This document provides guidelines for proper noun usage in English. It discusses the differences between count and non-count nouns, and how nouns can be singular or plural. Key points include: count nouns can be pluralized with 's' or 'es' while non-count nouns have only one form; quantifiers like 'many' and 'much' are used differently with count and non-count nouns; demonstrative adjectives and nouns in "of phrases" must agree in number. The document provides examples and explanations of these rules to help clarify proper noun usage.

1. Problems with Nouns
Singular or Plural????
Women?
Woman?
Womans?

2. Introduction
Problems with Nouns
Look at the sentences below. What’s wrong? Move your
“Bedrooms” should be
mouse over each sentence to because the answer.
plural see the
sentence says there are
The word “milks” is
three.
incorrect, because it is a
non-count noun and
cannot have an –s.
1. I have three bedroom in my house.
2. There are many milks in the refrigerator.
3. Those chair are in the wrong room.
4. There are five reds cars.
5. Some of the class are at night.
6. Your childs are beautiful.
7. Would you like a few milk?

3. Guideline #1
Count and Non-Count Nouns
In English, we have countable and non-countable nouns.
Some examples of countable and non-countable nouns are
below.
Countable Nouns
chair
More NonCountable
Nouns
Non-Countable Nouns
love
student
money
day
weather
song
food
computer
fruit
room
furniture

4. Guideline #2
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

5. Guideline #3
Non-Countable Nouns
Non-countable nouns have only one form and can’t be
counted numerically. Look at the examples below.
monies
one money
healths
two health
money
money
health
health

6. Guideline #4
Non-Countable Nouns
Non-countable nouns cannot take the plural –s or –es or
an article (a, an).
a furniture
furniture
furnitures
furniture
a news
news
newses
news

7. Guideline #5
Irregular Plural Nouns
Some nouns have an irregular plural form. Look at
the examples below.
woman
child
womans
childs
women
children
Click here to see a list of
irregular plural nouns.

8. Guideline #6
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 few bananas
a little
non-count nouns
a little flour

9. (Continued)
Noun Quantifiers
many
count nouns
many chairs
much
non-count nouns
much furniture
some
non-count nouns
count nouns
some furniture
some chairs

10. (Continued)
Noun Quantifiers
Any is used in negative sentences with count and
non-count nouns. Notice the difference in plural and
singular verbs.
any
count nouns
There aren’t any chairs.
any
non-count nouns
There isn’t any furniture.

11. Guideline #7
Agreement with Demonstrative Adjectives
Remember to make demonstrative adjectives (this, that,
these, those) agree with the nouns they modify.
This/That
singular
These/Those
plural
these room
these rooms
this rooms
this room

12. Guideline #8
Nouns and “of phrases”
A countable noun is always plural after an “of phrase” that
shows quantity. A non-count noun is always singular after an
“of phrase.”
plural
Some of the chairs are broken.
“of phrases”
singular
Some of the furniture is broken.
Click here to see a list of
common “of phrases.”

13. Guideline #9
Adjectives
Adjectives are never plural.
Those are beautifuls houses.
beautiful
adjective
That is an olds book.
old
adjective

14. Prepared By:
Mansor Bin Esa
 English Language Teacher
 SK Padang Jawa, Shah Alam
