CountlNoncount Nouns

and Articles
CONTENTS
11-1 A vs. an 11-6 Nouns that can be count or noncount
11-2 Count and noncount nouns 117 Using units of measure with noncount
1 1-3 Noncount nouns nouns
1 1-4 More noncount nouns 11-8 Guidelines for article usage
11-5 Using seuorrrl, a lot of, 11-9 Using the or 0 with names
manylmuch, and a fewla little 11-10 Capitalization

EXERCISE 1. Preview: using A and AN. (Charts 11-1 and 11-2)

Direczions: Add a or an as necessary.
a
1. Inever wear A hat.
eh
2. We had A easy test yesterday.
3. Irarely put salt on my food. Ok (no change)
4. Jack has wallet in his back pocket.
5. We had good weather for our picnic yesterday.
6. There was earthquake inTurkey last week.
7. Ball is round object.
8. Linda likes to wear jewelry.
9. Anna is wearing ring on her fourth finger.
10. My father enjoys good health.
11. Simon Bolivar is hero to many people.
12. I called Jim by the wrong name. It was honest mistake.
13. Ihad unusual experience yesterday.
14. Ann had unique experience yesterday.
15. Ioften ask my parents for advice.
 (a) I have a pencil. ' Aapartment).
and an are used in front of a singular noun (e.g., pencil,
They mean "one."
(b) I live in an apartment.
. . I have a smaU aoarn
(c) If a singular noun is modified by an adjective (e.g., small, old), a
or an comes in front of the adjective, as in (c) and (d).
(d). I live
.. in an old build
. .. ..: A is used in front of words that begin with a consonant (21, c, d,f,
g, etc.): a boy, a bad day, a car, a cute baby.
An is used in front of words that begin with the vowels a, e, i,and
0: an apartment, an angry man, an elephant, an empty mom, erc.

(e) I have an umbrella. For words that begin with the letter u:
(f) I saw an ugly picture. (1) An is used if the u is a vowel sound, as in an umbrella, an
uncle, an unusual day.
(g) I attend a uniuersity. (2) A is used if the u is a consonant sound, as in a university,
(h) I had a unique experience. a unit, a usual event.
(i) He will arrive in an hour. For words that begin with the letter h:
(j) Newyear's Day is a holiday (1) An is used if the h is silent: an hour, an honor, an honest
person.
(2) A is used if the h is pronounced: a holiday, a hotel, a high
point.

EXERCISE 2. A vs. AN. (Chart 11-1)

Directions: Write a or an in the blanks.
1. A mistake 7. - uniform 13. - hour or two
2. - abbreviation 8. - union 14. -hole in the ground
3. - dream 9 . -untrue story 15. - hill
4. -interesting dream 10. -urgent message 16. - handsome man
5. - empty box 11. -universal problem 17. - honest man
6. -box 12. -unhappy child 18. - honor

EXERCISE 3. A vs. AN. (Chart 11-1)

Direcrions: Define the given words in complete sentences. Begin each sentence with a or
an. Refer to a dictionary if necessary.
Example: indecisive person
+ A n indecisive person is a person who can't make u p his mind.

1. astronaut 6. camel 11. hourly wage

2. microscope 7. umbrella 12. horn
3. enemy 8. unicorn 13. unlit hallway
4. ferry 9. onion 14. utensil
5. absent-minded person 10. honeymoon trip 15. orchard

312 CHAPTER 11
) 11-L CAJUN1 A N U N U N L U U N I N U U N S

F
SINGULAa PLWL 4 count noun:
(1) can be counted with numbers: one chair, two
a chair 0* cham chairs, ten chairs, etc.
one chair two chairs (2) can be preceded by aian in the singular: a
some chairs chair.
(3) has a plural form ending in -s or -es: chairs.**
NONCOUNT 0 furniture 0 A noncount noun:
some furniture 0 (1) cannot be counted with numbers.
INCORRECT: onefurniture
(2) is NOT immediately preceded by alan.
WCORRECT: a furniture
(3) does NOT have a plural form (no fmal-s).
INCORRECT: furnirures

-
**See Chart 1-5, p. 13, and Chart 6-1,p. 157, for the spelling and pronunciation of -,I-er.

'r:
'4 n
.,
EXERCISE 4. Count and noncount nouns. (Chart 11-2)
. Directions; Correct the mistakes. Some sentences contain no errors. Use some with the
,'' noncomt nouns.

1. I bought one chair for my apartment. Ok (no change)

SOW
2. I bought* furniture for my apartment.* SOME FURNITURE

3. I bought four chairs for my apartment.

-
4. 1bought four furnitures for my apartment.

5. I bought a chair for my apartment.

6. I bought a furniture for my apartment. TWO C M I R S

7. I bought some chair for my apartment. SOME C M / R S

8. I bought some furnitures for my apartment.

*CORRBCT: I h h r a o n u b m i h r w for my aparmmt. OR I h h z f i r n i t u w f m n?y aparmnr. See Chart 11-8,

p. 326, for more information about the use of 0 and -.

CountlNoncount Nouns and Artlcles 313

 EXERCISE 5. Preview: count and noncount nouns. (Charts 11-2 and 11-3)
Directions: Write alan or some in the blanks. Identify count and noncount nouns
L.

1. I often have sowe &uit for dessert. fruit

2. I had a banana for dessert. banana + (COUnt) noncount
3. I got letter today. lener + count noncount
4. I got mail today. mail + count noncount
5. Anna wears ring on her left hand. ring + count noncount
6. Maria is wearing jewelry today. jewelry + count noncount
7. I have homework to finish. homework + count noncount
8. 1have assignment to finish. assignment + count noncount
9. I needed information. information + count noncount
10. I asked question. question + count noncount

INDIVIDUAL PARTS = THE WHOLE Noncount nouns usually refer to a whole group
(Count Nouns) @Ioncount Nouns) of things rhat is made up of many individual
parts, a whole category made up of different
varieties.
postcards For example,furniture is a noncount noun; it
bills mail describes a whole category of things:
chairs, tables, beds, etc.
INDIVIDUAL PARTS = THE WHOLE
I chairs \
II tables
beds
etc. /
Mail,fruit, and jewelry are other examples of
bracelets noncount nouns that refer to a whole category
necklaces made up of individual parts.

L
SOME W M O N NONCOUNT NOUNS: WHOLE G R O W S W E UP OP INDIVIDUAL PARTS
A. clothing B. homework E, gmmmar G. corn
equipment housework slang dirt
food work wcabulary frour
fruit hair
furniture
jewelry
C. adwice
information
E Arabic
Chinese
w
rice
mail English salt
money D. history German sand
scenqy literature Indaesian war
smff music Spanish
rnflc Eu.

314 CHAPTER 11
 EXERCISE 6. Count and noncount nouns. (Charts 11-2 and 11-3)
Directions: Add final -81-es if possible. Otherwise, write a slash (I) in the blank.
1. I'm learning a lot of pammm/ .
2. We're studying count and noncount noun-.
3. City streets usually have a lot of traffic -.
4. The streets are full of automobile-.
5. We enjoyed the scenery- in the countryside.
6. Nepal has high mountain - .
7. 1have some important information- for you.
8. I have some important fact -for you.
9. Olga knows a lot of English word-.
10. Olga has learned a lot of new vocabulary .
11. The children learned a lot of new song- in nursery school.
12. I enjoy listening to music .
13. Can you give me some suggestion- ?
14. Can you give me some advice- ?
15. I like to read good literature .
16. I like to read good n o v e l .
17. I had sand- in my shoes from walking on the beach.
18. Florida is famous for its white sand b e a c h .

1.11-4 MORE NONCOUNT NOUNS

(a) U Q ~ S SOLIDS and SEMI-SOLIDS GASES
coffee soup bread meaz chalk paper air
mJk rea b u m beef ghss soap pollution
oil water cheese chicken gold wothpasre smog
ice fih tm wwd smoke
(b) THINGS THAT OCCUR IN NATURE
d e r darkness thunder
rain light lightning
snow sunshim
~p -

health ig~rance patience rime

gnm0& WP knmlodge progress violence
experience happines hones@ luck
*Anabsmcdon is an ides. It has no phyaicd form. A person cannor touch it.

CountlNoncount Nouns and Articles 315

 2. In winter in Alaska, there
-
EXERCISE 7. Count and noncount nouns. (Charts 11-2 + 11-4)
Directions: Add final-sl-os if possible. Otherwise, write a slash (I) in the blank.
1. I made some mistake

3. Alaska has a lot of cold weather-.

on my algebra test.
(@, are) s n o w on the ground.

4. We have a lot of storm- in the winter.

5. There (is, are) some chalk- in this classroom.
6. Be sure to give the new couple my best wish -.
7. I want to wish them good luck -.
8. Thunder- and lightning -can be scary for children and animals.
9. Gold- (is, are) expensive. D i a m o n d (is, are) expensive too.
10. I admire Prof. Yoo for her extensive knowledge of organic farming methods.
11. Prof. Yoo has a lot of good idea- and strong opinion -.
12. Teaching children to read requires patience .
13. Doctors take care of patient .
14. Mr. Fernandez's English is improving. He's making a lot of progress -
15. Automobiles are the biggest source of pollution- in most cities.
16. Engineers build bridge across river -and other body -of
water -.
\

EXERCISE 8. Noncount abstractlons. (Chart 11-4)

Directions: Complete the sentences in Column A with words from Column B. The
completed sentences will be common sayings in English.
mob: Ignorance is bliss. + : B L ~ ~ ~ s ~ ~ (
("Ignorance is bliss" is a saying. It means: If you know about problems, you have
. to worry about them and solve them. If you don't know about problems, you can
avoid them and be happy [blirs = happ~~ness]. Do you agree with this saying?)
Column A Column B
1. Ignorance is A. the best teacher.
2. Honesty is - B. the best medicine. . , , , ,,, , , , : ,.

3. Time is - C. power. . .:;

' 1.

4. Laughter is - JD. bliss. ,. .

5. Beauty is - E. in the eye of the beholder. -:;

,
.: ,':... ,
;

6. Knowledge is - F. money. , " .

.4

7. Experience is - G. the best policy. :/,.;,

~ -- -~ ~

316 CHAPTER 11 t1 q