Page 109 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

C o u n t a b l e a n d u n c o u n t a b l e n o u n s
Countable
uncountable
and
nouns
be
nouns
countable
have the
Countable
uncountable.
are
those which can
or
can
either
Nouns can be either countable or uncountable. Countable nouns are those which can have the
Nouns
word a/an before them or be used in the plural. Uncountable nouns are not used with a/an or in
word a/an before them or be used in the plural. Uncountable nouns are not used with a/an or in
in
includes countable nouns
bold:
sentence
the plural. This sentence includes countable nouns in bold:
the plural. This
We've got three children, two cats, and
a
dog.
• ¢ We've got three children, two cats, and a dog.
This sentence includes uncountable nouns in bold:
This sentence includes uncountable nouns in bold:
in some
countryside and breathe
It was good to get out into the
air.
fresh
• ¢ It was good to get out into the countryside and breathe in some fresh air.
in
many other languages they
are countable:
in
English
normally uncountable;
are
gpSome nouns
> Some nouns in English are normally uncountable; in many other languages they are countable:
lots of housework to do.
There's always
fortune.
Her jewellery must have cost a
g • ¢ There's always lots of housework to do. • ¢ Her jewellery must have cost a fortune.
like this:
nouns
assistance, baggage,
applause,
accommodation,
advice,
Here are some more
Here are some more nouns like this: accommodation, advice, applause, assistance, baggage,
cutlery, dancing, dirt, employment,
camping, cash, chaos, chess, clothing, conduct, courage,
camping, cash, chaos, chess, clothing, conduct, courage, cutlery, dancing, dirt, employment,
fun,
evidence,
information, leisure,
furniture,
harm, health, homework, housing,
equipment, evidence, fun, furniture, harm, health, homework, housing, information, leisure,
equipment,
machinery, money, mud, music, news, nonsense, parking, pay, permission,
litter, luck, luggage,
litter, luck, luggage, machinery, money, mud, music, news, nonsense, parking, pay, permission,
photography, poetry, pollution, produce, progress, publicity, research, rubbish, safety, scenery,
photography, poetry, pollution, produce, progress, publicity, research, rubbish, safety, scenery,
sunshine, transport, underwear, violence, weather, work.
shopping, sightseeing,
shopping, sightseeing, sunshine, transport, underwear, violence, weather, work.
or
idea,
are talking about the whole
a
is
substance
uncountably when we
noun
used
Sometimes a noun is used uncountably when we are talking about the whole substance or idea,
Sometimes
we are talking about
but countably when we are talking about
but countably when
for things. Compare:
recognised containers for things. Compare:
• * recognised containers
I prefer tea to coffee. and Three teas (= cups of tea), please.
• ¢ I prefer tea to coffee. and • ¢ Three teas (= cups of tea), please.
a type, brand or make of thing. Compare:
• * atype, brand or make of thing. Compare:
There's cheese in the fridge. and There were dozens of cheeses (= kinds of cheese) to
• ¢ There's cheese in the fridge. and • ¢ There were dozens of cheeses (= kinds of cheese) to
from.
choose
choose from.
a particular example of a physical or concrete thing. Compare:
• * a particular example of a physical or concrete thing. Compare:
She has blonde hair. and There's a hair in my soup!
• ¢ She has blonde hair. and • * There's a hair in my soup!
a particular instance of a substance or an idea. Compare:
• * a particular instance of a substance or an idea. Compare:
I had a stone in my shoe.
The statue was made of stone.
I • ¢ The statue was made of stone. and • ¢ Thad a stone in my shoe.
and
Football is mainly
She was always good at sport.
and
a winter sport in Britain.
@
• * Football is mainly a winter sport in Britain.
• «+ She was always good at sport.
and
many nouns like this, including beer, coffee, water; fruit, shampoo, toothpaste,
There are many nouns like this, including beer, coffee, water; fruit, shampoo, toothpaste,
There are
stone; abuse,
washing powder; cake, chicken, land, noise, rain, snow, sound, space,
washing powder; cake, chicken, land, noise, rain, snow, sound, space, stone; abuse,
conversation, difficulty, dislike, fear, improvement, language, life, pain,
(dis)agreement, business,
(dis)agreement, business, conversation, difficulty, dislike, fear, improvement, language, life, pain,
pleasure, protest, success, thought, war.
pleasure, protest, success, thought, war.
nouns have different meanings when they are used countably and uncountably. Compare:
Some
Some nouns have different meanings when they are used countably and uncountably. Compare:
Bolivia is one of the world's largest producers of tin. (= the metal) and
• ¢ Bolivia is one of the world's largest producers of tin. (= the metal) and
of tins.
full
The cupboard was
(= metal food containers)
• ¢ The cupboard was full of tins. (= metal food containers)
lace,
Other nouns like this include accommodation, competition, glass, grammar, iron, jam, singular,
Other nouns like this include accommodation, competition, glass, grammar, iron, jam, lace,
including education, importance, knowledge, resistance, traffic: for the injuries caused.
paper, property, room, sight, speech, time, work.
paper, property, room, sight, speech, time, work.
uncountably can
used countably,
be
usually
only
but
nouns that
in the
used
are
Some nouns that are usually used uncountably can be used countably, but only in the singular,
Some
traffic:
importance, knowledge,
resistance,
including education,
an extensive knowledge of property prices in this area.
She has
• ¢ She has an extensive knowledge of property prices in this area.
The decision to
later took on an unexpected strategic importance.
build the
bridge
• ¢ The decision to build the bridge later took on an unexpected strategic importance.
damage can
but only in the plural:
used countably,
be
The noun
The noun damage can be used countably, but only in the plural:
(= money paid as compensation)
is claiming damages
Sue
• « Sue is claiming damages (= money paid as compensation) for the injuries caused.
Determiners and quantifiers =
and
=
Defermines
quantifiers