Nouns & DeterminersREVIEW

A countable noun can be

1. singular (banana)

2. plural (bananas)

Countable nouns are things we can count.

We can say ‘one banana’ ,‘two bananas’ etc.

Countable nouns

Examples of countable nouns singular plural apple apples pineapple pineapples cucumber cucumbers strawberry strawberries grape grapes

But how do we form plurals?1) Add ‘s’ games2) Add ‘es’

* Exceptions:

But...It the noun finishes in vowel + y

*Exceptions to the rule

have only one form: rice are things we can’t count:

liquids (water)food (bread)

materials (iron)ideas (peace).

To refer to quantity of an uncountable noun we use measuring units: a kilo, a litre, a gram...

Uncountable nouns

I eat a bowl of rice everyday.I drink a bottle of milk per week.She buys a packet of tea in the market.He has a cup of coffee for breakfast.

Examples of uncountable nouns:

There is/ There are There is + singular noun / uncountable nouns There are + plural countable nouns

   There

 is

a 

chair 

in the living room 

an apple on the tablesome cheese in the fridge.

  are

two rulers on the desk.some pencils in the pencilcase.

 

• There is some money in my pocket• There isn’t a pencil in this pencilcase.• Is there a head projector in your classroom?• Yes, there is. / No, there isn’t.

• There are some students in the classroom.• There aren’t any good compositions.• Are there any lemons in the fridge?• Yes, there are. / No, there aren’t.

Examples …

Determiners

A determiner is used to modify a noun.

It indicates reference to something specific or of a

particular type.

It is followed by a noun.

Types of Determiners:

1) Articles

oDefinite article: the

oIndefinite article: a / an

a is used before a consonant sound.

an is used before a vowel sound.

Close the door, please.

I've got a friend in Canada.

Could you give me an apple, please?

2) Demonstratives

They are used to state the distance from the speaker.

this / these that / those

This house is very beautiful.

3) Possessive adjectives

my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their

They modify the noun following it in order to show

possession.

This is my house.

4) Quantifiers

They are followed by nouns which they modify.

SOME / ANY

oThe exact number is not known or not important.oThey are used with countable plural nouns and uncountable nouns.

oSome is usually used for affirmatives.

There are some books on the desk.oSome is used in questions when offering or requesting something.

Would you like some bread? (offer)

Can I have some water, please? (request)

Any is usually used in negatives / interrogatives.

He hasn't got any cheese.

Have you got any friends?

A LOT OF / MUCH / MANY

oThey indicate a large quantity of something.

oA lot of is used with countable plural nouns and

uncountable nouns.

oIt is used for affirmatives in spoken / informal English.

There are a lot of students in this classroom.

o Much is used with uncountable nouns in negatives and interrogatives.

I haven't got much money.

How much bread have you got?

o Many is used with countable plural nouns in

negatives and interrogatives.

How many students are there in the classroom?

There aren’t many books to read this year. o It is preferable to use many and much in formal

written English in affirmative sentences.

There are many students.

Much time was spent on studying.

(A) LITTLE / (A) FEW

oThey indicate a small quantity of something.

o(A) little is used with uncountable nouns.

o(A) few is used with countable plural nouns.

Have you got a little money?

There are a few tourists here today.

oWithout the article, the words have a limiting or

negative meaning.

I need little money. = I need hardly any money.

Few friends visited me. = Hardly any friends visited me.

NO

oIt indicates negation of something.

oIt is used with countable nouns and uncountable

nouns.

“How many pencils are there?”

““There are no pencils = There aren’t any pencils.”

“How much money have you got?”

“I have no money. = I haven’t got any money.”