Count and Non Count Nouns

The basic rules: Count and noncount nouns Count and noncount nouns with adjectives Other basic rules

Basic rules_count noun

A count noun can be expressed in plural form, usually with an "s."

For example, "catcats," "season

seasons," "studentstudents. car, man, key, house, flower, idea, accident

Basic rules_noncount noun

A noncount noun cannot be expressed in a plural form.

For example, "milk," "water," "air," "money,"

"food." advice, information, weather, news, bread, hair, furniture, paper, work, baggage Usually, you can't say, "He had many moneys."

Basic rules_Quiz

If sentence is true, write OK. If its wrong, correct with a/an.

I havent got watch __________ a watch Beth never wears hat __________ a hat

Eve doesnt eat meat __________ OK

I am going to concert tonight ____________ a concert Jamaica is island _____________ an island

Everybody needs food __________ OK

Count and Non-Count Nouns (with Plurals, Articles, and Quantity Words)

Section 1: Definition of Count and Noncount nouns Count or Noncount? The main difference between count and noncount nouns is whether you can count the things they refer to or not. Count nouns refer to things that exist as separate and distinct individual units. They usually refer to what can be perceived by the senses. it usually contains the two kinds of nouns:
Class noun Tractor panda factory teacher Collective noun Class herd crowd army

Noncount nouns refer to things that can't be counted because they are thought of as wholes that can't be cut into parts. They often refer to abstractions and occasionally have a collective meaning (for example, furniture).
Material noun Steel grain fire cotton Abstract noun Happiness life work whiteness

Both Count& Noncount:

Usually, some word has different meanings in the different sentences. I've had some difficulties finding a job. (refers to a number of specific problems) She succeeded in school with little difficulty. (refers to the general idea of school being difficult) The city was filled with bright lights and harsh sounds. (refers to a number of specific lights and noises) Light travels faster than sound. (refers to the way light and sound behave in general)

Section 2: Uses of Count and Noncount Nouns

Pluralizing

The Rule From the definitions of mass and count given above you may have already guessed the rule for pluralizing them: most count nouns pluralize with s; -es ; noncount nouns don't pluralize at all

An Exception to the Rule

For a number of nouns, the rule needs slight revision. Certain nouns in English belong to both classes: they have both a noncount and a count meaning. Normally the noncount meaning is abstract and general and the count meaning concrete and specific. So, we can separate the noun into 4 parts: the Count Noun, Count Use, Noncount
Noun, Noncount Use

A Revision of the Rule

Pluralizes with -s Count Noun Count Use XX XX

Doesn't Pluralize

Noncount Noun
Noncount Use

XX
XX

Articles Nouns and Articles

Choosing which article to use (if any) with a noun is a complex matter because the range of choices depends on whether the noun in question is: 1) count or noncount 2) singular or plural. Both count nouns (whether singular or plural) and noncount nouns take articles.

Combinations of Nouns and Articles

a, an
Count singular Count plural Noncount XX

the
XX XX XX

this, that
XX

these, those

no article

XX XX

XX XX

Quantity Terms
many, both, some, any, several, most, more, all, each, every, any, few/fewer/fewes a lot of, no, one t, a few, one of none of the the, a couple of XX XX XX XX

much, less, little, a little, very little

Count singular Count plural Noncount

XX

Examples:
Examples: Count Singular: I practice every day. I'd like one donut, please. Count Plural: Can I have some chips? She has a lot of books, and many are autographed. I have fewer pencils than you. Noncount: Can I have some water? She has a lot of strength, and much is due to her upbringing. I have less courage than you.

Errors in using nouns - 1

1. Countability and uncountability of English nouns
Countable nouns - could be used with indefinite articles, such as, a, an, or

one, two, many, a large number of, plenty of. They show the number.
Uncountable nouns - cannot be used with indefinite articles, but with much , a little , a large amount of , plenty of , etc. They show the quantity. Something that is countable, but rarely counted, such as hair and rice , is considered as uncountable. Remember: uncountable nouns always go with singular verbs. Ex.,

1. The CNN news is always very informative.

2. This ink is not suitable for my pen. 3. The rice from Thailand tastes very good.

Errors in using nouns - 2

2. Common errors - determining the real subject
A box of eggs (is, are) on the table. The memoranda (is, are) not important. Fifty years (is, are) not a long time. The United States (is, are) in North America.

3. Parenthetical elements between subject and verb

If a subject is followed by a parenthetical element like, as well as, besides, like, together with, in addition to, as much as, no less than, etc., the verb is often mistaken as plural.

Ex.,

a. b.

My sister, together with Bob and John, (is, are) gone. The boy, like his father, (sit, sits) still.

c.

Your father, rather than your brother, (is, are) responsible for the act.

4. Colletive nouns
family board enemy
the situations.
This class has only 16 students. The class are all listining to me.

crew committee audience

crowd party reader

This group of nouns can both be singular and plural, depending on

Other nouns have singular forms but plural contents, so the verbs

to be used must be plural. people, cattle, police, etc.

Japanese are a hard-working people. The cattle are in the shed. Fish are cold-blooded. Why Iraqs police are a menace? The youth of Taiwan have lofty ideals.

Errors in using nouns - 3

5. Plural nouns commonly misused as singular
The following nouns are always plural: annals ashes billiards dregs leavings goods pants pliers pincers scissors shears thanks tweezers wages

clothes obsequies remains trousers

6. Singular nouns with plural forms

acoustics comics ethics mathematics phonetics United States aeronautics dynamics hydraulics means physics whereabouts athletics economics linguistics news politics civics esthetics magnetics optics statistics

7. Incorrect use of uncountable nouns

- There are many evidences; He gave me several informations. - Several deformations are observed in this mountain belt. - This is a good news. - He gave me many good advices; Do you have other softwares? - What progresses have you made? He has plenty of knowledges.

Exercise 1: find the errors

I have many good news to tell you. (Some or so much) I saw a flock of sheeps in the meadow. The tailor cut the cloth with a scissors. I received many e-mails yesterday. This cattle (is, are) from Australia, not from Holland. He has plenty of knowledges. Her family (is, are) all waiting for her. Politics (is, are) much more difficult than physics.

Review

Uncountable or Noncount Nouns

Food & Drink: beef, bread, cheese, milk, water, rice, ice cream
Nonfood: air, coal, plastic, wood, dirt, petroleum, soap, steel Abstract: advice, anger, beauty, fun, information, knowledge, truth Other: research, clothing, furniture, weather, work, equipment Language: English, Mandarin, French

Uncountable nouns are not plural

We need some information[s] about rainforests. He asked me for some advice[s]. Wood and steel are used in construction.

Uncountable nouns always go with singular verbs

The CNN news is always very informative. This ink is not suitable for my pen. The rice from Thailand tastes very good.

Uncountable nouns do not usually need an article (a, an), because those articles imply specific individuals
Furniture makes our houses more comfortable.
We had some delicious beef for dinner. Knowledge is power. Time is money. Geology is an interesting field of study.

But Uncountable nouns do take the referring to the group or concept as a whole
The air in this room is cool. The pork in this restaurant is very good. The dirt on the wall is very messy

The knowledge we have gained will be useful to us.

Some adjectives for uncountable nouns

analysis paper calculation

a statistical analysis a scientific paper a computer calculation

a little rain
less violence more coffee

enough money
any homework

More examples
a bottle of water a cup of coffee a carton of milk a loaf of bread a piece of advice a cubic meter of wood a tube of toothpaste an item of information an article/piece of furniture

Exercise 2

Some deformation (is/are) observed in this mountain belt. These windows are made of (glass/glasses). (Many/Much) clothing is needed in cold weather. I ate six (loaves/slices) of bread for breakfast this morning. In the number 198,700,504,000, there are six (0s/0s)

I think somebody is talking too much!!! Let me stop him!

Errors in using articles - 1

English articles, in comparison with nouns, verbs, adverbs, etc., appear to be unimportant; they are often overlooked by the learner of English. However, article is used the most frequently among the 10 categories of words. The presence or absence of an article may significantly change the meaning of a sentence. Correct use of article is indeed very important, but it is not an easy thing to do.

Indefinite article exists in two forms: a, an

Test: which one is correct? 1. Do you have father? Do you have a father? 2. I need a secretary and treasurer. I need a secretary and a tresurer. (two different meanings) 3. Happy New Year to you. A Happy New Year to you. 4. Heineken is a good beer. Heineken is good beer. (Material noun in normally uncountable. However, if it represents a kind, a part, or a brand, then it becomes a countable noun.)

Errors in using articles - 2

Definite article - the
The most important concept of definite article is to distinguish a particular object from a group of similar objects. In general, the use of a definite article is more flexible and complicated than that of an indefinite article. Consequently, the chance of misuse is also greater. Ex., 1. Do you play piano? Do you play the piano? 2. Do you play tennis? Do you play the tennis? 3. He is very good at baseball. He is very good at the baseball. 4. Sun usually sets before moon rises. The sun usually sets before the moon rises. (unique subject needs it; other examples: the earth, the world, the universe, the Pacific) 5. The pen is mightier than the sword (abstract concept needs it). 6. Proper nouns do not need articles unless they are rivers, oceans, bays, ranges, islands, or country names (The Yangtse River, the Thames, the Japan Sea, the Rockies, the Philippines, the U.S.A.) 7. Abstract nouns do not need articles: Honesty is the best policy; Diligence is the father of success.