COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
COUNTABLE NOUNS:
* All countable nouns may be used in the singular and plural.
* 'A' and 'an' must only be used with a singular noun, when we are not talking about any special thing.
* If they are singular, they must have an article of a determinative in front of them such as your, this, every, no, each.
* Plural nouns may be used without a determinative.
* We use How many? with cuontable nouns, eg. 'How many nails do you need to mend the shelf?'
* We use the definite article 'the' instead of 'a' or 'an' with singular nouns and instead of some with plural nouns, when we are talking about definite known things.
UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS:
* There are two kinds of uncountable nouns - those that name materials eg.steel, wood etc.......
* Although uncountable nouns are singular, we never use 'a' or 'an' with them. We do not say 'a meat' or 'an easiness'.
* When we are not talking about any special thing, we use 'some' with uncountable nous, eg. 'I am going to buy some bread.'
* In the negative, 'some' becomes 'not' ....'any' eg. 'I haven't any money.'
* Uncountable nouns may be used without a determinative when we do not mean a certain amount, but mean the thing in general or this thing an dnot something else, eg. 'Meat needs cooking'
* We use 'how much' with uncountable nouns, eg. 'How much petrol do you want, sir?'
* We use the definite article 'the' instead of osme with uncountable nouns just as we do with ocuntable nouns, when we are talking about something that is definite or when we can say, 'You know which I mean,' eg. 'Here is some 'oap. I think it is the soap for washing the clothes.'
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