Count and Non Count Nouns Myungseob Kim

1. Count and Non Count NounsMyungseob Kim

2. Count and Non Count Nouns • The basic rules: Count and noncount nouns • Count and noncount nouns with adjectives • Other basic rules

3. Basic rules_count noun • A count noun can be expressed in plural form, usually with an "s." • For example, "cat—cats," "season—seasons," "student—students.“ • car, man, key, house, flower, idea, accident

4. 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."

5. Basic rules_Quiz • If sentence is true, write OK. If it’s wrong, correct with a/an. • I haven’t got watch __________ • Beth never wears hat __________ • Eve doesn’t eat meat __________ • I am going to concert tonight ____________ • Jamaica is island _____________ • Everybody needs food __________ a watch a hat OK a concert an island OK

6. Count and Non-Count Nouns(with Plurals, Articles, and Quantity Words) Wenhui

7. 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: Noncountnouns 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).

8. Both Count& Noncount: Usually, some word has different meanings in the different sentence, such as glass, paper, tin, copper. • 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)

9. 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

10. 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. Compare: • Note: A special case of the use of noncount nouns in a count sense has to do with classification. Sometimes a usually noncount noun can be understood as one item separate and distinct from other items of the same category. The nouns that function in this way often denote foods and beverages: food(s), drink(s), wine(s), bread(s), coffee(s), fruit(s), and so on. Examples: • There are several French wines to choose from. (= kinds of wine) • I prefer Sumatran coffees to Colombian. (= kinds of coffee) • We use a variety of different batters in our bakery. (= kinds of batter) • A recent entry into this class is homework, which at least among some students has the count plural homeworks in addition to its noncount use. (For example, "You're missing three of the homeworks from the first part of the course.") Because this usage is not firmly established and is likely to be considered nonstandard, you should check with your instructor before using it in writing.

11. A Revision of the Rule These exceptions require that the rule for pluralizing be revised: count nouns and nouns used in a count sense pluralize; noncount nouns and nouns used in a noncount sense do not. The two possibilities in each half of the rule require different choices. If you know that a particular noun must be either count or noncount and cannot be both, you need to decide only if it is possible to pluralize the noun. On the other hand, if you know that a particular noun may be used in either a count or noncount sense, then you need to decide whether it is appropriate to pluralize. To summarize, we may put the rule in a chart, like this:

12. 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.

13. Combinations of Nouns and Articles The following chart shows which articles go with which kinds of nouns. Notice that this, that, these, and those have been included because, like the, they mark the noun that they modify as definite, which means that the noun refers to a unique individual 2) to some person, event, or object known to both the writer and reader from their general knowledge or from what has been previously mentioned in a piece of writing.

14. Quantity Terms The following chart shows which quantity words go with which kinds of nouns. Note that quantity words can be used in combinations such as many more, many fewer, much more, and much less, any of which can be preceded by how to form questions or relative clauses. Negatives like not and no can also be applied to many of these terms.

15. Examples: Examples: Count Singular:I practice every day.I'd like one donut, please. Count Plural:Can I have some chips?She has a lot of books, and many are autographed.I have fewer pencils than you. Noncount:Can I have some water?She has a lot of strength, and much is due to her upbringing.I have less courage than you.

16. Nouns, Articles, and AdJECTIVESAmir - Joo

17. Errors in using nouns - 1 Countability and uncountability of English nouns Countablenouns - couldbeusedwithindefinite articles, such as, a, an, or one, two, many, a large number of, plenty of. They show the number. Uncountablenouns - cannotbeusedwithindefinite articles, but with« much », « a little », « a large amount of », « plenty of »,etc. They show the quantity. Somethingthatiscountable, but rarelycounted, such as « hair » and « rice », isconsidered as uncountable. Remember: uncountablenounsalways go withsingularverbs. Ex., 1. The CNN news isalwaysvery informative. 2. This inkis not suitable for mypen. 3. The ricefromThailand tastes very good.

18. 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. • Fiftyyears (is, are) not a long time. • The United States (is, are) in NorthAmerica. • 3.Parentheticalelementsbetweensubject and verb • If a subjectisfollowed by a parentheticalelementlike, as well as, besides, like, togetherwith, in addition to, as much as, no lessthan, etc., the verbisoftenmistaken as plural. Ex., • Mysister, togetherwith Bob and John, (is, are) gone. • The boy, likehisfather, (sit, sits) still. • Yourfather, ratherthanyourbrother, isresponsible for the act.

19. 4. Colletivenouns familycrewcrowd boardcommittee party enemy audience reader • This group of nounscanbothbesingular and plural, depending on the situations. • This class has only 20 students. • The class are all gone out to play. • Othernouns have singularforms but plural contents, so the verbs to beused must be plural. people, cattle, police, etc. • Chineseare a hard-working people. • The cattleare in the shed. • Fish are cold-blooded. • Why Iraq’s police are a menace? • The youth of Taiwan haveloftyideals. (loft = ? lofty = dignified, elevated, high, great, etc.)

20. Errors in using nouns - 3 5. Plural nouns commonly misused as singular The following nouns are always plural: annals ashes billiards clothes dregs (= sediment, grounds, residue) leavings goods obsequiespants pliers pincers remainsscissors shears thanks trouserstweezers wages 6. Singular nouns with plural forms acoustics aeronautics athletics civics comics dynamics economics esthetics ethics hydraulics linguistics magnetics mathematics means news optics phonetics physics 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. - I have many good news to tell you; 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.

21. 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.)

22. 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.

23. 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 from Australia, not from Holland. • He has plenty of knowledges. • Her family is all waiting for her. • Politics are much more difficult than physics.

24. 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

25. Uncountable nouns are not plural • We need some information[s] about rainforests. • He asked me for some advice[s]. • 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.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. Some adjectives for uncountablenouns • analysis  a statistical analysis • paper  a scientific paper • calculation  a computer calculation • a little rain • less violence • more coffee • enough money • any homework

29. 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

30. Exercise 2 • Some deformation (is/are) observed in this mountain belt. • A box of eggs (is/are) on the table. • Fifty years (is/are) not a long time. • 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/0’s)