Block 7.

“My favorite food”

What Are Countable And Uncountable Nouns?

In English grammar, countable nouns are individual people, animals, places,

things, or ideas which can be counted,  countable nouns can be counted, e.g. an
apple, two apples, three apples, etc. 

Uncountable nouns are not individual objects, so they cannot be counted, e.g. air,
rice, water, etc.

When you learn a new noun, you should check if it is countable or uncountable and
note how it is used in a sentence.

Countable Noun Examples:

Anything that can be counted, whether singular – a dog, a house, a friend, etc. or
plural – a few books, lots of oranges, etc. is a countable noun. The following
countable noun examples will help you to see the difference between countable
and uncountable nouns. Notice that singular verbs are used with singular
countable nouns, while plural verbs are used with plural countable nouns.

A and AN
We use A/AN (articles) with singular countable nouns.

 My brother has a dog and my sister has a cat.

 There is an accident on the corner.

A is used when the next word starts with a consonant sound.

 A book
 A guitar
  A friend
 A university (The start of the word university sounds like YOU, a consonant
sound).

AN is used when the next word starts with a vowel sound.

 An apple
 An ice-cream
 An orange
 An hour (the letter H in this word is silent so it sounds like it starts with a
vowel).

Uncountable Noun Examples:

Anything that cannot be counted is an uncountable noun. Even though

uncountable nouns are not individual objects, they are always singular and one
must always use singular verbs in conjunction with uncountable nouns. The
following uncountable noun examples will help you to gain even more
understanding of how countable and uncountable nouns differ from one another.
Notice that singular verbs are always used with uncountable nouns.

- There is no more water in the glass.

- I need some cheese to the salad.

- You seem to have a high level of intelligence.

- Please take good care of your equipment.

- Let’s get rid of the garbage.

  NOTICE

Countable nouns:

 For positive sentences we can use a/an for singular nouns or

some for plurals.

- There's a man at the door.

- I have some friends in New York.

 For negatives we can use a/an for singular nouns or any for
plurals.

- I don't have a dog.

- There aren't any seats.

Uncountable nouns:

Here are some examples of uncountable nouns:

bread rice water

money coffee information

 We use some with uncountable nouns in positive sentences and

any with negatives.

- There's some milk in the fridge.

- There isn't any coffee

 Activity No. 1
Videos:
- Countable and Uncountable Nouns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nSI-Pl9xHM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SbJ1B1MTQg

 Activity No. 1

- Exercise 1.a

 VOCABULARY: “Food”

Instructions. Put the letters in the correct order to make food words.

Example: totoesma tomatoes

1. tapas _____pasta________

2. banes ___beanes__________

3. cartors _carrots_________

4. irce ______rice_______

5. lenodos _____noodles

6. shif ______fish___________

7. peapls _________apples__

8. realce _______cereal__________

9. eseech ___cheese______________

10. nabaasn _____bananas____________

11. cikench _______chiken__________

12. testapoo _______potaeto__________

13. ilmk ____milk_____________

 C N
C

Banana Bread CARROT C Sugar

Cereal N Milk N Better N Cofee N

Chiken N Potatoes C Hotdog C Juice N

Eggs C Tomatoes C Meat C Honey N

 ANY AND SOME

The words some and any are used when the speaker cannot specify or
does not need/want to specify a number or an exact amount.

Compare the following sentences:

- I saw seven deer when riding my bike in the forest yesterday. (It is
important that you know how many deer I saw.)

- I saw some deer when riding my bike in the forest yesterday. (I don't
know exactly how many deer I saw. Or: It is not important that you
know exactly how many deer I saw.)

In general, some is used in positive sentences:

 I got some nice presents for Christmas this year.

 This job is going to take some time.
 Look! There are some large black birds on the roof of the church.
 You have some butter on your chin.
 If you are hungry, there are some biscuits in the cupboard.
 I'm sure I'll return to Japan some day.
In general, any is used in negative sentences and questions:

 I didn't get any nice presents for Christmas this year.

 I looked in the cupboard but I couldn't find any biscuits.
 I don't need any help.
 She's so rude. No wonder she doesn't have any friends.
 I don't have anything to wear to the dance.
 I'm not hungry. I don't want anything to eat.

 Do you have any brothers or sisters?

 Did you catch any fish?
 Have you seen any good films recently?

In fact, the use of some/any is a little more complicated. Following are two common
occasions when the above "rules" are "broken":

1. We can use some in questions when offering/requesting:

 Would you like some more tea?

 Could I have some milk, please?
 Do you want something to eat?
 GRAMMAR:
Count and noncount nouns; some and any

Count nouns Noncount nouns

an orange a potato
Cereal coffee

oranges
potatoes

Do you have any coffee?

Do you have any potatoes?
Yes, I have some (coffee)
Yes, I have some (potatoes) No, I don´t have any (coffee)
No, I don´t have any (potatoes)
- Exercise 1.c
 Video. Activity No. 1

- Any and Some

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dAZ17fpKLQ

Instructions. Complete the conversation with a, an, any or some.

A: What do you usually have for breakfast?

B: I usually have _____Some___ cereal or just ____a_______ cup of coffee.

A: Do you have _____any_______ milk with it?

B: Yes, I do.

A: And do you eat _____any______ fruit?

B: Sometimes. I usually have ____an____ apple or ____a___ banana with my

cereal.

A: Do you eat ______any____ pasta?

B: Not for breakfast. But I sometimes have ____some_____ pasta for lunch. I
make it with _____some______ chicken or ____some_____ fish and
_____some____ of my favorite

vegetables. Oh, and sometimes with ___some______ cheese.

A: Really?

B: Yes, It´s delicious.

A: What about dinner? What do you usually eat?

B: Well, I don´t usually have __any_____ meat for dinner. I often have
__some____ rice and ___some____ vegetables.

A: Oh, that´s good!