Count and Non Count Nouns Myungseob Kim

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Count and Non Count NounsMyungseob Kim
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Count and Non Count Nouns

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

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Basic rules_count noun

• A count noun can be expressed in plural form,
  usually with an "s."
• For example, "catcats," "seasonseasons,"
  "studentstudents.
• car, man, key, house, flower, idea, accident

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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."

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Basic rules_Quiz

• If sentence is true, write OK. If its wrong,
  correct with a/an.
• I havent got watch __________
• Beth never wears hat __________
• Eve doesnt eat meat __________
• I am going to concert tonight ____________
• Jamaica is island _____________
• Everybody needs food __________

a watch
a hat
OK
a concert
an island
OK
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Wenhui
Count and Non-Count Nouns(with Plurals,
Articles, and Quantity Words)
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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 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).
Class noun Collective noun
Tractor panda factory teacher Class herd crowd army
Material noun Abstract noun
Steel grain fire cotton Happiness life work whiteness
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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)

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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

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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
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A Revision of the Rule

Pluralizes with -s Doesn't Pluralize
Count Noun XX
Count Use XX
Noncount Noun XX
Noncount Use XX
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ArticlesNouns 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.
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Combinations of Nouns and Articles
a, an the this, that these, those no article
Count singular XX XX XX
Count plural XX XX XX
Noncount XX XX XX
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Quantity Terms
much, less, little, a little, very little some, any, most, more, all, a lot of, no, none of the many, both, several, few/fewer/fewest, a few, one of the, a couple of each, every, any, one
Count singular XX
Count plural XX XX
Noncount XX XX
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Examples
Examples Count SingularI practice every
day.I'd like one donut, please. Count
PluralCan I have some chips?She has a lot of
books, and many are autographed.I have fewer
pencils than you. NoncountCan I have some
water?She has a lot of strength, and much is due
to her upbringing.I have less courage than you.
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Nouns, Articles, and AdJECTIVESAmir - Joo
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Errors in using nouns - 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.

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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.,
• My sister, together with Bob and John, (is, are)
  gone.
• The boy, like his father, (sit, sits) still.
• Your father, rather than your brother, (is, are)
  responsible for the act.

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• 4. Colletive nouns
• family crew crowd
• board committee party
• enemy audience reader
• This group of nouns can both be singular and
  plural, depending on the situations.
• This class has only 16 students.
• The class are all listining to me.
• 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.

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Errors in using nouns - 3
5. Plural nouns commonly misused as singular
The following nouns are always plural annals as
hes billiards clothes dregs leavings goods o
bsequies pants pliers pincers remains scissors
shears thanks trousers tweezers wages 6.
Singular nouns with plural forms acoustics aerona
utics athletics civics comics dynamics economics
esthetics ethics hydraulics linguistics magneti
cs mathematics means news optics phonetics phy
sics politics statistics United
States whereabouts 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.
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Exercise 1 find the errors

• I have many good news to tell you.
• 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.

(Some or so much)
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Review
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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

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• Uncountable nouns are not plural
• We need some informations about rainforests.
• He asked me for some advices.
• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• Some adjectives for uncountable nouns
• analysis ? a statistical analysis
• paper ? a scientific paper
• calculation ? a computer calculation
• a little rain
• less violence
• more coffee
• enough money
• any homework

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• 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

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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)

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

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(No Transcript)
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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?
• Do you have father? Do you have a father?
• 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.
• 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.)

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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.,
• Do you play piano? Do you play the piano?
• Do you play tennis? Do you play the tennis?
• He is very good at baseball. He is very good at
  the baseball.
• 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)
• The pen is mightier than the sword (abstract
  concept needs it).
• 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.)
• Abstract nouns do not need articles
• Honesty is the best policy Diligence is the
  father of success.