1. Count & Uncount Nouns Year 1

2. Most uncountable nouns are singular in number. Therefore, we use the singular form of the verb with them. Don’t hurry – there is plenty of time. (NOT There are plenty of time.) Practice makes the woman perfect. (NOT Practice make the woman perfect.)

3. Uncountable nouns are often treated as countables if we are talking about different kinds of material, liquid etc. Most washing powders are not very kind to your hands. Although powder is an uncountable noun, here we are talking about different kinds of the material.

4. Abstract nouns are usually uncountable. Some abstract nouns can have both countable and uncountable uses. When used with a general meaning, these nouns are usually uncountable. When used with a particular meaning, these nouns are usually countable. We had a nice time when we went to the beach yesterday. (countable) I couldn’t finish the report because I didn’t get enough time. (uncountable)

5. Plural uncountables Some uncountable nouns are plural. They have no singular forms with the same meaning, and cannot be used with numbers. Common examples are: groceries, arms, remains, goods, customs, clothes, thanks, regards, police etc. The police are searching for a white man in his twenties. Have you bought the groceries? (NOT Have you bought the grocery?) Many thanks for your help. Other plural uncountable nouns include trousers, jeans, pyjamas, pants, scissors, spectacles etc.

6. Uncountable nouns Traffic, weather, accommodation, health, scenery, rubbish, work, politics (and other words ending in –ics, eg. Athletics) Singular verb Impossible with a/an

7. Furniture, information, advice, news, luck bread, toast, luggage, equipment Singular verb Can be used with a piece of, some, an item of, a stroke of

8. Countable or uncountable, change of meaning Iron: the metal; an iron: to press clothes Business: buying&selling; a business: a company Paper/ a paper Glass/ a glass hair / a hair Chocolte/ a chocolate

9. Plural nouns only Clothes, people, trousers, jeans, police, scissors, glasses, pyjamas, shorts, … Plural verb Impossible with a/an

10. Use your instinct. Are they right or wrong? We had a very good weather on our last holiday. No news are good news. She’s got a beautiful hair. A lot of people has to travel a long way to work. That jeans you’re wearing are filthy! People have given me a lot of advices. I usually have a toast for breakfast. I don’t like the furnitures in this room.

11. Complete with a/an or some I’m afraid I have … bad news for you. Can you lend me … jeans? Mine are wet We’ve had … bad weather recently. Have you got … iron? I need to press my shirt. We’ve got … luggage, it’s a big suitcase Could I have … extra paper? I’ve got … advice for you: don’t go for it. I’ve just bought … new furniture for my flat.

12. Choose the right verb form. People today … very stressed. Most of the furniture here … awful. The traffic … terrible this morning. What do you do when people … clolthes that … suit you? We had a terrible holiday. The accommodation … awful and the weather … miserable. Why … the news always about politics? Politics … dead boring! The police … just phoned about a robbery. Maths … my favourite subject at school.

13. http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/es/english- grammar/nouns/common-problems-countuncount-nouns http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/es/english- grammar/nouns/common-problems-countuncount-nouns http://vet-modules.wikispaces.com/COUNT+%26+UNCOUNT+NOUNS COMMON PROBLEMS WITH COUNT & UNCOUNT NOUNS