Countable and Uncountable Nouns OBJECTIVES Differentiate between count

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

OBJECTIVES Ø Differentiate between count and non-count nouns Ø Use count and non-count nouns correctly in sentences

What are countable nouns? Countable nouns are individual objects, people, places, etc. which can be counted. A countable noun can be both singular - a friend, a house, etc. - or plural - a few apples, lots of trees, etc.

Use the singular form of the verb with a singular countable noun: Ø dog, cat, animal, man, person Ø bottle, box, litre Ø coin, note, dollar Ø cup, plate, fork Ø table, chair, suitcase, bag Countable nouns can be singular or plural: Ø My dog is playing. Ø My dogs are hungry.

Ø Countable Ø Singular: Ø Ø Ø Plural: Ø nouns have a plural form a car an eggplant three some dolls many

Uncountable Nouns Uncountable nouns are substances, concepts etc that we cannot divide into separate elements. We cannot "count" them. For example, we cannot count "milk". We can count "bottles of milk" or "litres of milk", but we cannot count "milk" itself. Here are some more uncountable nouns:

Uncountable Nouns Ø music, art, love, happiness Ø advice, information, news Ø furniture, luggage Ø rice, sugar, butter, water Ø electricity, gas, power Ø money, currency

We usually treat uncountable nouns as singular : We use a singular verb. For example: This news is very important. Ø Your luggage looks heavy. Ø You can count uncountable nouns if you use: Ø A piece of… cheese Ø A bowl of… soup Ø A cup of… tea Ø A bottle of…wine Ø A carton of…milk Ø A bar of… chocolate

EXERCISES

Identify the following objects as countable or uncountable. 1. Q: Information 4. Q: Money a) countable b) uncountable 2. Q: Rules a) countable b) uncountable 3. Q: Sheep a) countable b) uncountable 5. Q: Rice a) countable b) uncountable 6. Q: Bottles Of Wine a) countable b) uncountable

Put in order the countable and uncountable nouns cup, plate, fork, sugar, salt, bottle, coin, water, milk, box, litre, tea, coffee, suitcase, bag, cake, animal, man, person, equipment, traffic, talent, web site, music, desert, land, nation, fish, pollution, food.

EXERCISES KEY

Identify the following objects as countable or uncountable. 1. Q: Information 4. Q: Money a) countable b) uncountable 2. Q: Rules a) countable b) uncountable 3. Q: Sheep a) countable b) uncountable 5. Q: Rice a) countable b) uncountable 6. Q: Bottles Of Wine a) countable b) uncountable

Put in order the countable and uncountable nouns COUNTABLE UNCOUNTABLE cup plate fork bottle coin box litre suitcase bag dollar animal man person web site clothes desert nation sugar salt cheese water milk tea coffee ham cake equipment traffic talent music land fish pollution food