirty police were needed for that task.
The county needed a semi-military police.
The police are after him.
The police are coming.

Vingt agents de police / policiers taient de service.

La police est ses trousses.
La police arrive.

Over 2,000 people attended the meeting.

People are funny.
The people have not voted against the re-introduction of capital punishment.
He spoke to six people about it.
It is difficult to imagine a people that has suffered more.
Peoples of the East.

Plus de 2000 pesonnes ont t prsentes la runion.

Les gens sont marrants.
Le peuple na pas vot contre le rtablissement de...
Les Occidentaux.

Some folk never stop complaining.

Some folk just dont know how to behave.
Sit down, folks.
I would like you to meet my folks.

Certaines persennes ne savent pas se conduire bien.

Asseyez-vous, mes amis.
Jaimerais que vous rencontriez ma famille.

The cattle are grazing.

Cattle were sold for a good price.
Most poultry come from battery houses.
200,000 head of cattle have to be put down to eradicate the disease.

Le btail fut vendu un bon prix.

La plupart des volailles proviennent de fermes dlevages.
200.000 ttes de btail devrons tre abattues pour faire disparatre

The government, which is controlled by right-wing ministers, wants to reduce its expenses.
The government have ( has ) decided
The successive governments have done nothing to improve the situation.
The government wants to reduce taxes.
(pris en bloc)
The government want to reduce taxes.
(pris sparment)
They are a good crew to work with.
The crew have all enjoyed themselves.
The captain had to manage with only fifteen crew.

Le gouvernement veut rduire les impts.

Le gouvernement veut rduire les impts.
Lquipage sest bien amus.

As the crowd move forvard it becoms visible on the hilltop.

The crowd have been protesting for hours. They are getting very impatient.
The jury is one of the safeguard of our legal system.
The jury have returned their verdict.

Le jury est la garant de notre systme lgislatif.

Le jury a rendu son verdict.

My family is from Yorkshire. (un tout)

My family are tall and they are rather pleased with it. ( les membres )
The family have gathered.
The families have gathered.

La famille sest runie.

Les familles se sont runies.

The team are ( is ) confident that they will win.

These are my offspring.

Cest ma progniture.

Certains GN qui expriment qqch de global , saccordent au singulier

Five miles is a long way.

Cinq miles, a fait loin.

Ten minutes is not enough.

Five hundred pounds is too much for that picture.

Dix minutes, ce nest pas suffisant.

Cinq cent livres, cest trop pour ce tableau.

Les noms indnombrables /

saccordent au singulier

peuvent tre avec un dnombreur : a piece of , two pieces of , a stroke of , an act of , an item of ,
a strand of , a loaf of , an article of , a sheet of , a game of , a slice of , a means of
Matires :
Couleurs:
Ensemble:

Sports et jeux:
Abstraits:

milk, steel, wool, ice, fruit, butter, fish, bread, spaghetti, paint, spinach, grafitti, confetti, macaroni, ravioli
yellow, red, white
abuse (les insultes), advice (les conseils), furniture (le mobilier), work (le travail)
hair (les cheveux),[ hairs (les poils)], information (les renseignements), knowledge (le savoir),
leisure (les loisirs), luggage (les bagages), news (les nouvelles), progress (le pregrs),
evidence (des preuves), land (la terre), rubbish (les ordures), garbage
football, billiards, chess, darts (les flchettes), draughts (les dames),
cricket, dominoes, bowls, checkers(Am.), crosswordO,
music, progress, violence, luck

evidence (des preuves)

furniture (le mobilier)
work (le travail)
information (des renseignement)
luggage (les bagages)
closing (les vtements)
information (les renseignements)
sportswear
software

a piece of evidence (une preuve)

a piece of furniture (un meuble)
a piece of work (un ouvrage)
a piece of information (un renseignement)
a piece of luggage (un bagage)
an article of clothing (un vtement)
a piece of information (un renseignement)
some information (des renseignements)

( les vtements de sport),

(les logiciels )

a software package, a pice of software, a software application (un logiciel)

It is a useful piece of information.

Can you give me some information about that ?

an act of violence
a strand of spaghetti
a fit of temper
a moment of time
a lump of sugar
a burst of applause

Cest un renseignement utile.

Pouvez-vous me donner des renseignements l-dessus?

a bunch of flowers
a moment of time
a fit of anger
a stroke of luck
an item of news
a loaf of bread

a sheet of paper
a game of tennis
a slice of toast
a means of transport

toujours sans dnombreur

Maladies :

Abstraits

tuberculosis, chicken-pox (varicelle), measles (la roougeole), mumps (les oreillons),

AIDS (le sida), flu (la grippe)
business (les affaires), happiness (le bonheur), justice (la justice), poverty (la pauvret),
Spanish (lespagnol), unemployment (le chmage), waste (le gaspillage), weather (le temps quil fait)

beauty, wisdom, courage, love, money, travelling, accomodation, damage, help, nonsense,
poetry, evidence
Sciences :

physics (la physique), mathematics (les mathmatiques), aerobics (larobic),

statistics (la statistique), acoustics, linguistics (la linguistique), phonetics (la phontique),
politics (la politique), athletics (lathltisme), gymnastics (la gymnastique)

Nom verbal :

advertising, skating

les abstractions ne prennent pas normalement larticle a / an

He speaks very good Dutch.
Il parle un trs bon hollandais.
We had wet weather there.
On a eu un temps pluvieux l-bas.

on rencontre larticle a dans certaines tournures

Iam in a hurry.
Je suis press.
Its a waste of time.
Cest une perte de temps.
Its such a waste !
Quel gchis !
What a disgrace!
Quelle honte!
What a relief !
Quel soulagement !

Exception : mathematics, politics, statistics

singulier

peuvent tre des pluriels avec un sens diffrent.

pluriel

Politics is a risky business.

La politique est une entreprise hasardeuse.

My politics are none of your business.

Mes opinions politiques ne vous regardent pas.

Statistics is a science.
La statistique est une science.

The latest statistics show a decrease.

Les derniers chiffres montrent une baisse.

saccordent au pluriel
NB/

on emloie les dnombreurs lorsqueon veut insister sur la quantit

On emploie aussi selon les cas some

Les noms qui dsignent les objets doubles :

leur singulier a la forme

a pair of , two pair (s) of

bermudas, binoculars (des jumelles), compasses, glasses (des lunettes), jeans, pyjamas, scales (a scale), scissors, shorts, pants, trousers, panties,
briefs, trunks, overalls, clippers, tongs, compasses (a compass), headphones, tongs, tweezers, bellows, tights, nylons (bas), spectacles, pincers, pliers
(pince)
a compass :
une boussole
(a pair of compasses) :
un compas
(a pair of) scales :
a scale :

une balance
une chelle

Where are the pliers ?

Pass me that pair of pliers, please.
I need some new jeans.

O est la pince ?
Passe-moi cette pince, sil te plat.
Il me faudrait un nouveau jean.

Les noms qui ne dsignent pas les objets doubles : leur singulier est a piece of , a flight of
brains ( intelligence), customs (la douane), goods (les marchandises), looks (le physique), manners, remains, stairs, wages, clothes (les vtements),
savings, riches, contents, morals, surroundings, thanks, leftovers, belongings, media, valuables, tropics, arms, arrears, auspices, funds, ashes, soap
suds, lodgings (chambre meuble), banns, dregs (lie), carnings, entrails, greens, guts(boyaux), odds (chances), outskirts, pains, premises, quarters,
funds, accounts, morals (le sens moral), oats (lavoine), stairs (lescalier)
Those stairs dont look very safe.
a flight of stairs
three flights of stairs
a very special thanks to
to start a fund
I am short of funds
What exactly is the lead content of petrol ?
Show me the contents of your purse.
I emptied the contents of the bottle in the sink.

Cet escalier na pas lair trs sr.

trois escaliers

(la teneur )
(le contenu )

Exception : clothes ne fonctionne pas avec un dnombreur; pour pl. vtements on utilise clothing
She wears beautiful clothes.
Elle porte de beaux vtements.

I have bought two articles of clothing.

Jai achet deux vtements.

Dnombrables ou indnombrables
Les noms de matires peuvent tre dnombrables lorsque lon dsigne des varits de
Do you eat much fruit ?
I usually have fruit for dessert.
I will have just a piece of fruit.
Many fruits taste sweet.

Mangez-vous beaucoup de fruits ?

Habituellement, je mange des fruits au dessert.
Je prendrai juste un fruit.
Beaucoup de varits de fruits ont un got sucr.

I usually have fish for lunch.

I cought one fish.
My father cought two fishes.
My uncle studied fishes. (varit ; scientifique)
Hes eaten too much chocolate.
Hes eaten too many chocolates.

(aliment)
(morceaux)

She likes red.

He painted with three different reds.

(couleur)
(nuances du rouge)

Un certain nombre de noms peuvent avoir un fonctionnement dnombrable ou indnombrable

accomodation
advertising
fishing
homework
business

( le logement)
( la publicit )
( la pche )
( les devoirs)
( les affaires)

a room, a flat
an advertisement
a good catch
an exercise
a business

( une chambre, un appartement)

( une publicit)
( une bonne pche)
( un devoir)
( une entreprise )

cloth

( de la toile)

produce
progress
travel

( les produits agricoles)

( le progrs)
( les voyages)

clothes
country
glass
hair
work

( des vtements)
( la campagne )
( du verre )
( les cheveux)
( le travail )

youth
staff
grass
time
clothing
dancing

( la jeunesse)
( le personnel )
( lherbe)
( le temps )
( des vtements)
( la dance )

We had lamb for dinner.

That sheep has only one lamb.
What lovely strawberries.
There is too much strawberry in this ice-cream.
Du you like my nylons?
Most socks contain nylon.
She has a lovely voice.
She has no voice in the making decisions.

Des cas non classs

( une nappe )
( deux nappes )
( un produit manufactur)
( un progrs)
( un voyage)

a garment
( un vtement)
a country
(un pays )
a glass
( un verre )
a hair
( un poil )
a work
( une uvre )
a job
( un travil)
a youth
( un jeune)
a staff
( un bton )
a grass
( un indicateur, balance)
one time
( une fois )
an article of closing ( un vtement)
a dance
( une dance )

Our countrys youth has ( have ) little to look forward to.

They arrested two youths.

He is looking for work.

He is looking for a job.

a cloth
two cloths
a product
an advance
a trip, a journey

Il cherche du travail.
Il cherche un travail.

La jeunesse de ntre pays a peu de perspectives davenir.

Irrguliers : die, penny

penny => pence (valeur)
penny => pennies (pieces)
These are 18th-century pennies.
Not a penny more.
Figurative use :
Am Figurative use :
to throw the dice
dice with death
straight as a dice

How much is it ? 50 pence.

You need two pennies to go to the toilets.

Il vous faut deux pices dun penny pour aller aux toilettes.
Pas un sou de plus.

the die is cast

no dice

le sort est jet, les ds sont jets

pas question
lancer le(s) d(s)
risquer sa vie
dune grande honntet

Les noms propres ou des abrviations

The United States is 17 times as big as France.
The Netherlands was occupied by the Germans in the 2nd wolrd war.
Whales is the smallest land of the Unitad Kingdom.
The Bahamas are, the West Indies are, the Phillipines are , the Seyshelles are

( des groupements des les comportant pls lments )

England win world coup.

France have beaten England.

( dans la presse : lquipe de lAngleterre )

Mr & Mrs Smith => The Smiths

Mr & Mrs Jones => The Joneses

M. et Mme Smith => Les Smith

M. et Mme Jones => Les Jones

I have invited the Smiths and the Joneses.

The two Cromwells, the two Kennedys.

an MP => two MPs

a VIP => two VIPs
a UFO => two UFOs
the 3 rs

( two M. P.s)
(reading, writing, arithmetic)

Kind, sort, type

These kind of people.
She always buys those sort of records.
This kind of record.

Quantit & mesure

Where is that five pounds I lent you ?
Is this three francs yours ?
Ten litres isnt enough.
five hundred people
two dozen eggs
I will order three gross.
There were millions of them.
I have told dozens of times
He has scores of friends.
Kate is five feet eight.
That comes to three pounds fifty.

Il a des tas damis.

Kate mesure un mtre soixante-douze.
a fait trois livres cinquante.

Les noms composes

a tea-cup
=> tea- cups
a horse-race => horse-races
a tooth-brush => tooth-brushes
spoonfuls
a passer-by => passers-by
hangers- on
brides-to -be
mothers-to-be
editors-in-chief
fathers-in-low

Mais : grown-up => grown-ups

lay-bys
lie-ins
sit-ins
stand- bys
tip-offs
will-o-the-wisps
jack-in- the- boxes

a manservant => menservants

a woman polot => women pilots
a woman doctor => women doctors

Mais : a man-eater => man-eaters

a woman hater => man-eaters

Lords temporal and spiritual.

( premier est invariable )

Membres laques et ecclsiastiques de la Chambre des Lords.

attorneys general
directors general

( = attorney generals )
( = director generals

Accord en nombre
Laccord en nombre est obligatoire lorsque plusieurs possessuers correspondent plusieurs choses possdes
They have a hat on their heads.
(un chapeau pour deux)
They have hats on their heads.
(chacun son chapeau)
These houses have very large kitchens.
Ces maisons ont une trs grande cuisineO.
endangering the lives of African penguins.
What are the names of the victims ?
Quel est le nom des victimes.
The neighbours decided to walk their dogs at the same time.
Les voisins ont dcid de promener leur chien la mme heure.
They had their hats on their heads.
Ils avaient le chapeau sur la tte.
They came in their cars.
Ils sont venus en voiture.
They came in their car.
Ils sont venus en voiture.
To change trains.
Changer de train.
To make friends with.
Se lier damiti avec.
To shake hands with.
Donner une poigne de main .
Another ten minutes.
Encore dix minutes.
There is still another 500 to be paid.
Il reste payer encore 500 livres.
We had an enjoyable two and a half weeks in Ireland last year.
Nous avons pass deux semaines et demie agrables en Irlande
Between the ages of 30 and 45.
Entre lge de 30 et 40 ans.
The reigns of Henry VIII and Elisabetth I.
Le rgne de Henry YIII et celui de Elisabeth Ire .
We changed our minds.
Nous avons chang davis.
Many people are unhappy about their long noses.
Beaucoup de gens ne sont pas satisfaits de leur long nez.
Cats seem to spend their lives sleeping.
Les chats semblent passer leur vie dormir.
They deserve a kick up they backsides.
Ils mritent un coup de pied au derrire.
We respectfully removed our hats.
Nous avons respectivement rtir notre chapeau.
Can we change places ?
On peut changer de place.
We are sometimes at the end of our tether.
Nous sommes parfois bout des nerfs.
We pay through the nose.
Payer quelque chose la peau des fesses.
A collection of bottles.
A bottle collection.

Une collection de bouteilles.

Une collection de bouteilles.

A problem page.
A probmem student.

Courrier du cur.
Un tudiant problmes.

A singles bar.
A single bar.

Un bar pour les clibataires.

Un seul bar.

An explosives investigation.
An explosive investigation.

Une enqute sur les explosifs.

Une enqute explosive.

If anyone calls, tell them Im out, but take their name and address.
Si quelquun tlphone, dites-lui que je suis sorti, mais prenez ses coordonnes.
Somebody left their umbrella behind yesterday. Would they please collect it from the office ?
Quelquun a oubli son paraplie hier. Il peut passer le prendre dans le bureau.
Nobody wants to work tomorrow, do they ?
Personne ne veut travailler demain, je suppose ?
Can anyone lend me their umbrella ?
I like people to mind their own business.
Has everyone got they book ?
Has everyone got his book ?

(courant)
(familier)

If you hear a lot about a person you feel you get to know them.
Any person who wants to visit the mosque must take off his shoes.

(plus souvent)
( dfaut)

An unemployed person doesnt go shopping much because they havent got any money.
An unemployed person doesnt go shopping much because he or she havent got any money.
Un chmeur ne fait pas beaucoup de courses, parce quil na pas dargent.

( familier )
( formel )

La mise en relation des noms

Lutilisation dune prposition ( cf. prepositions)

the title of the book

le titre du livre

Lemploi du gnitif (cf. possessifs )

Mr Grants house

la maison de Monsieur Grant

Les mots composs (cf. adjectifs & noms composs)

bird watching

lobservation des oiseaux

Il est difficile de savoir laquelle des trois combinaisons semploie dans un cas particulier. Voici quelques indications.

Indication n1 :

nom compos ou cas possessif

Si on dcompose un nom compos, le premier se transforme le plus souvent en complment

a bookshop => a shop that sells books
a war film => a film about war

Si on dcompose une expression construite avec le cas possessif, le premier nom se transforme souvent en sujet
my sisiters car => my sister has a car
Jakes idea => Jake had an idea

Indication n2 :

nom compos et expression avec prposition

Un nom compose se rfre normalement une catgorie bien connue

a history book
the postman
a road sign
the town center

un livre dhistoire
le facteur
un signal routier
(notion constante)

Dans les autres cas on emploie plutt une expression avec prposition
a book about the moon ( a moon book )
a man from insurance office
the center of the table
(notion relative)

un livre sur la lune

un homme du bureau dassurances

Indication n3 : cas possessif ou expression avec prposition

Le cas possessif semploie surtout lorsque le premier nom indique une personne, une groupe de personnes,
un organisme, un animal ou un pays.
my fathers name
Americas influence

le nom de mon pre

linfluence des Etats-Unis

Dans les autres cas, on utilise gnralement une expression avec prposition
the name of the book ( the books name )
the influence of alcohol

le nom du livre
linfluence de lalcool

Utilisation dune prposition

the title of the book
the end of the road
an article from the Guardian
a book by William Golding
a cheque for $100
an increase in accidents
a need for help
an interest in music
a quest for happiness
a solution to the problem
the right to vote
a book on matematics
the right to vote
a book on maths
a book about maths

le titre du livre
la fin de la route
un article du Guardian
un livre de William Golding
un chque de 100 dollars
une augmentation du nombre daccidents
un besoin daide
un intrt pour la musique
une qute de bonheur
une solution au problme
le droit de vote
un livre de maths
le droit de vote
un livre de maths
un livre sur les maths

Emploi du gnitif
tres vivants,

groupes,

collectivits,

pays,

institutions,

dates,

dures,

my brothers room
the old ladys bag
the companys policy
in ten minutes time
the History of England = Englands history
womens magazins
a lonely hearts club
a childs play
a butchers knife
a farmers wife
a mans job
( pl. mens jobs )
a butchers shop
( pl. butchers shops)
a new boys school
a three miles walk
a moments rest
a weeks holiday
in a weeks time, in two years time ( seul cas possible )
a ten minutes break
( = a ten-minute break )
a thirty miles drive
( = a thirty-mile drive )
a ten dollars worth of ice cream
a six weeks journey
(= a six-week journey )

mesures

des magazins fminins

un club de rencontre
un jeu denfant
un couteau de boucher
une fermire
un mtier dhomme
une boucherie
une nouvelle cole de garons
un instant de repos
dans une semaine, dans deux ans
un arrt de dix minutes
un trajet en voiture de cinquante kilomtres

Noms composs
Formation des noms composs

On met un nom devant un autre :

a road map, a business trip, a London suburbs, a gold watch, a body odour

Attention lordre des mots :

Certains scrivent avec un trait et dautres en un seul mot ( pas de rgle ) : a dining-room, the back-door, a bottle-opener
a bookshop, a swearword, a blackbird

On peut mettre plusieurs noms ensemble :

a race horse

===

a horse rase

sports car manufacture

Conjugaison des noms composs

Le premier nom joue le rle dun adjectif et reste invariable lorsque le nom compose est mis au pluriel
a computer exhibition
a shoe shop
a five-pound note
a woman driver
a pine forest
a rugby player

=>
=>
=>
=>
=>
=>

computer exhibitions
shoe shops
five-pound notes
women drivers (exception)
pine forests
rugby players

Exceptions
a sports car
the arms race
a savings account
a careers adviser

Des noms qui nont pas de singulier

a goods train
a clothes shop

une voiture de sport

la course larmement
un compte pargne
un conseiller dorientation professionnelle

la fabrication des voitures de sport