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Nouns English Team Clare 2012
Nouns English Team Clare 2012
References
A noun is a word used to name a person, animal, place, thing, and abstract idea. Nouns are usually the first words which small children learn. Examples:
- Late last year our neighbours bought at a goat. - The bus inspector looked at all the passengers passes. - Philosophy is of little comfort to the starving.
Non-Countable Nouns
love money weather food fruit furniture
Countable Nouns
Countable nouns can have singular and plural forms and can be counted numerically. Most countable nouns can be made plural by adding s or es.
book
books
3 books
box
boxes
2 boxes
Non-Countable Nouns
Non-countable nouns have only one form and cant be counted numerically. Look at the examples below.
Non-Countable Nouns
Non-countable nouns cannot take the plural s or es or an article (a, an).
woman child
womans childs
women children
Noun Quantifiers
Words like, a few, a little, much, any, some, and many are used differently depending on whether the noun in the sentence is count or non-count. a few count nouns a little non-count nouns a little flour a few bananas
Noun Quantifiers
many count nouns many chairs
Noun Quantifiers
Any is used in negative sentences with count and noncount nouns. Notice the difference in plural and singular verbs.
any count nouns There arent any chairs.
Now you are ready to practice what youve learned. Click the link below. Print and complete the Practice Exercise on count and non-count nouns. Check your answers with a tutor.
Appendix
Irregular Plural Nouns
woman women man men child children ox oxen foot feet tooth teeth goose geese mouse mice louse lice sheep sheep fish fish deer deer calf calves wife wives life lives half halves knife knives self selves wolf wolves thief thieves leaf leaves shelf shelves
Appendix
Non-Countable Nouns
accommodation coal advice anger applause assistance baggage behavior bread cardboard cash chaos chess china clothing spelling flu food fruit fun strength dirt evidence jewelry knowledge laughter stuff conduct countryside courage damage dancing furniture grass hair happiness machinery harm help homework mud education hospitality music housework information patience poetry scenery soap thunder news meat money traffic garbage gossip luck leisure vocabulary lightning weather luggage violence underwear travel work wealth
Appendix
of phrases
Some of the Many of the A number of the One of the Most of the Half of the A few of the A little of the Much of the A lot of the
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Whats the name of the recipe? Whats the name of the book the chef is reading? Where are the tomatoes? What count nouns and no count nouns do you remember? Why cant they make an apple pie? Can they make lemonade? Explain. What are they going to do after they drink water?