count and non-count nouns (softskill B.INGGRIS)

THE NOUN PHRASE

The noun phrase is a group of words that ends with a noun. It can contain determiners (the, a, this, etc), objectives, adverbs, and nouns. It CANNOT begin with a preposition. Remember that both subjects and complements are generally noun phrases.

COUNT AND NON-COUNT NOUNS

A count noun is one that can be counted.

Example :

Book –> one book, two book, three book,...

Student –> one student, two student, three student,...

Person –> one person, two person, three person,...

A non-count noun is one that cannot be counted.

Example :

Milk –> you cannot say one milk, two milks,...

It is possible; however, to count of some non-count nouns if the substance is placed in a countable container.

glass of milk – one glass of milk, two glass of milk,..

Some determiners can be used only with count or non-count nouns, while others can be used with either. Memorize the words in the following chart.

WITH COUNT NOUNS	WITH NON-COUNT NOUNS
a(n), the, some, any this, that, these, those none, one, two, three... many a lot of a large  (number of), a great (number of) (a) few fewer . . . than more . . . than	the, some, any this, that none much (usually in negatives or questions) a lot of a large amount of (a)   little less . . . than more . . . than

It is very important to know if a noun is count or non-count. Be sure that you know the plurals of irreguler count nouns. The following list contains some irreguler count nouns that you should know.

Person – People Foot – feet Woman – women

Child – children Mouse – mice

Tooth – teeth Man – men

The following list contains some non-count nouns that you should know.

Sand News Measles Food

Soap Mumps Information Economics

Physics Air Meat Advertising

Mathematics Politics Homework Money

*Note   : Altough advertising is a non-count noun, advertisement is a count noun. If you wish to speak of one particular advertisement, you must use this word.

Subject Area Reviews

Ø There are too many advertisements during television shows.

There is too much advertising during television shows.

Some non-count nouns, such as food, meat, money and sand, may be used as count nouns in order to indicate different types.

Ø This is one of foods that my doctor has forbidden me to eat.  (indicates a particular type of food)

Ø He studies meats. (for example, beef, pork, lamb, etc)

The word time can be either countable or non-countable depending on the context. When it means an occasion, it is countable. When it means a number of hours, days, years, etc, it is non-countable.

Ø We have spent too much time on this homework. (non-count)

Ø She has been late for class six times this semester. (count)