Countable X Uncountable Nouns

                    Quantifiers (many / much; few / a few; little / a little…)


Countable nouns (e.g. a man, a school, a window)

Singular: a / the school                         Plural: schools / the schools


Uncountable nouns (milk, homework, information)

Singular: –/some/the homework                       NO plural form  → verb always in singular!!!


List of common uncountables:

Substances: plastic, iron, wood, paper…

Liquids and gasses: water, oxygen…

Drinks: coffee, milk, tea, juice…

Food: chicken, yogurt, toast …

Abstract ideas: happiness, anger, love…

Mass nouns: equipment, furniture, luggage…


The nouns below are also UNCOUNTABLE:
  * work/homework/housework…
  * advice
  * information
  * knowledge
  * news

a piece of, two pieces of…


PRACTICE

1 Choose the correct alternative.

1 Let me give you an/some advice.

2 Kate doesn’t like ---/a milk.

3 Could you pass me the/--- tea, please?

4 There’s some/a coffee left.

5 There is a/some woman waiting outside the cinema.

6 We must find a/some information/informations about the departure.

7 Money is/are very important to him.

8 None of the passengers had insured their baggage/baggages.


Quantifiers

                                            Countables

                                           Uncountables

                                             Both: C/U

How many…?

How much?
  * a lot of/lots of
  * enough
  * hardly any ( “hardly any” + positive form of verb)
  * no

  * many
  * a few (několik)
  * few (málo)
  * several (několik)
  * both (oba)
  * a couple of (pár, “2-4”)

  * much (ONLY in negative or question!!!)
  * a little (trochu)
  * little (málo)
  * a bit of (informal; trochu)


PRACTICE



2 Complete the questions with How much…? or How many…?

A _______________________homework do you usually get?

B _______________________people are there in your class?

C _______________________coffee do you drink a day?

D _______________________does a cup of coffee cost?

E _______________________languages do you speak?

F _______________________information has leaked out?



3 Complete these sentences with much, many, and a lot (of).

A It cost me ________________money to buy that present.

B We didn’t take ________________pictures when we were on holiday.

C He always puts ________________salt on his food.

D They don’t have ________________furniture in their flat. They’ve just moved in.

E Tom drinks ________________milk – at least one litre a day.

F We must hurry as we don’t have________________time.

G She is a very quiet person. She doesn’t say ________________.




4 Complete the sentences with appropriate quantifiers.

A Listen carefully. I’m going to give you __________________ (jednu radu) advice.

B Do you mind if I ask you ___________________ (několik otázek) questions?

C The cinema was almost empty. Very ________________ (málo lidí) people were there.

D The weather has been very dry recently. We’ve had _________________ (málo deště) rain.

E I don’t think Jill would be a good teacher. She’s got _________________ (málo trpělivosti)
patience.

F ‘Would you like milk in your coffee?’     ‘Yes, please. ____________________ (trochu) ’.

G Can you lend me ___________________ (několik) dollars?