Count and Uncout Nouns

53 1

Countable and uncountable nouns

Most nouns have singular and plural forms: hous ho use/ e/ho hous uses es

dog/ do g/do dogs gs

3

man/ ma n/me men n

We call these nouns countable nouns, because we can count them: onee hou on ouse se tw two o do dogs gs thr hree ee me men n

a

a: some:: some the:: the 2

p lu r a l

a house –   the house

– some houses the houses

a

bread tennis

glass bottle

  }

a

Some nouns have only one form:  water golf

  }

  } }   }

a spoonful

We can use a, some and the with countable nouns: s i n g ul a r

Here is a list of common uncountable uncountable nouns, and some of of the words words we use use in front front of  them:

slice piece

}

 }

 }

piece

petrol rain

  }

some

We call these uncountable uncountable nouns, because we cannot count them.

}

water tea of  a cup of  milk coffee sugar of   coffee cake bread of  toast cheese information luggage of news advice homework  money petrol snow 

We can use some with all these words. words. We also use grams grams,, kilos  kilos,, litres  litres,, et etc. c. in sh shop ops: s: Can I have two litres  litres of  of  milk    milk , pl plea ease?  se? 

Look at this picture:

4

Some nouns can be countable or uncountable: uncountable

rain (uncountable)   cars (countable) We do not use a or one one,, two  two,, three  three,, et etc. c. before uncountable uncountable nouns, but we can use some or the the:: a: We need to buy bread  bread and and sugar . some:: Let’ some Let’ss stop the car. We need some  petrol.  petrol. the:: the Look at the  the rain!  rain! 

:

I like tea . Her hair  hair is is red. I haven’t got time . I always have sugar  sugar in in my tea. countable

:

I’ll have two teas , pl plea ease se.. (= cups cups of tea tea)) There’s a hair in hair  in my tea. We had a  a good good time . Three sugars in sugars  in my my tea, tea, pleas please. e.

Practice A Put a circle around the uncountable nouns below below..

house advice painting holiday tennis cup city bread PAGE 11 116 6

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ca t clock petrol of fice doctor cof fee park book

cheese table news bed cinema shoe toast jumper

car tea cigar pen luggage shir t sock cloud

coat ball teacher sugar chair money nose milk

 ART ICL ES, NO UNS, PRO NOU NS, ETC. OXFORD PRACTICE GRAMMAR BASIC © Oxford University Press www www.oup.com/elt .oup.com/elt

snow museum film homework banana exam water bike

lemon apple rain watch infor mation hour   school television

B Put the correct word in the following sentences. 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

(slice, piece, cup) I’d like a cup of coffee, please. (glass, slice, spoonful) Would you like a of cheese on your toast? (pieces, cups, bottles) My father gave me two of advice. (slice, bottle, piece) Could you buy a of milk at the shops? (spoonful, piece, cup) That was a difficult of homework! (glass, piece, slice) Would you give me a of water, please? (slices, cups, pieces) How many of luggage do you have? (spoonfuls, glasses, cups) I normally take three of sugar in my tea. (pieces, slices, litres) I’ve just put forty of petrol in the car. (piece, slice, glass) I need a of information.

10 (piece, kilo, slice) I’d like half a

of coffee, please.

C Put a tick ( ✓) if the sentence is correct, and a cross ( ✗) if it is incorrect. 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

We live in a flat. ✓ The car needs a petrol. She takes a milk in her tea. Mary likes tea; I prefer coffee. He’s got some new CDs. Two glasses of water. A table and two chairs. Give me two toasts. A snow comes in winter. Give me some cup of tea.



11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

10 Tim doesn’t eat meat.

I have some moneys.  ✗ Two coffees, please. Please buy some sugar. Two kilos of a bread. We have two homeworks. I need some information. We need some bananas. Have we got a butter? I like some egg for breakfast. I can see some young women.

20 Can you see the moon?

D Put one word from the box in each gap in the following dialogues.

a (x2) 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

bottle

cartons

cup (x2)

pieces

slice (x2)

some (x4)

the (x4)

two (x2)

My father has a motorbike. After school I have a of bread with butter on it. Tom has got three of luggage. Sue always has a of coffee after lunch. For this experiment we need a glass with water in it. We want coffees, please – one white and one black. We must stop at a garage and put petrol in car. How much is bottle of Coke at supermarket. There are two of milk in fridge. Can I have a of tea and a of cake, please.

10 There are

hairs in

bath. Both are long and blond.

 ART ICL ES, NO UNS, PRO NOU NS, ETC. OXFORD PRACTICE GRAMMAR BASIC © Oxford University Press www.oup.com/elt

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