7. 2.
There are two types of
common nouns: count nouns
and non-count nouns.
8. 2.
Count nouns refer to things
that you can count
separately. They may be
singular or plural.
9. 2.
For example:
one woman, eight planets.
I’d like a sandwich.
Some vegetables are tasty.
That’s an interesting question.
10. 2.
Non-count nouns refer to
things that you cannot count
separately. They usually have
no plural form.
Do not use “a” or “an” before
a non-count noun.
11. 2.
For example:
• You should avoid cholesterol
• Let me give you some advice.
• Come in out of the rain.
12. 2.
The words “a” and “an” really
mean “one.” That is why you
cannot use them with non-
count nouns.
13. 2.
We never say:
**You should avoid a
cholesterol.
**Let me give you an advice.
**Come in out of a rain.
14. 2.
We normally use a singular
verb with a non-count noun.
We use a singular pronoun to
refer to the noun.
24. 4.
Non-Count Count
Experience is a great teacher. College was a wonderful
experience.
We eat fish twice a week. My son caught a fish yesterday.
I caught two fish yesterday.
I want to be a professor of history. I read a history of the Civil War.
Is space really the final frontier? There’s an empty space in that
row.
People say talk is cheap. We had a good talk last night.
25. 4.
Other nouns that can be both
count and non-count:
• cuisine
• film
• rain
• reading
• work
26. 5.
We can make certain non-
count nouns into countable
nouns by adding a phrase
that gives them a form, a
limit, or a container.
27. 5.
Non-Count Noun Made Countable
furniture a piece of furniture
lightning a flash of lightning
a bolt of lightning
meat a piece of meat
rice, sand a grain of rice, a grain of sand
tennis a game of tennis
water, rain a drop of water, a drop of rain
equipment a piece of equipment
28. 5.
NOTE: All of these non-count
nouns are commonly used
with some or any.
30. 5.
With a negative statement,
use any:
I won’t have any time this
afternoon.
He doesn’t have any money
in the bank.
31. 5.
With a question, you can use any
or some.
Will you have some time this
afternoon?
Will you have any time this afternoon?
Does he have some money in the
bank?
Does he have any money in the bank?
34. 5.
With a negative statement,
use any:
There aren’t any papers left.
He didn’t buy any groceries.
35. 5.
With a question, you can use any
or some.
Are there some more papers?
Are there any more papers?
Did he buy some groceries?
Did he buy any groceries?
36. 5.
BUT
Do not use any or some with a singular
count noun!
**Do you see any cloud in the sky?
Correct: Do you see any clouds in the sky?
Or
Do you see a cloud in the sky?
37. 6.
We can use many non-count
nouns in a countable sense
with a/an to mean kind of or
type of or variety of.
38. 6.
For example:
In Italy, I tasted a new pasta
(= a new kind of pasta).
That shop sells many different teas
(= different kinds of tea).
Many tasty cheeses (=kinds of
cheese) are produced in France.
39. 6.
Drinks are usually non-count
liquids, but you can use the
noun as a count noun to
mean cups, glasses or cans
of the liquid:
40. 6.
For example:
I drank a soda (= a can of soda).
Please bring us two coffees
(= two cups of coffee).
Please bring us two orange juices
(= two glasses of orange juice)
