Nouns used only in the singular
Nouns which are singular
in form but plural in
meaning "nouns of multitude"
Nouns that can be both singular and plural
| foliage | police |
| machinery | cattle |
| team | people |
| crew | gentry |
crowd - crowds fleet - fleets
169
1. Collective nouns are usually singular and are used with singular verbs, when thev denote
a thing as a whole. But sometimes a plural verb is used, when it denotes a number of
people or elements:
□ The Russian team was playing well.
□ The hockey team are coming tonight.
2. Some collective nouns have singular and plural:
□ My family is small.
□ The two families were very friendly.
3. Nouns of material are uncountable and are generally used in the singular. They are used
in the plural to denote different sorts of a given material:
□ wine - wines
□ fruit - fruits
□ glass - glasses
□ ice - ices
4. Abstract nouns are usually uncountable though some of them may be countable (idea,
hour). But they may change their meaning and become class nouns. In this case they are
used with the article and may be plural.
□ beauty - a beauty - beauties
□ sight - a sight - sights
II
|
|
Denote things that can be counted
□ a book - 5 books
□ a boy - many boys
Denote things we can't count: they have no plural.
We can't use a/an before them.
We use the/some/anv/this/his. etc. before them.
□ the music, some bread, his blood, much excitement
□ This ring is made of silver.
1. Many nouns can be used as countable and uncountable nouns. Usually there is a difference in meaning:
□ Paper
□ Hair
bought a paper, (countable = a newspaper) bought some paper, (uncountable = material)
She has beautiful hair, (uncountable)
There is a hair in my soup, (countable = one single hair)
2. Some nouns are usually uncountable in English but often countable in other languages. Here are the most important of these:
| accommodation | behaviour | information | scenery |
| advice | bread | news | traffic |
| baggage | chaos | permission | travel |
| luggage | furniture | progress | trouble |
| money | weather work |
170
□ I'm looking for accommodation.
□ Tom gave me some good advice.
□ Where did you buy your furniture?
□ I'm looking for work.
□ The news is very depressing today.
EXERCISES__________________________
Ex. 1. (A) Write the countable and uncountable nouns into two different columns:
Wall, pen, air, chalk, picture, water, match, tea, time, hour, bread, river, friend, copper, cigarette, tobacco, cheese, teacher, glass (стакан), glass (стекло), paper (бумага), paper (газета), music, coffee, armchair, gold, ship, milk, shop, idea, ice, furniture, butter, happiness, wood, tree, word, ink, money, coin, university, hero, assistance, assistant, darkness, meat, machine, instrument.
Ex. 2. (A) Underline the noun in each sentence and write 'C or V to show whether the noun
is countable or uncountable. I
1. I bought an excellent iron. C.
2. She has wonderful hair.__
3. How many photos did he take?___
4. Add a little more salt.___
5. Did you buy a paper this morning?__
6. Hope keeps me going.___
7. It is made of iron.____
8. We've got plenty of coal.___
9. There is a hair in my soup.__
II
1. Trade with China has increased. Ц .
2. Do you like ice cream?___
3. I eat two eggs every day.____
4. Too much cake isn't good for you.___
5. I need a cloth to wipe the table.___
6. Would you like an ice?__
7. I need two clean glasses.___
8. Don't throw stones.___
9. Be careful! There is broken glass on the road.___
10. Can I have a cake, Mum?___
Ex. 3. (B) State whether the nouns in italic type are collective nouns or nouns of multitude.
1. It is a new company. 2. The company are rehearsing a new production. 3. Then one by one the worn out crew were helped on board. 4. The crew of the ship consists of twenty seamen including the captain and his mate. 5. No one had seen him since and the police were searching for him. 6. The band were changed, and in the gallery already. 7. And Stilleveld, in company with the many other places like it, had also been the birthplace of a new people. The people who were neither white nor black.
171
Ex. 4. (В, С) Choose between a singular or a plural verb to use it in the following sentences.
1. The play is witty and the cast (be) wonderful. 2. The cast (be) all amateurs. 3. All the family (to be) gathered to see the dog. 4. Monty's family (to be) of about the same social status as my own. 5. Do you know what the family (to get) into their heads about this business? 6. Everybody says the Swiss police (to be) great at finding people. 7. The public (not to think) so. 8. The public (to request) not to leave litter in these woods. 9. When he came the baseball team (to practise) on the school field. 10. The team (to have) baths at the moment and then (to come) back here for tea. 11. The team (to play) tomorrow morning. 12. The clergy (to be) generally dressed in black. 13. The Government (to discuss) the matter for a long time but they have shown no signs of reaching agreement. 14. The Government (to decide) to pass the bill. 15. In the meantime the young couple (to be) to live in the old house. 16. That day the committee (to be) to meet at her friend's house. 17.1 had to find out whether the committee (to be) competent enough to consider the project. 18. The board (to be) extraordinarily kind to you. 19. The board (to be) going to consider your application at the next sitting. 20. You've bought yourself a nice car. Your money (to be) well spent. 21. His advice (to be) always useful for me.
Ex. 5. (C) Translate the sentences from Russian into English.
1. Полиция - не дураки. Этот человек не поверил ни одному моему слову. 2. Команда обычно прекращает погрузку (loading) в 12.00, и все собираются на палубе. 3. Ты знаешь, каковы новости? 4. В письме важная информация. 5. Вся компания сидит в кафе. Они собираются здесь обедать. 6. У комитета сложилось мнение, что этот вопрос нужно решить немедленно. 7. Когда директор пришел, весь штат уже собрался. 8. Штат очень небольшой, я не знаю, как он справляется.
3. THE CATEGORY OF NUMBER
English countable nouns have two numbers: the singular and the plural.