Eee ls 4 Countable and uncountable nouns Countable nouns generally have a singular and plural form: a window, lots of windows ‘4; Some countable nouns only have a plural form: clothes, trousers, jeans, scissofs + take a singular or plural verb form: The window is big. The windows are big. ® can be replaced by a singular or plural pronoun: Td like thar desk; is better than mine, Te got shelves as well. They're really handy. + can be measured with weights and measures: swo kilos of potatoes or numbers: i's gor three drawers, + can be used with a/an: a desk, an apple 2 Some and any Some + is generally used in positive statements: There are some shelves above the desk. + can also be used in questions and particularly in requests and offers: Would you like some biscuits? Uncountable nouns + cannot be plural: advice (not advises), furniture (not farnitures), data ‘4, Some uncountable nouns look plural but they are not: news, economics, physics take only a singular verb form: The natural light is realty nice. ¢ can be replaced by a singular pronoun: ‘What shall we say about the furniture? ‘Well, it's not luxurious but it is very comfortable.” ¢ can be measured with weights and measures: two kilos of sugar or with words like a piece of, cup of, bit of, slice of. a piece of information © cannot be used with a/an: informasion (not an-informtion) ‘¢ means ‘an unspecified (not large) amount’: Ir would be great to get some money to help with the rent. (we don't know how much money) ‘A We use some of with other determiners (e.g. my, the, these) to refer to a particular group: Some of my students have part-time jobs, Any + is usually used in negatives and questions: My desk hasn’s gor any drawers, Has your desk got any drawers? can also be used in positive statements to mean ‘it doesn't matter who/which/where/when': Call me any time if you need further help. (= it doesn't matter when you call) ‘A We can also use no + noun to mean the same as not... any: My desk has got no drawers. (= my desk hasn't got any drawers) We use no when the noun is a subject: No applicants had the necessary experience for the job, (not Norany-applicants) ‘Words like something/anything, somebody/anybody, etc. follow the same rules as some and any.itu eet: ee eda: PW Co csliy li [EM You are going to hear Alan and Sara talking about advertising a spare hedroom to rent. Before you listen look at the types of furniture below. Tick the furniture you think Countable, andl umcountanle mourns; might be in the room. Ci shelves Dawardrobé [a lamp Ua bedside table Clafiling cabinet (J abed Da desk Oamirror Dasofa Clatowelrail [Jacoffeetable [Jarug (©) Biitisten and answer the questions below. 11 Which three pieces of furniture are in the room? Aabed C adesk B a bedside table 2 What does the desk look like? & oh [Eo HabListen again and fill in the gaps in the advertisement. ‘Write no more than one word or a number for each answer. IE Look at the two groups of nouns in the table below. How are they different? Add the Ealamp | Accommodation for rent | Small, fumished 1... | With a nice view of the 2. | location close to two types: | Rent 4 nouns from Exercises 2 and 3 into the table in the correct group. Group 1 Group 2 advertisement ‘money newspaper news windows accommodation3 Quantities We can use the following words to say how many or how much: Plural countable nouns Uncountable nouns everything all (of) all (of) large quantities | lors of /plonty of /a lot of lots of / plenty of / lot of many (f) ach (oP) most (of) ‘most (of) 4 largeleonsiderable/substantal nusnber of | a largeiconsiderablelsubstansial amount of ‘medium quantities | some (of)/a certain number of some (fa certain amount of small quantities | (@) few (of) (a) Hele of a smallimited/ tiny nuombior of 4 smallimitedliny amount of nothing no / not any / none of no not any / none of A few and a little are different from few and little, Compare: Few rooms have such good natural light, (= not many, so you are lucky) We have a few rooms available with a sea view, (= a small number) Little research has been done in this area. (= not enough) A little research has already been carried out in this area. (= a small amount) A. We use a few of with other determiners (e.g. my, the, these) to refer to a particular group: A few of the rooms have a sca view, Lots of / a lot of are less formal than much/many: ‘There are lots of advertisements for accommodation in the paper. Many scientists believe that global warming is having a negarive impact on our climate. A. We do not usually use lots of with negative statements: We don't have a lot offmuch sime so welll have to be quick. (not we-don'-have-lots-of sime) A. We do not usually use much in positive sentences: I found a lot of information on the Internet. (not-much-information) Grammar extra: Nouns that can be both countable and uncountable Sometimes the same noun can be either countable or uncountable depending on the meaning (e.g. light, room, cake, time). Materials and liquids can also be either (e.g. glass, paper, coffee, wine). Comp: The natural light is really nice. (uncountable) Both of the lights in the ceiling are really old, (countable) There isn't much room for a desk. (uncountable = space) We have two spare rooms, (countable = rooms in a house) Do you drink much coffee? (uncountable = in general) Pd like to order a coffee, please. (countable = a cup of coffee)Fill in the gaps with a word from the box below in the correct form. If the word is countable, you may need to change it to a plural form. advice cake challenge electricity information situation _ size 1 T've faced many ...chalenaes.. in my life, but none as difficult as this. 2 Some of the best Theard while I was a student was to take regular breaks when studying so that you don’t lose concentration. 3 A dictionary is a wonderful source of 4 Premade some litle —________ fur Clare's birthday party 5 One hundred years ago cars all looked the same but these days they come in lots of different shapes and 6 My job as a journalist means I can find myself in difficult least it's never boring. 7 There was no ... .. at times, but at in the remote cottage, so they had to cook over the fire. Underline the correct form of the verhs. 1 Despite the recent improvement in the economy, unemployment has continued / have continued to rise. 2 Our company hasn't changed its ines for over 30 years but now the time has come / have come for a rethink. 3 The ideas in the report was / were presented in a very clear way. 4 The data show / shows that the numbers of people buying mobile phones has remained stable for the past two years. : 5 Transport to and from the airport is included / are included in the price. 6 There was / were no facilities like running water or electricity in the village. 7 All the information is / are interesting and well presented, but we need to consider the whole situation very carefully before we reach a decision, 8 There was / were some important news about the proposed new hospital in the local paper today.EE) Pitt in the gaps with amount, number, few, little, ‘many or much. How much sleep do we need? ‘The 1 amount... of sleep each person needs depends on 2 _ factors, including age. Infants generally require about 16 hours a day. For most adults, seven to eight hours a night appears ta be the ideal 3 of sleep, although a 4 people may need as 5 as five hours’ sleep or as 6 . as ten hours’ sleep each day. Getting too 7... sleep creates a sleep debt, and eventually, your body will demand that the debt be repaid. Alorge 8 ........ of people over 65 have frequent sleeping problems, such as insomnia, and deep sleep stages in 9 . elderly people often become very short or Stop completely. Microsleeps, or very brief episodes of sleep in an otherwise awake person, are another mark of sleep deprivation. In 10 . _ cases, people are not aware that they are experiencing microsleeps. The widespread practice of burning the candle at both ends in westem industrialized societies has created so 11 . zt sleep deprivation that what is really abnormal sleepiness is now almost the norm. Se oe EE) Read the extract from a talk about a holiday destination, Decide if the underlined quantity expressions are correct or not. Tick (V) them if they are right and correct them if they are wrong. The island is beautiful. Don’t be dismayed when you get off the plane and find yourself in a large, rather ugly city with 1 a little sense of the old way of life you have read about. Just a short car ride away is the island you have been promised with its small villages and slow pace of life, And there really is 2 anything for everyone. For those that like sun- bathing, it has 3 some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. If you like walking, the paths take you through some breathtaking scenery. 4 Little other places can match the stunning landscape of this island. For water sports enthusiasts, there are 5 any unusual activities such as diving for pearls or turtle spotting, along with 6 few of the more common sports such as waterskiing or windsurfing. If history is your thing, don’t worry. There's 7 much history round every corner. Ruins from the ancient civili- sations that lived here over 3000 years ago are everywhere, and although 8 a lot of people come here just to see the palace, you can find some less- er remains scattered around the surrounding hills. Visit it 9 some time of the year and you will not be disappointed. Not 10 many places in the world can offer so much. 11 Not any holiday will ever match this one - our island has got it all! 59