Page 168 - Oxford_English_Grammar_Course_Basic_2015

countable and uncountable a car, cars; petrol

Countable nouns are words like car, book, chair. They are the names of things
,
that you can count: you can say‘one car1two books', ‘three chairs'. They can be
'
singular (a cat, one book) or plural (two chairs, lots of books).
Uncountable nouns are words like smoke, rice, water, petrol. These are things that you
can't count: you can say'smoke', but not 'one smoke' or 'two-rice^' or 'three waters'
Uncountable nouns are only singular. (For more information, see page 198.)

Singular countable, plural countable or uncountable? Write 'SC' (singular countable),
'PC'(plural countable) or'U'(uncountable) against the words.
bird .9.9 bottles .9.9. blood ..*4. children....... flower...... love
meat...... mountains...... music...... nose...... o il...... photos..
piano...... river...... snow....... songs...... table...... windows

We use a/an only before singular countable nouns.
(A/An is a bit like one: you can't say one houses or ene-ak)
SINGULAR COUNTABLE PLURAL COUNTABLE UNCOUNTABLE
a house houses (NOT a-heuses) air (NOT an air)
a car cars petrol

^ Put in a/an or nothing (-).

► Jake's father makes films. 5 The police are looking for him w ith ..........dogs.
► I need new bicycle. 6 My room has g o t........... really big window.

1 I never drink........... milk. 7 That child wants........... new shoes.
2 Jane is .............old friend. 8 She was wearing........... orange skirt.
3 Most........... cars use.............petrol. 9 They live in ........... very nice house.
4 I often listen to ........... music. 10 I never have........... sugar in .............coffee.

We often use an uncountable noun (without a/an) to say what something is made of.
The walls in the house were all made of glass. This sweater is made of silk.

^ GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY: materials. Put in words from the box. Use a dictionary if necessary.

brick cotton glass leather metal plastic silk stone wood wool

► Shoes are made of . . ............ 3 Houses are made o f..........................................

1 Socks are made o f............................................... 4 Shirts are made o f............................................
2 Cars are made o f................................................. 5 Tables are made o f...........................................

We use one instead of a/an when the exact number is important. Compare:

Can I have a cheese sandwich? (NOT Can I have one-cheese sandwich?)
No, I asked for one sandwich, not two.1 I only want one sandwich.

Put in a/an or one.

► She's got ....... ... nice coat. 3 I've g o t........... problem. Can you help?
► She's only got ..P.!*£.. coat. 4 She's only g o t........... child.
1 Can 1have...........boiled egg? 5 John's g o t........... beautiful sister.

2 No, 1 said....... ... egg, not two. 6 ........... girlfriend is enough.

In some answers, both contracted forms (for example I'm, don't) and full ARTICLES: A/AN AND THE 153
forms (for example / am, do not) are possible. Normally both are correct.