The document provides information and examples about countable and uncountable nouns in English. It discusses how countable nouns can take plural 's' and examples are given for countable nouns like banana and sofa. Uncountable nouns cannot be pluralized and examples given include milk and coffee. The document then provides exercises for learners to practice identifying countable vs. uncountable nouns and using correct articles like 'a' and 'an'. Further examples are given around quantity words like 'some' and 'any' as well as countable vs. uncountable quantities.
2. Countable nouns
• Countable nouns are things that we can
count.
• We can put an ‘s’ on a countable noun.
a pear 2 pears
an apple 3 apples
3. Banana
This is a banana.
It’s a banana.
There is one banana.
Do you eat many bananas?
Yes, I eat a lot of bananas.
These are bananas.
They’re bananas.
There are three bananas.
How many bananas do you
have?
I don’t have any bananas.
4. Sofa
I bought 1 sofa.
I like this sofa.
How many are there?
There’s one sofa.
I bought 3 sofas.
I like these sofas.
How many sofas are there?
There are 3 three sofas.
5. Uncountable nouns
• Uncountable nouns are things that we
cannot count.
• We cannot put an ‘s’ on an uncountable
noun.
saltssugars
6. Milk
I bought some milk.
I like milk.
How much milk is there?
There isn’t much. carton
I bought some milk.
How much milk is there?
There are 3 cartons of milk.
A carton of
milk.
One carton of
milk.
7. Coffee
I drank coffee today.
How much coffee?
Not much. Just one cup.
I drank coffee today.
How much coffee?
A lot. I drank two cups.
Cup is
countable.
Coffee is uncountable.
22. Understand?
• apple
• teacher
• chair
• Pasta
• China
• milk
• bread
• cup of coffee
• Car
• water
• salt
• bag of sugar
• meat
• vegetable
• oil
• fish
• bowl of cereal
Are these countable or unaccountable? Write them with the
correct article (a, an).
23. Which of these types of food do you like?
Which don’t you like?
I likeI like
24. HOW MUCH / HOW MANY
We use HOW MUCH and HOW MANY to ask
about the amount (quantity).
HOW MUCH milk do you drink?
HOW MUCH chocolate did you eat?
HOW MANY sisters do you have?
HOW MANY books did you read?
25. HOW MUCH
We use HOW MUCH for questions with
uncountable nouns.
Example:
HOW MUCH money do you have?
HOW MUCH sugar are there in the kitchen?
26. HOW MANY
We use HOW MANY for questions with
countable nouns.
Example:
HOW MANY students are there in school?
HOW MANY chairs are there in the kitchen?
27. How much or How many?
1. ........ people live in Riyadh?
2. ….. water is in the fridge?
3. …… fruit do you eat everyday?
4. …… bread did you eat yesterday?
5. …… birds do you see?
6. …… money do you spend at the mall?
7. ……. countries are there in the world?
28. How much or How many?
1. How many people live in Riyadh?
2. How much water is in the fridge?
3. How much fruit do you eat everyday?
4. How much bread did you eat yesterday?
5. How many birds do you see?
6. How much money do you spend at the
mall?
7. How many countries are there in the world?
29. SOME / ANY
COUNTABLE NOUNS
THESE ARE NOUNS
WHICH YOU CAN
PLURALIZE.
For example,
egg = eggs
tomato = tomatoes
UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
THESE ARE NOUNS
WHICH YOU CAN’T
PLURALISE
For example,
sugar
rice
30. SOME
We use SOME for countable and
uncountable nouns.
You can use SOME for affirmative answers or
sentences.
EXAMPLE:
There are some chairs. (countable)
There is some sugar. (uncountable)
31. Is there any …?
Is there any coffee?
Yes, there’s some coffee.
Is there any bread?
No, there isn’t any more.
32. ANY
We use ANY for countable and uncountable
nouns.
You can use ANY for questions and negatives
answers or sentences.
EXAMPLES:
Are there any chairs in my bedroom? (countable)
There aren’t any mirrors. (countable)
There isn’t any sugar. (uncountable)
34. Exercise 1: some or any?
Choose the correct answer.
1. We need ……. bananas.
2. You can’t buy …. posters in this shop.
3. We haven’t got …. oranges at the moment.
4. Peter has brought …. new books.
5. She takes …. sugar with her coffee.
6. There aren’t …. apples on the table.
7. Amjaad doesn’t have …. pencils on her
desk.
35. Exercise 1: some or any?
Choose the correct answer.
1. We need some bananas.
2. You can’t buy any posters in this shop.
3. We haven’t got any oranges at the moment.
4. Peter has brought some new books.
5. She takes some sugar with her coffee.
6. There aren’t any apples on the table.
7. Amjaad doesn’t have any pencils on her
desk.
36. Review
Game:
http://www.eslgamesplus.com/countable-uncountable-a-an-rally/
Complete the following conversation using some/any, a/an.
1. Nora: What would you like?
Thekra: I would like …………… ice cream, please.
Nora: Would you like to try ….. lamb?
Thekra: No, thank you. I don’t want ……… lamb to eat. Just …. ice cream
please.
Nora: Would you like ….. fruit with your ice cream?
Thekra: Yes, please. I’d like ….. apple, …… chocolate and ….. cherry on
top.
2. Maha: Good evening, Would like something to drink?
Shamoa: Oh, just ….. water and …. cup of coffee, please.
Maha: Would you like anything to eat?
Shamoa: Do you have …… chocolate cookies?
Maha: Yes, we have many different kinds?
3. Sheika: Where would you like to go for dinner?
Amal: I don’t know. I’d like to go somewhere close.
Sheika: Would you like to try …… Thai food?
Amal: Yeah. I would like to try …. spicy noodles.
Sheika: Ok, I know a great place not far from here. You can try ..... Thai dish.
37. SOME / MANY
• Use some in a positive context when you don’t want to
specify the number or quantity.
• Use many with countable nouns, when you want to refer
to a large but indefinite number.
• For example:
I bought some apples / I bought many apples.
She made some friends in NY / She made many friends in NY
• Examples for some / many
The child put some sand into the bucket.
I can lend you some money if you need it.
There aren’t any pears left. Only two.
We had some cake with the tea.
Don’t eat so many sweets or you’ll get fat.
I had some beer last night at the bar.
I don’t have many friends.
He brought some food with him.
38. some / many
Decide whether you have to use some or many:
1. The child put _______ coffee in the bucket.
2. I can lend you _______ money if you need it.
3. There aren’t _______ pears left.
4. We had _______ cake with the tea.
5. Don’t eat so _______ sweets or you’ll get fat.
6. I had _______ coca cola last night at the bar.
7. I don’t have _______ friends.
8. He brought _______ food with him.
39. What makes a good restaurant?
A good restaurant has a
good menu. It’s not too
expensive.
It’s clean.
It has a good atmosphere.
A good restaurant has
good food.
It’s family orientated.
It’s child friendly.
It’s not crowded. It’s comfortable.
Good customer service.
You get good service.
40. Do you like dining out?
Which restaurant would you like to try?
I’d like to try …
• a French
restaurant.
• Mexican food.
• a Japanese one.
• an American
restaurant.
• a Saudi
restaurant.
• an Italian one.
41. Do you have the same tastes?
Do you like the same things?
How often do you eat in
restaurants? (How often do
you dine out?)
What kinds of restaurants do
you go to?
Do you have a favourite? Why
do you like it?
Where can you get cheap
food?
Which restaurants would you
not recommend? And why not?
Useful expressions
• I dine out once a
.../often/rarely/never/sometimes/ every …
• I eat out every …/once a…/often/on the
weekend.
• I don’t go to restaurants often/usually.
• I like it because ….
….the restaurant was/is good, excellent, friendly,
family orientated, comfortable.
….it has/had good /delicious/tasty/fresh/hot food.
…. the waitress/waiter was pleasant/friendly/fast.
…. My meal was delicious /well cooked/tasty/really
nice/cheap.
….. The restaurant was not very good menu.
42. Match the opposites
• good
• excellent
• pleasant
• fast
• delicious
• hot
• beautiful
• comfortable
• spacious
• clean
crowded
disgusting
ugly
cold
dirty
tasteless
uncomfortable
slow
awful
bad
terrible
How was it? It was …
43.
44. Complete the conversation use
or something and or anything.
Fedha: I’m tired. Let’s take a break.
Enjood: That’s a good idea. Actually, I’d like come
coffee …………………
Fedha: Me too. In fact, it’s almost noon.
………………. you …………… to go to lunch?
Enjood: Yeah. Let’s go. I don’t really want a big
meal but I can eat a salad ………………………
Fedha: I’m starving. I can eat …………………..
Enjood: Ok, let’s go somewhere close.
