Plural of nouns

PLURAL OF NOUNS – PROFESSOR NAGY

I eat _______ (rice) every day

I like _____ (rice)

I eat _____(banana) every day.

I like _____ (banana).

Banana is a countable noun

Countable nouns are things we can count. So we can say ‘one banana’, ‘two bananas’ etc.

Rice is an uncountable noun

Uncountable are things we can not count. We can not say ‘one rice’ etc.

Say if the word is countable or uncountable and put a/an if necessary.

1.beach ___________

There’s ________ (beach) near here.

2.song ____________

Ann was singing ________ (song).

3.Sand____________

There ____________ (to be + sand) in my shoes.

4.Bill ______________

Do you have _________ ten-dollar bill?

5.Money ____________

Do you have any _________ (money)?

6.Dollar __________

Do you have any _________ (dollar)?

7. Accident _________

It wasn’t your fault. It was ___________ (accident).

8.Battery _______

There ____________ 4 (to be + battery) in the radio.

9.Luck __________

It wasn’t your fault. It was bad ____________ (luck).

10. Electricity ________

There is no __________ (electricity) in this house.

11. Water ___________

We don’t have enough _____________ (water).

12. Cup ____________

We don’t have enough _____________ (cup).

Important

Information, advice, news ALWAYS UNCOUNTABLE!

Sue was very helpful. She gave us some very useful ____________ (advice or advices?)

I had to buy _____________ (a or some?) bread because I wanted to make some sandwiches.

Bad news _____________ (don’t or doesn’t) make people happy.

_________________ (Your hair is or Your hairs are?) too long. You should have ____________ (it or them?) cut.

The news _____________ (was or were?) very depressing.

I’m going to buy ____________ (some or a?) bread.

I’m going to buy ____________ (some or a?) loaf of bread.

It was _______ (a, an or X?) good advice.

XXX

Containers

You can not normally use a/an with uncountable nouns. We do not say ‘a sand’ or ‘a music’. But you can often use a...of:

A bowl of rice.

A drop of water.

A piece of music.

A game of tennis.

A loaf of bread.

A roll of bread.

A slice of bread.

Some or Any:

COUNTABLE UNCOUNTABLE

SOME

ANY

Countable

Uncountable

You can use some and any with plural countable nouns:

We sang some songs.

Did you buy any apples?

We use many and few with plural countable nouns:

We didn’t take many photographs.

I have a few jobs to do.

You can use some and any with uncountable nouns:

We listened to some music.

Did you buy any apple juice?

We use much and little with uncountable nouns:

We didn’t do much shopping.

I have little work to do.

COUNTABLE UNCOUNTABLE

MANY SOME MUCH

ANY

FEW LITTLE

Relativity of being countable or uncountable:

Many nouns can be used as countable or uncountable nouns, usually with a difference in meaning. Compare:

COUNTABLE

UNCOUNTABLE

Did you hear a noise just now? (=a particular noise)

I bought a paper to read. (=a newspaper)

There’s a hair in my soup! (=one single hair)

You can stay with us. There is a spare room. (a room in a house)

I had some interesting experiences while I was away. (=things that happened to me)

Enjoy your holiday. Have a good time!

I can’t work here. There’s too much noise. (not ‘too many noises’)

I need some paper to write on. (=material for writing on)

You’ve got very long hair. (not ‘hairs’) (=all the hair on your head)

You can’t sit here. There isn’t room. (=space)

They offered me the job because I had a lot of experience.(not ‘experiences’)

I can’t wait. I haven’t got time.

EXERCISES

68.1 Some of these sentences need alan. Correct the sentences which are wrong. If the sentence is

already correct, put 'RIGHT'.

1 Jim goes everywhere by bike. He hasn't got_car a car

RIGHT

2. Ann was listening to music when I arrived. RIGHT.

3 We went to very nice restaurant last weekend.

4 I clean my teeth with toothpaste. :

5 I use toothbrush to clean my teeth.

6 Can you tell me if there's bank near here?

7 My brother works for insurance company in London.

8 I don't like violence.

9 Can you smell paint?

10 We need petrol. I hope we come to petrol station soon.

11 I wonder if you can help me. I have problem.

12 John has got interview for job tomorrow.

13 Liz doesn't usually wear jewelry but yesterday she was wearing necklace. 1

14 I think volleyball is very good game. ~,.

68.2 Complete the sentences using one of the following words. Use a/an where necessary.

~~accident~~ biscuit blood coat decision electricity key letter moment music question sugar

1 It wasn't your fault. It was an accident .

2 Listen! Can you hear music ?

3 I couldn't get into the house because I didn't have ____

4 It's very warm today. Why are you wearing ____ ?

5 Do you take _____ in your coffee?

6 Are you hungry? Would you like _____ with your coffee?

7 Our lives would be very difficult without _____.

8 I didn't phone them. I wrote _____ instead.

9 The heart pumps _____ through the body.

10 Excuse me, but can I ask you _____ ?

11 I'm not ready yet. Can you wait ____, please?

12 We can't delay much longer. We have to make ____ soon.

68.3 Complete the sentences using one of the following words. Sometimes the word needs to be

plural (-s).

air country day friend meat language letter patience people

photograph queue space

1 I had my camera but I didn't take many photographs.

2 There are seven _____ in a week.

3 A vegetarian is a person who doesn't eat _____

4 Outside the cinema there was ___ of people waiting to see the film.

5 I'm not very good at writing ____.

6 Last night I went out with some _____ of mine.

7 There were very few ____ in the shops today. They were almost empty.

8 I'm going out for a walk. I need some fresh ____.

9 George always wants things quickly. He's got no ____

10 Do you speak any foreign ___ ?

11 Jane travels a lot. She has been to many ___

12 Our fIat is very small. We haven't got much _____

Answer Key

68.1

3. a very nice restaurant

4. right

a toothbrush

a bank

an insurance company

right

right

a petrol station

a problem

an interview for a job

a necklace

a very good game

68.2

3. a key

4. a coat

5. sugar

6. a biscuit

7. electricity

8. a letter

blood

a question

a moment

a decision

68.3

2. days

3. meat

4. a queue

5. letters

6. friends

7. people

8. air

9. patience

10. languages

11. countries

12. space

PLURAL OF NOUNS – PROFESSOR NAGY

ANSWER KEY (respostas dos exercícios)

I eat rice (rice) every day

I like rice (rice)

I eat a banana (banana) every day.

I like bananas (banana).

Banana is a countable noun

Countable nouns are things we can count. So we can say ‘one banana’, ‘two bananas’ etc.

Rice is an uncountable noun

Uncountable are things we can not count. We can not say ‘one rice’ etc.

Say if the word is countable or uncountable and put a/an if necessary.

1.beach COUNTABLE

There’s a beach (beach) near here.

2.song COUNTABLE

Ann was singing a song(song).

3.Sand UNCOUNTABLE

There is sand (to be + sand) in my shoes.

4.Bill COUNTABLE

Do you have a ten-dollar bill?

5.Money UNCOUNTABLE

Do you have any money(money)?

6.Dollar COUNTABLE

Do you have any dollarS (dollar)?

7. Accident COUNTABLE

It wasn’t your fault. It was an accident(accident).

8.Battery COUNTABLE

There are 4 batteries (to be + battery) in the radio.

9.Luck UNCOUNTABLE

It wasn’t your fault. It was bad luck (luck).

10. Electricity UNCOUNTABLE

There is no electricity (electricity) in this house.

11. Water UNCOUNTABLE

We don’t have enough water (water).

12. Cup COUNTABLE

We don’t have enough cups (cup).

Important

Information, advice, news ALWAYS UNCOUNTABLE!

Sue was very helpful. She gave us some very useful ADVICE (advice or advices?)

I had to buy SOME (a or some?) bread because I wanted to make some sandwiches.

Bad news DOESN’T (don’t or doesn’t) make people happy.

YOUR HAIR IS (Your hair is or Your hairs are?) too long. You should have IT (it or them?) cut.

The news WAS (was or were?) very depressing.

I’m going to buy SOME (some or a?) bread.

I’m going to buy A (some or a?) loaf of bread.

It was X (a, an or X?) good advice.

XXX

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