Mass Nouns and Count Nouns

I don't own much furniture

Of the quantifiers discussed in the last section, one set is particularly troublesome. When used as independent pronouns, many and few are generally used for people and other animate beings, with much and less being used for everything else. The first pair can also appear as nominals with determiners: (tm d ch: v! v"n #$ #%&c th'o lu(n t) tr%*c, c+ th$ ph,n n-o th"y #%&c s. ph/c tp c0a #i t) ch1 s2 l%&ng. n3u #%&c s4 d5ng nh% m6t #i t) #6c l(p, many v- few th%7ng d8ng cho ng%7i v- 9c:c s. v(t s2ng ;h:c<, c=n much v- less s4 d5ng cho c:c s. v(t c=n li. >?p many v- few c=n c+ th$ #+ng vai tr= nh% l- m6t danh t) nh% v@ d5 d%*i #Ay:
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) ( ) He seemed mad to many. He didn't do much. They attracted few. He gave less to the church. They attracted a few. He seemed mad to the many.

When used as postdeterminers, however, much and less (and little when used for quantitiesB are used only with a special group of nouns called mass nouns (or non-count nounsB because they cannot be counted. Cost Dnglish nouns, of course, are count nouns and a few can be used in both ways (e.g., troubleB. The list of mass nouns is pretty arbitrary, and we simply have to learn it as we learn the nouns that compose this. Eative spea;ers generally seem to do this, but it can be a hard distinction to master as a adult. Tuy nhiFn ;hi #%&c s4 d5ng nh% l- m6t dng t) hn # nh #/ng sau thG much v- less (v- little ;hi s4 d5ng ch1 s2 l%&ngB ch1 #%&c s4 d5ng trong m6t nh+m #?c biHt gIi l- 9mass noun< (hay c=n gIi l- danh t) ;hJng #3m #%&cB bKi vG ;hJng th$ #3m #%&c s2 l%&ng c0a chLng. M%Nng nhiFn l- h,u h3t c:c danh t) trong ti3ng anh l- danh t) #3m #%&c, v- m6t s2 @t c+ th$ s4 d5ng theo c' hai c:ch (#3m #%&c v- ;hJng #3m #%&c, chOng hn nh% t) 9trouble<B. Panh s:ch c:c 9mass noun< ;hJng theo m6t quy tQc nh"t # nh n-o, do v(y ph'i t. hIc thJi. Eg%7i b'n # a t) nhR th%7ng hIc thu6c danh s:ch danh t), v- #%Nng nhiFn sS th(t ;h+ phAn biHt m6t c:ch th-nh tho giTa hai loi danh t) n-y n3u nh% l*n lFn m*i hIc chLng. Uhi s4 d5ng
(!) They carry many sofas in their store. (") # don't own much furniture. ($) # want less rice with my meal. (1%) # need little soy sauce on my rice. (11) &ou only gave me a few dishes.

Cany mass nouns are hardVtoVdivide abstractionsVVgoodness, truth, and beauty--belief, evidence, information--anger, disgust, resentment. Cany of the terms we used which had singular nouns with no determinersVVe.g., grammar, timeVVwere mass nouns in such uses. Wut concrete items which are seen as an undifferentiated mass can also be treated as mass

nouns:bread and cheese, coffee and tea, cake and sugar, whiskey and water, silver and gold, money and soap. We can divide such nouns up with eXpressions using of: >+ ;h: nhi!u 9mass noun< l- danh t) tr)u t%&ng nh%: , truth, and beauty--belief, evidence, information--anger, disgust, resentment. Y"t nhi!u tr%7ng h&p chLng ta s4 d5ng danh t) s2 @t song ;hJng c+ mo t) #/ng tr%*c nh%: grammar, time v chng c s! d"ng nh l m#t $mass noun%. >:c c5m danh t) d%*i #Ay c+ th$ coi nh% l- m6t 9mass noun< nh%: bread and cheese, coffee and tea, cake and sugar, whiskey and water, silver and gold, money and soap. M2i v*i danh t) tr)u t%&ng thG chLng ta c+ th$ nh(n bi3t bZng c:ch thFm of nh% c:c v@ d5 sau:
(12) (13) (14) (15) (1 ) (1!) # gave him a 'it of advice. (he gave me a loo) of disgust. He gave her a *ound of chocolate. They gave me a glass of wine. &ou gave them a slice of meat. They gave you a *iece of news.

Po not confuse mass nouns with collective nouns, those (usually singularB nouns which by their very nature refer to collective entities li;e the army, government, or police. Cost such nouns can be count nouns, and a few can be used with many even when in the singular, as in sentence ([\B through (]^B below, while a few can also be mass nouns, as seen in (][B and (]]B: M)ng c+ nh,m l_n giTa 9mass noun< v*i danh t) t(p h&p, nhTng danh t) #+ (th%7ng l- danh t) s2 @tB m- liFn quan t*i m6t t(p h&p nh% army, government, ho?c police. &'u h(t c)c danh t* ki+u ny th,ng l danh t* (m c, v m#t vi danh t* th-m ch. c/ th+ s! d"ng v0i c1 many ngay c1 khi 2 d3ng s4 .t, ch5ng h3n nh v. d" 2 c)c c6u 78, 79, :; d0i 6y, m#t s4 .t kh)c th< c/ th+ c coi l m#t $mass noun% nh 2 v. d" :7 v :::
(1") # didn't see many enemy. (1$) +e didn't need many *olice. (2%) They didn't invite many family. (21) &ou can't have too much government. (22) +e have too much administration as it is.

Exercise 1: Mass Nouns Bi tp s 1: Mass nouns.

>an you say which of the following can be used as mass nouns` af you feel tempted to use an eXpression li;e ba piece of,b you may have a mass noun. Otherwise, youcll have to depend on your ear for the language. Cost people seem to find it easier to distinguish between mass nouns used with much and count nouns used with many than to ;eep straight the use of less (massB and few, so try using that pair as your test. diHu bn c+ th$ #o:n #%&c trong s2 c:c danh t) d%*i #Ay thG #Au l- 9mass noun<` n3u bn c'm th"y c+ th$ s4 d5ng #%&c danh t) #+ theo ;i$u 9a piece of<, c+ lS #+ l- 9mass noun<. n3u

;hJng :p d5ng #%&c c:ch #+ thG bn #-nh ph'i ph5 thu6c v- ;h' neng nghe c0a bn m- thJi. f,u h3t mIi ng%7i sS dg phAn biHt #%&c hNn thJng qua viHc s4 d5ng mass noun v*i much vdanh t) #3m #%&c v*i many thay vG ch1 phAn biHt thJng qua viHc s4 d5ng hai t) 9less< v9few<, do v(y ;hi l-m b-i ;i$m tra bn c+ th$ ;3t h&p s4 d5ng thFm c?p t): many va much.
1.%1 1.%2 1.%3 1.%4 1.%5 1.% 1.%! 1.%" 1.%$ 1.1% acid 'icycle 'randy candy cham* father genius gift ha**iness haste 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.1 1.1! 1,1" 1.1$ 1.2% laugh memory nation *ursuit reward sofa sugar team vinegar wine

Exercise 2: Complicated Sub ect Noun !"rases Bi tp s 2: n#i $% t&n" p"'c t(p c)a c*m dan" t+:
Eow that wecve pretty much eXhausted the possibilities of noun phrases, can you identify the simple subhects and the complete subhects of the following sentences` iau ;hi #j ;h: mHt mRi vG ph'i ngki #o:n loi danh t) nh% K trFn, gi7 thG liHu bn c+ th$ nh(n bi3t #%&c #Au l- m6t ch0 ngT (m6t t) l-m ch0 ngTB v- #Au l- m6t c5m ch0 ngT (m6t nh+m c:c t) c+ vai tr= l- ch0 ngT trong cAuB trong c:c cAu d%*i #Ay ;hJng`
1.%1 -on ran to .an. 1.%2 The man in the white hat wal)ed in, and the girl 'ehind him slin)ed in. 1.%3 The last ten men we hired were from +au)esha. 1.%4 # came, # saw, # con/uered. 1.%5 0uys with a 'ig nose get all the girls. 1.% The first girl in the window win)ed at me. 1.%! 1ll the )ing's horses and all the )ing's men couldn't *ut Hum*ty together again. 1.%" 2oth my u**er teeth came out. 1.%$ 3y maiden aunt always said that. 1.1% The many men in the shed over there coughed.

,rammar -andboo.: Mass and Count Nouns

Dvery noun can also be distinguished as count or mass. mli m6t danh t) c+ th$ #%&c phAn ra l-m hai loi l- #3m #%&c v- ;hJng #3m #%&c.

Count Nouns /an" t+ 01m 023c.

>ount nouns are nouns that can be quantified or counted with a number. Panh t) #3m #%&c l- danh t) c+ th$ # nh l%&ng ho?c d8ng s2 #$ #3m. m few eXamples: d%*i #Ay l- m6t v-i v@ d5:

Names o4 persons5 animals5 plants5 insects5 and t"eir parts: a boy, a ;itten, a rose, an ear, three boys, seven ;ittens, twelve roses, two ears 67n n829i5 t":5 c;< c=5 c>n tr?n8 $ c@c bA p"n c)a c":n8: a boy, a ;itten, a rose, an ear, three boys, seven ;ittens, twelve roses, two ears. Bb ects Cit" a de4inite s"ape: a building, a balloon, a house, an octopus, four buildings, siX balloons, four houses, two octopi C@c $t t"D c# "En" d(n8 x@c 0Fn": a building, a balloon, a house, an octopus, four buildings, siX balloons, four houses, two octopi. Gnits o4 measurement and Cords o4 classi4ication: a gram, a pound, a piece, a lump, an item, a bit, a family, a state, a language, a phrase, a word C@c 0Hn $F 0o l29n8 $ c@c t+ d?n8 0D p";n lo(i sI $t: a gram, a pound, a piece, a lump, an item, a bit, a family, a state, a language, a phrase, a word. Some abstract Cords: a hindrance, a scheme, an idea, a plan, a taboo, a rest mAt s t+ man8 t&n" c"Jt tr+u t23n8: a hindrance, a scheme, an idea, a plan, a taboo, a rest

6ests 4or Count Nouns: C@c" 0D n"n bi1t ra dan" t+ 01m 023c:

>ount nouns can be quantified by a number. Panh t) #3m #%&c c+ th$ # nh l%&ng bZng con s2. They have singular and plural forms. >hLng c+ c' dng s2 @t v- s2 nhi!u. They can use a, an, or one as a modifier. >+ th$ s4 d5ng chLng c8ng v*i mo t) a, an ho?c one. They can use bmanyb as a modifier. >+ th$ s4 d5ng chLng v*i t) 9many<.

Mass Nouns /an" t+ .">n8 01m 023c.

Cass nouns are uncountable by a number. Cass nouns are quantified by a word that signifies amount. Panh t) ;hJng #3m #%&c thG ;hJng th$ d8ng c:c con s2 #$ #3m chLng, thay v-o #+ chLng #%&c # nh l%&ng bZng c:ch s4 d5ng c:c t) bi$u th m6t l%&ng nh"t # nh. m few eXamples: iau #Ay l- m6t v-i v@ d5:

Materials5 4ood5 metals5 and natural Kualities: bread, cotton, wood, lightness, adolescence N8u<7n liLu5 t"Ic p"Mm5 .im lo(i $ c@c $t c"Jt tI n"i7n ."@c: : bread, cotton, wood, lightness, adolescence Names o4 liKuids5 8ases5 and substances made o4 man< small particles : cappuccino, oil, smo;e, oXygen, rice, sugar, salt, cement, gravel 67n c)a c@c dun8 dFc"5 ."& 8as $ c@c $t c"Jt 023c t(o bNi n"i%u $t t"D n"=: cappuccino, oil, smo;e, oXygen, rice, sugar, salt, cement, gravel. Names o4 lan8ua8es: Dnglish, ipanish, nrench, datin, ians;rit, >hinese 67n c)a c@c n8>n n8O tr7n t"1 8iPi: Dnglish, ipanish, nrench, datin, ians;rit, >hinese. Most 8erunds: loo;ing, listening, swimming, running, anticipating "Qu "1t dan" 0An8 t+ n"2: listening, swimming, running, anticipating

Yemember that a number can not be used to quantify a mass noun. ancorrect: four woods, one rice, three courages. fjy nh* rZng ;hJng th$ s4 d5ng m6t con s2 #$ # nh l%&ng m6t danh t) ;hJng #3m #%&c. chOng hn ;hJng th$ s4 d5ng s2 #3m cho c:c tr%7ng h&p : four woods, one rice, three courages. To measure or classify mass nouns, use bofb after a measurement: a foot of wood, a pound of rice, an ounce of courage, a bar of chocolate, a piece of music, a bag of money #$ 9#3m #%&c< c:c danh t) ;hJng #3m #%&c, hjy s4 d5ng 9of< sau #Nn v #o l%7ng: a foot of wood, a pound of rice, an ounce of courage, a bar of chocolate, a piece of music, a bag of money 6ests 4or Mass Nouns: C@c" 0D n"n bi1t dan" t+ .">n8 01m 023c:

Cass nouns are quantified by an amount rather than a number. Panh t) ;hJng #3m #%&c #%&c # nh l%&ng bZng m6t l%&ng nh"t # nh n-o #+ thay vG s4 d5ng con s2 #$ # nh l%&ng chLng.

They have only one form (singularB. >hLng ch1 s4 d5ng #%&c dng s2 @t. They cannot have ba,b ban,b or boneb before them as modifiers. UhJng th$ s4 d5ng c:c mo t) 9a<. 9an< ho?c 9one< ph@a tr%*c chLng. They can use bmuchb as a modifier. >+ th$ s4 d5ng 9much< #$ # nh l%&ng c:c danh t) ;hJng #3m #%&c.

R"at are CBGN6 NBGNSS /an" t+ .">n8 01m 023c l 8ES

doo; around the room or the classroom youcre sitting in o the more bstuffb in the room, the better. Eame some things that somebody must have carried into the room. fjy nhGn quanh ph=ng hIc m- bn #ang ngki trong #+ V ph=ng m- c+ c-ng nhi!u #k #c c-ng t2t. fjy #?t tFn c:c th/ m- m6t ai #+ bQt bu6c ph'i mang v-o trong ph=ng hIc. des;s, chairs, flag, cloc;, computers, ;eyboards, prohector, boo;s, boo;cases, pens, noteboo;s, bac;pac;s, lights, students (Well, maybe the students wal;ed in under their own powerpB (7 thG sinh viFn c+ th$ s4 d5ng ch@nh s/c l.c c0a hI #$ #i v-o trong ph=ngpB Eow name some things that are part of the room itself. gi7 thG #?t tFn nhTng th/ c"u th-nh nFn cen ph=ng: floor, wall, ceiling, windows, door, chal;board qou can imagine there being more than one of everything youcve named so far o although you might have to have more than one room to have more than one floor or ceiling. These are all CBGN6 NBGNS, things that you can count. >+ th$ th"y nhTng #k v(t m- bn #j v)a #?t tFn K trFn #!u c+ s2 l%&ng nhi!u hNn m6t c:i (th(m ch@ bn c+ th$ m%7ng t%&ng ra #%&c l- c+ nhi!u hNn m6t cen ph=ng, tr,n nh- hay s-n nh-B. T"t c' nhTng danh t) ;$ trFn #!u l- danh t) #3m #%&c, nhTng th/ m- bn c+ th$ #3m.

Gsa8e Notes:

>ount nouns can be pluralired when appropriate. iee the section on !lurals for help with the proper formation of noun plurals. Panh t) #3m #%&c c+ th$ c+ dng s2 nhi!u t8y ho-n c'nh. fjy Xem thFm K m5c 9s2 nhi!u< #$ nh(n bi3t #%&c c:ch vi3t danh t) s2 nhi!u. We can use eXpressions such as Panh t) #3m #%&c c+ th$ bi3n #si d%*i dng s2 nhi!u nh% v@ d5: a. many bottles b. few bottles c. a few bottles

These nouns, both singular and plural, can be preceded by the appropriate definite and indefinite articles o the with both singular and plural, a or an with singular countV nouns. >+ th$ s4 d5ng c:c mo t) th@ch h&p #/ng tr%*c danh t) #3m #%&c nh% a, an (v*i danh t) s2 @tB v- the (v*i c' danh t) s2 @t v- s2 nhi!uB iingular count nouns can be preceded by this and that and by every, each, either, and neither. >:c t) sau #Ay c+ th$ #/ng tr%*c danh t) #3m #%&c: this, that, every, each, either, vneither. tlural count nouns can be preceded by these and those and by some, any, enough, and the =ero article. The phrase number of is accompanied by count nouns. >:c mo t) sau #Ay c+ th$ #/ng tr%*c danh t) #3m #%&c s2 nhi!u : these, those, some, any, enough v th-m ch. kh>ng c'n d?ng m3o t* @ng tr0c chng Ad?ng m3o t* =eroB. >ount nouns cannot be preceded by much. The phrase amount of is also a sure sign that you are not dealing with a count noun. UhJng th$ s4 d5ng much, amount of #/ng tr%*c danh t) #3m #%&c.

R"at are MTSS UNBN-CBGN6V NBGNSS

fere is a list of MTSS NBGNS for you to consider. >an you count any of these things` Po we use the plural form of any of these words in common speech and writing` What do the things in the first column have in common` the second column` an the first section, above, we named things in the classroom that we could count. What are some things in the same room that we canct count`

d%*i #Ay l- danh s:ch c:c danh t) ;hJng #3m #%&c. Wn c+ th$ #3m #%&c c:c danh t) n-y ;hJng` liHu chLng ta c+ s4 d5ng dng s2 nhi!u c0a c:c danh t) d%*i #Ay trong ven n+i v- ven vi3t ;hJng` >:c #i$m chung giTa c:c danh t) K c6t th/ nh"t l- gG` c6t th/ hai thG sao` u v@ d5 #,u b-i, chLng ta #j #! c(p c:c #k v(t trong l*p hIc m- c+ th$ #3m #%&c, v(y c+ #k v(t n-o trong l*p hIc m- ;hJng th$ #3m #%&c hay ;hJng` wood water reading >hinese cloth mil; boating ipanish ice wine smo;ing Dnglish plastic beer dancing luggage wool ca;e soccer equipment steel sugar hoc;ey furniture aluminum rice weather eXperience metal meat heat applause glass cheese sunshine photography leather flour electricity traffic porcelain biology harm hair history publicity dust mathematics homewor; air economics advice oXygen poetry

Gsa8e Notes:

mre there categories of things in the third and fourth columns as well` >lic; -EWE for categories we see. v(y thG c:c danh t) K c6t th/ v v- c6t th/ w sS thu6c th$ loi danh t) gG`... xenerally, these nouns cannot be pluralired. The nonVcount nouns of the second column (foodstuffB are pluralired when we use the word to eXpress a btypeb: ThJng th%7ng, c:c danh t) ;$ trFn ;hJng th$ c+ dng s2 nhi!u. Tuy nhiFn c:c danh t) K c6t th/ ] c+ th$ c+ dng s2 nhi!u n3u chLng ta s4 d5ng t) ngT ch1 9loi< #/ng tr%*c: a. There are new wines being introduced every day. b. The waters of the mtlantic are much warmer this time of year. c. The Putch are famous for their cheeses. d. The spring rains came early.

We can use eXpressions such as >hLng ta c+ th$ dign t' chLng theo dng: a. much harm b. little harm

c. a little harm

at is appropriate to precede these nouns with a definite or indefinite article. Trong m6t s2 tr%7ng h&p nh"t # nh c+ th$ s4 d5ng mo t) X:c # nh ho?c mo t) ;hJng X:c # nh #/ng tr%*c chLng: a. the sunshine b. an eXperience c. a wine Wut they frequently appear with rero article: Eh%ng thJng th%7ng tr%*c chLng ng%7i ta ;hJng s4 d5ng mo t): d. imo;ing is bad for you. e. toetry is beautiful. f. iugar is sweet. g. DXperience is the best teacher.

These nouns can be preceded by some, any, enough, this, that, and much. >+ th$ s4 d5ng c:c t) sau #Ay #/ng tr%*c chLng: some, any, enough, this, that, vmuch Wecause they are not countable, these nouns cannot be preceded by these, those, every, each, either, and neither. bKi lS chLng ;hJng th$ #3m #%&c nFn c:c t) sau #Ay ;hJng th$ #/ng tr%*c danh t) ;hJng #3m #%&c: these, those, every, each, either, and neither.