Prof. Lb.

EnglezCaraca Gabriela Marilena

Fia 1: Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Countable nouns are nouns which can be counted.
A. A. Nouns ending in: -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -o take esin the plural.
Eg:
bus= buses
hairbrush = hairbrushes
dress = dresses
watch = watches
box = boxes
tomato = tomatoes
BUT
radio = radios
piano = pianos
photo = photos
video = videos
B. B. Nouns ending in a consonant + y takes ies:
Eg: baby = babies
Nouns ending in a vowel (a, e, o, u) +y take ys
Eg: toy = toys
C. C. Nouns ending in f, -fe take ves:
Eg: leaf leaves
wife wives
BUT
roof roofs
proof proofs
chief chiefs
handkerchief handkerchiefs
D. The other nouns take s in the plural.
Eg: cat cats
dog dogs
book -books
E. E. Irregular nouns:
Eg:
child = children
mouse = mice
person = people
man = men
woman = women

F. Some nouns are uncountable. They have no plural. A/an is used with
uncountable nouns. Some is used with them.
These nouns include:
food:
butter, bread, meat, cheese, water, tea,
coffee, wine, beer, milk, salt, pepper etc.
material:
paper, wood, silver, gold, iron, etc.
abstract:
peace, anger, love, etc.
many others:
money, snow, soap, furniture, petrol, oil,
news, etc.
Some is used with countable nouns in the plural.
Eg: Ive got some eggs.
G.
-

Some uncountable nouns can be made countable by using these words:

a bottle of milk ;
a glass of water / lemonade;
a jug of water ;
a cup of tea ;
a jar of honey ;
a loaf of bread ;
a slice of bread ;
a bar of chocolate / soap ;
a can of Coke;
a bowl of soup;
a piece of paper / cake / furniture.
Some \ Any

foot = feet
tooth = teeth
goose = geese
fish = fish
sheep = sheep
deer = deer

Affirmative
Negative
Interrogative

Countable
nouns
plural
There are
some
tomatoes.
There arent
any tomatoes.
Are there are
any tomatoes?

Uncountable
nouns
There is some
bread.
There isnt any
bread.
Is there any bread?

Prof. Lb. EnglezCaraca Gabriela Marilena

1. Complete the table:
bag, boy, tomato, elephant, knife, leaf, owl, child, box, cherry, baby, man,
butterfly, mouse, wolf, strawberry, scarf, foot, watch, glass, banana,
class, toy, sandwich, lady, bus, spider, piano, fly, teacher, fox, loaf, kiss,
body, handkerchief, shelf, housewife, school, address, life.
-s
-es
-ies
-ves
other

6. Circle the odd one out:

a bag / carton / kilo of sugar

a cup / jar / slice of coffee

a bottle / glass / box of

water
a slice / glass / loaf of bread

a glass / kilo / bottle of cola

a piece / kilo / loaf of meat

a glass / carton / jar of juice

a piece / box / kilo of cheese

7. Choose the correct word and complete the sentences.

A: Can I have a.................................. (cup, piece, carton) of tea, please?
B: Here you are.
A: Here are three............................. (jars, cans, pieces) of cake, all for you.
B: Thank you, Grandma. Youre so kind.
A: Can you buy a............................ (bottle, box, kilo) of milk, please?
B: Sure.
2. Write the plurals:
man - ...
fish - ...

apple - ...
glass - ...

person - ...
lorry - ...

strawberry - ...
dish - ...
thief - ...
pen - ...
woman - ...
goose - ...
3. Fill in the plural:
some Coke two .....
a fish - three ....
a room - five ...
some jam two ...
some soap three ...
some lemonade two ...
a spoon three ...
a flower two ...
some paper three -...
some tea two ...
a table two ...
some bread two ...
a skirt three ...
some water - two
4. Fill in the plural:
an old lady two ...
a tall boy two ...
a clever student ten ...
a heavy suitcase two ...
a famous actress two ...
a new hat two ...
5. Circle the correct item:
a / an apple
a / some coffee
a / some lemon
a / some chocolate
a / some potato
an / some onion
a / some sandwich
an / some sugar
a / an strawberry
a / an banana
a / an olive
a / some jam

A: We need a.......................... (bowl, kilo, box) of meat.

B: OK.
A: Can I have a........................... (carton, kilo, glass) of water please?
B: Yes, of course.

Prof. Lb. EnglezCaraca Gabriela Marilena