CountandNoncountNounDistinction

AdaptedfromRonBelisle,MukogawaFortWrightInstitute(Spokane,WA,USA)
1. Listentoyourteacherandtranslatethesepairsofsentences:
2. Lookcarefullyatthemagainanddecidewhatmakesdifferenteachtime:
Iboughtsomeflour.

Iboughtsomeflowers.

Myfatherhascompany.

Myfatherhasacompany.

Ineedsomeglass.

Ineedsomeglasses.

Ihaveworktodo.

Ihaveagoodjob.

Youneedtimetodoit.

Youneed3or4timestodoit.

Baseballispopular.

Baseballsareround.

Usesomepepper.

Usesomepeppers.

Orangeisbeautiful.

Orangesarebeautiful.

Shelikeschicken.

Shelikeschickens.

Youneedsomepeace.

Youneedsomepieces.

IlikeApple.

Ilikeapples.

Ilikecoffee.

Idlikeacoffee.

InEnglishsingularcountnounsrequiresomekindofarticleordeterminerasfollows:(Seeexceptions
below.*)

thedefinitearticle(thecar)
aanindefinitearticle(apencil,anapple)
Anumber(two,three,fouretc.)
Apossessivedeterminer(mydictionary,yourcar,etc.)
Ademonstrativepronoun(thisdog,thesecats,thathouse,thosepeople,etc.)

3. Oralactivity:Thisisa

StudentA:Thisisa________.
StudentB:Awhat?
StudentA:A_________
StudentB:Awhat?
StudentA:A___________
StudentB:Oh!A________!

4. Oralactivity:Let'sGoCamping!
Mynameis________.I'mgoingtotakea/some____________.
StudentAcompletesthesentence,theneachstudentrepeatsthesentenceaboveinturnaroundthe
class.Forexample,"MynameisRonandI'mgoingtotakesomerice.HowaboutEmi?"(Referringto
thestudenttotheleft.)Youshouldpracticerepeatingthewholesentenceinsertingwhatevernoun
youwant.Emihastochooseanounthatstartswithan"e"(thefirstletterofhername).
5. Oralactivity:Wally'sWorld
InWally'sWorldthereare/is___________,butthereare/isno____________.
Studentsinturnrepeatthesentenceaboveinsertingnounsoftheirchoice.Onlynounswhichhavea
doubleletter(forexample,trees)areacceptableinWally'sWorld,whichofcourseisafictitious
place.
Ex.
InWally'sWorld,therearefeet,buttherearenohands.
InWally'sWorld,thereiscoffee,butthereisnotea.
InWally'sWorld,therearewalls,buttherearenobuildings.
InWally'sWorldthereisbeer,butthereisnowine.

*Afewexceptionstotheuseofarticlesanddeterminersbeforeasingularcountnounareasfollows:
Hewenthome.Hewentdowntown.
Hewenttobed.
Shegoestoworkeveryday.
TheywatchTVeverynight.

Orwhenreferringtotraveling
bycar,train,bus,airplane,onfoot,etc.
Orwhenreferringtomeals
Iatelunch.
Iatesupper.
Iatebreakfast