GIL211

CHAPTER IX

Countable and Uncountable Noun

Lecturer: Mr. Vinh Sovann

(B.Ed, MEd. TESOL)
Tel: 086 518 156
E-mail: vsovann@gmail.com
Blogspot: www.vinhsovann2013.blogspot.com
 Outline
- Characteristics of countable and
uncountable nouns
- Singular and Plural nouns
- Articles
- Quantifiers

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Characteristics of C. and U.
 Uncountable Nouns are the nouns that we cannot
count.
 Here are the characteristics of uncountable nouns.
 Cannot be counted (are too difficult to
count, do not have separate part, are
abstract)
 Use with singular verbs
 Always singular but cannot use with a or an
 Cannot be made as plural
 Have no exact measurement

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Characteristics of C. and U.

 Example of Uncountable Nouns

- Liquid: water, wine, Coke, …
- Abstract: goodness, love, friendship…
- Things that cannot count: hair, money, …

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Characteristics of C. and U.

 Countable Nouns are the nouns that we can count.

 Here are the characteristics of countable nouns.
 Can be counted
 Can be used with a/an
 Can be made as plural

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Characteristics of C. and U.

e.g.
- I have a boiled egg for breakfast.

- I bought three story books yesterday.

- The students in this school are very polite.

Practice

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Singular and Plural Nouns

Nouns Plus Examples

Most nouns +s boys, girls, students
Nouns ending in ＋ es buses, boxes, dresses,
-s, -x, -ss, -ch, watches, bushes, tomatoes
-sh, -o
Nouns ending in ＋ s pianos, zoos, dynamos
-o, but borrow
from France
Nouns ending in a ＋ s boys, days, monkeys,
vowel ＋ -y
Practice
Countable and Uncountable Nouns
 Singular and Plural Nouns
Nouns We . . . Examples
Nouns ending in a change y to bodies, cities, countries, ladies
consonant ＋ -y ies families
Nouns ending in -f/- change -f/- leaf leaves, shelf shelves life
fe fe to -ves lives, knife knives
calf calves, half halves
self selves, loaf loaves
thief thieves, wife wives
elf elves, wolf wolves
Some special nouns Change footfeet, manmen
vowel and mousemice
letter at the  louse lice
end. childchildren

Some animals Make no fishfish, deerdeer,

change sheepsheep
Countable and Uncountable Nouns
 Articles
Articles (a/an/the)
Using
- We use a before words beginning a consonant sound.
Ex: a university a child a European
- We use an before words beginning a vowel sound.
Ex: an orange an Italian food an hour
- We also use an before abbreviations that begin with A,
E, F, H, I, L, M, N, O, R, S, and X.
Ex: an MP an FBI an IOU
but a NATO a FIFA

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Articles
`- We use a/an before people’s position.
Ex: He is a doctor. My brother is a lawyer. He
is an ambulance driver.
- We use a/an for the first speech.
Ex: I have a cat and a dog. Today, I buy an old car.
- We use the before both consonant and vowel sound
for the second speech.
Ex: I have a cat and a dog. The cat is white and the
dog is black.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Articles
- We use the when the thing has only one of particular
thing or in the world.
Ex: The travel industry the sky the moon the
world the sun.
- We use the when the speaker and the listener have
already known.
Ex: Please, open the door. (the speaker and the
listener know which door.)
- We use the before superlative of adjective.
Ex: She is the most beautiful in our class. I am
the youngest in my class.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Articles
- We use the before names of countries, states, cities, and
university that contain the word “of” before the countries that
have a plural name.
Ex: The United States of America
The city of Boston

- We use the before names of oceans, rivers, seas, gulfs, and

plural names of mountains, islands, and lakes.
Ex: The Pacific Ocean
The Mississippi River

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Articles
No article:
- For name of towns or countries
Phnom Penh Cambodia

- For uncountable nouns and plurals, when we talk about

things in general.
teachers water rice schools

- Before the names of meals

Pizza burger cheese fish

- To say how we travel

I go to school by bus. They come here by train.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Quantifiers
Much, many, lots of/a lot of
+ A lot of/lots of is used before either countable or
uncountable nouns.
Ex: - There are a lot of students here.

+ Much is used before uncountable nouns.

Ex: - I don’t have much money.

+ Many is used before countable nouns.

Ex: - Do you have many relative here?

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Quantifiers
+ Much and many are used in question and negative.
Ex: I don’t have much money

+ a lot of/lots of is used in positive. However, much

and many can be used in positive when they’re
modified by ‘a good, a great, so, as, too.’

Ex: - There are so many people in the world.

- They drink too much wine.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Quantifiers
Some/any
+ some is used in positive, and any is used in question
and negative, but some is used in question which is a
commend and request or offer sentence.

Ex: - I think he has some money in his pocket.

- She doesn’t have any opinion.
- Are there any books here?
- Would you like some tea?

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Quantifiers
Little/a little

+ Little = not much has a negative meaning.

Ex: - He never learns his lesson by heart, so there is
little hope of passing his examination.

+ A little = some has a positive meaning.

Ex: - Nita sometimes learns her lesson by heart, so
she has a little hope of passing her exam.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

 Quantifiers
Few/a few
+ Few = not many has a negative meaning.
Ex: - Today is Sunday; I think there are few students
in our class.

+ A few = some has a positive meaning.

Ex: - I think my brother has a few red pens because
he told me to buy yesterday.
Practice

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

www.vinhsovann2013.blogspot.com

Thank You!

Q&A

19