Unit 13 Count nouns
Main
points
* Count nouns have two forms, singular and
plural.
* They can be used with numbers.
* Singular count nouns always take a
determiner.
* Plural count nouns do not need a
determiner.
* Singular count nouns take a singular verb
and plural count nouns take a plural verb.
* In English, some things are thought of as
individual items that can be counted directly. The nouns which refer to these
countable things are called count nouns. Most nouns in English are count nouns.
See Unit 15 for information on uncount
nouns.
1 Count nouns have two forms. The singular
form refers to one thing or person.
...a
book... ...the teacher.
The plural form refers to more than one
thing or person.
...books...
...some teachers.
2 You add `-s' to form the plural of most
nouns.
book*
booksschool* schools
You add `-es' to nouns ending in `-ss',
`-ch', `-s', `-sh', or `-x'.
class*
classeswatch* watches
gas*
gasesdish* dishes
fox*
foxes
Some nouns ending in `-o' add `-s', and
some add `-es'.
photo*
photos piano* pianos
hero*
heroes potato* potatoes
Nouns ending in a consonant and `-y' change
to `-ies'.
country*
countries lady* ladies
party*
parties victory* victories
Nouns ending in a vowel and `-y' add an
`-s'.
boy*
boys day* days
key*
keys valley* valleys
Some common nouns have irregular plurals.
child*
children foot* feet
man*
men mouse* mice
tooth*
teeth woman* women
WARNING: Some nouns that end in `-s' are
uncount nouns, for example `athletics' and `physics'. See Unit 15.
3 Count nouns can be used with numbers.
...one
table... ...two cats... ...three hundred pounds.
4 Singular count nouns cannot be used alone,
but always take a determiner such as `a', `another', `every', or `the'.
We've
killed a pig.
He
was eating another apple.
I
parked the car over there.
5 Plural count nouns can be used with or
without a determiner. They do not take a determiner when they refer to things
or people in general.
Does
the hotel have large rooms?
The
film is not suitable for children.
Plural count nouns do take a determiner
when they refer precisely to particular things or people.
Our
computers are very expensive.
These
cakes are delicious.
See Unit 23 for more information on
determiners.
6 When a count noun is the subject of a verb,
a singular count noun takes a singular verb.
My
son likes playing football.
The
address on the letter was wrong.
A plural count noun takes a plural verb.
Bigger
cars cost more.
I
thought more people were coming.
See also Unit 14 on collective nouns.
Unit 14 Singular and plural
Main
points
* Singular nouns are used only in the
singular, always with a determiner.
* Plural nouns are used only in the plural,
some with a determiner.
* Collective nouns can be used with
singular or plural verbs.
1 Some nouns are used in particular meanings
in the singular with a determiner, like count nouns, but are not used in the
plural with that meaning. They are often called `singular nouns'.
Some of these nouns are normally used with
`the' because they refer to things that are unique.
airdaytimemoonsky
countryendpastsun
countrysidefutureseawind
darkgroundseasideworld
The
sun was shining.
I
am scared of the dark.
Other singular nouns are normally used with
`a' because they refer to things that we usually talk about one at a time.
bathgoridesnooze
chancejogrunstart
drinkmoveshowerwalk
fightrestsmokewash
I
went upstairs and had a wash.
Why
don't we go outside for a smoke?
2 Some nouns are used in particular meanings
in the plural with or without determiners, like count nouns, but are not used
in the singular with that meaning. They are often called `plural nouns'.
His
clothes looked terribly dirty.
Troops
are being sent in today.
Some of these nouns are always used with
determiners.
activitiesfeelingspicturestravels
authoritieslikessights
I
went to the pictures with Tina.
You
hurt his feelings.
Some are usually used without determiners.
airsgoodsriches
expensesrefreshments
Refreshments
are available inside.
They
have agreed to pay for travel and expenses.
WARNING: `Police' is a plural noun, but
does not end in `-s'.
The
police were informed immediately.
3 A small group of plural nouns refer to
single items that have two linked parts. They refer to tools that people use or
things that people wear.
binocularsglassestrousers
pincersjeans
pliersknickers
scalespants
scissorspyjamas
shearsshorts
tweezerstights
She
was wearing brown trousers.
These
scissors are sharp.
You can use `a pair of' to make it clear
you are talking about one item, or a number with `pairs of' when you are
talking about several items.
I
was sent out to buy a pair of scissors.
Liza
had given me three pairs of jeans.
Note that you also use `a pair of' with
words such as `gloves', `shoes', and `socks' that you often talk about in twos.
4 With some nouns that refer to a group of
people or things, the same form can be used with singular or plural verbs,
because you can think of the group as a unit or as individuals. Similarly, you
can use singular or plural pronouns to refer back to them. These nouns are
often called `collective nouns'.
army,
audience, committee, company, crew, data, enemy, family, flock, gang,
government, group, herd, media, navy, press, public, staff, team
Our
little group is complete again.
The
largest group are the boys.
Our
family isn't poor any more.
My
family are perfectly normal.
The names of many organizations and sports
teams are also collective nouns, but are normally used with plural verbs in
spoken English.
The
BBC is showing the programme on Saturday.
The
BBC are planning to use the new satellite.
Liverpool
is leading 1-0.
Liverpool
are attacking again.
Unit 15 Uncount nouns
Main
points
* Uncount nouns have only one form, and
take a singular verb.
* They are not used with `a', or with
numbers.
* Some nouns can be both uncount nouns and
count nouns.
1 English speakers think that some things
cannot be counted directly. The nouns which refer to these uncountable things
are called uncount nouns. Uncount nouns often refer to:
substances:coal
food ice iron rice steel water
human
qualities:courage cruelty honesty patience
feelings:anger
happiness joy pride relief respect
activities:aid
help sleep travel work
abstract
ideas:beauty death freedom fun life luck
The
donkey needed food and water.
Soon,
they lost patience and sent me to Durban.
I
was greeted with shouts of joy.
All
prices include travel to and from London.
We
talked for hours about freedom.
See Unit 13 for information on count nouns.
2 Uncount nouns have only one form. They do
not have a plural form.
I
needed help with my homework.
The
children had great fun playing with the puppets.
WARNING: Some nouns which are uncount nouns
in English have plurals in other languages.
advice,
baggage, equipment, furniture, homework, information, knowledge, luggage,
machinery, money, news, traffic
We
want to spend more money on roads.
Soldiers
carried so much equipment that they were barely able to move.
3 Some uncount nouns end in `-s' and
therefore look like plural count nouns. They usually refer to:
subjects
of study:mathematics physics
activities:athletics
gymnastics
games:cards
darts
illnesses:measles
mumps
Mathematics
is too difficult for me.
Measles
is in most cases a harmless illness.
4 When an uncount noun is the subject of a
verb, it takes a singular verb.
Electricity
is dangerous.
Food
was very expensive in those days.
5 Uncount nouns are not used with `a'.
They
resent having to pay money to people like me.
My
father started work when he was ten.
Uncount nouns are used with `the' when they
refer to something that is specified or known.
I
am interested in the education of young children.
She
buried the money that Hilary had given her.
6 Uncount nouns are not used with numbers.
However, you can often refer to a quantity of something which is expressed by
an uncount noun, by using a word like `some'.
See Unit 23.
Please
buy some bread when you go to town.
Let
me give you some advice.
Some uncount nouns that refer to food or
drink can be count nouns when they refer to quantities of the food or drink.
Do
you like coffee? (uncount)
We
asked for two coffees. (count)
Uncount nouns are often used with
expressions such as `a loaf of', `packets of', or `a piece of', to talk about a
quantity or an item. `A bit of' is common in spoken English.
I
bought two loaves of bread yesterday.
He
gave me a very good piece of advice.
They
own a bit of land near Cambridge.
7 Some nouns are uncount nouns when they
refer to something in general and count nouns when they refer to a particular
instance of something.
Victory
was now assured. (uncount)
In
1960, the party won a convincing victory. (count)