8. GRAMMAR
Uncountable nouns
Countables / uncountables:
Some words are countable in English, but uncountable in other languages or vice versa, e.g. spaghetti is uncountable in English, but countable in Italian.
Uncountable nouns are things that cannot be counted in English. They have no plurals. We don´t use a / an before a countable noun.
a / an + singular contable nouns: some (+) / any (- / ?) + plural nouns (countable and uncontable)
Some words are countable in English, but uncountable in other languages or vice versa, e.g. spaghetti is uncountable in English, but countable in Italian.
Uncountable nouns are things that cannot be counted in English. They have no plurals. We don´t use a / an before a countable noun.
a / an + singular contable nouns: some (+) / any (- / ?) + plural nouns (countable and uncontable)
e.g.
· biscuit. / · apple · vegetables (countable) · sugar (uncountable) + I have a biscuit. / I have an apple. - I don't have a biscuit. / I don't have an apple. ? Do you have a biscuit? / Do you have an apple? |
+
I have some oranges. I have some sugar. - I don't have any oranges. I don't have any sugar. ? Do you have any oranges? Do you have any sugar? ? Can I have some oranges? Would you like some oranges? Do you want some oranges? Do you need some oranges? Can I have some coffee? Would you like some coffee? Do you want some coffee? Do you need some coffee? some in ? to ask for and offer things |
Some nouns can be countable or uncountable in these situations:
countable nouns:
a chicken (a whole chicken) a beer (a can or glass of beer) a coffee (a cup of) a fruit (one kind of fruit) |
uncountable nouns:
some chicken (chicken pieces) some beer (the liquid in general) some coffee (a quantity of coffee beans, powder in a jar or the liquid in general) some fruit (general fruit to eat) |
Let's see other examples of uncountable nouns:
(some) accommodation
(some) information
(some) progress
(some) advice
(some) luck
(some) scenery
(some) behaviour
(some) luggage
(some) traffic
(some) chaos
(some) money
(some) trouble
(some) experience
(some) music
(some) weather
(some) furniture
(some) news
(some) work
(good/ bad) health
(some) accommodation
(some) information
(some) progress
(some) advice
(some) luck
(some) scenery
(some) behaviour
(some) luggage
(some) traffic
(some) chaos
(some) money
(some) trouble
(some) experience
(some) music
(some) weather
(some) furniture
(some) news
(some) work
(good/ bad) health
news:
When you want to talk about "one" you may say "It's very good news" or "It's a very good piece of news" although you don't need to use such a long expression.
It is true that when you say "I have very good news" the listener doesn't know if you are talking about one or more, well, it doesn't matter because he/she will discover it when you tell him/her: "I have very good news, the baby is finally born" or "I have very good news, the baby is finally born and its mother is fine".
Don't say for example "I have three news for you", instead of that say "I have three pieces of (good / bad) news for you".
When you want to talk about "one" you may say "It's very good news" or "It's a very good piece of news" although you don't need to use such a long expression.
It is true that when you say "I have very good news" the listener doesn't know if you are talking about one or more, well, it doesn't matter because he/she will discover it when you tell him/her: "I have very good news, the baby is finally born" or "I have very good news, the baby is finally born and its mother is fine".
Don't say for example "I have three news for you", instead of that say "I have three pieces of (good / bad) news for you".
advice:
Follows the same rule as news.
Some advice or a piece of advice
Follows the same rule as news.
Some advice or a piece of advice
With uncountable nouns, we often use the following quantifiers:
+ some plenty of enough a good deal of / a great deal of more |
- no not much not enough any / not any / not any at all little less |
11. GRAMMAR
Emphatic structures
In English we can put our emotion at the front of the sentence to let the speaker know how we feel, to emphasise the point, but also to avoid a long subject before a verb:
short subject + predicate
It annoys me when people don't queue at the bus stop.
It is scary when you drive on the left for the first time.
It is scary driving on the left for the first time.
long subject + predicate
People not queuing at the bus stop annoys me.
Driving on the left for the first time is scary.
There are fixed words to start to form the subject that emphasizes both the subjects and the objects of the verb (so it is even more emphatic):
In English we can put our emotion at the front of the sentence to let the speaker know how we feel, to emphasise the point, but also to avoid a long subject before a verb:
short subject + predicate
It annoys me when people don't queue at the bus stop.
It is scary when you drive on the left for the first time.
It is scary driving on the left for the first time.
long subject + predicate
People not queuing at the bus stop annoys me.
Driving on the left for the first time is scary.
There are fixed words to start to form the subject that emphasizes both the subjects and the objects of the verb (so it is even more emphatic):