1. child ________ children ________ 11. fox ________________________
2. zero _______ zeros/zeroes 12. goose _____________________
3. mouse ____________________ 13. sheep _____________________
4. monkey ___________________ 14. series _____________________
5. industry ___________________ 15. belief _____________________
6. woman ____________________ 16. leaf _______________________
7. self _______________________ 17. hypothesis _________________
8. echo ______________________ 18. curriculum _________________
9. photo _____________________ 19. phenomenon _______________
10. analysis ____________________ 20. stimulus __________________
EXERCISE 11. Read the verse for fun and learn the right forms of the nouns.
The English Language
We'll begin with box, and the plural is boxes,
But the plural of ox should be oxen, not oxes.
The one fool is a goose, but two are called geese,
Yet the plural of mouse should never be meese.
You may find one mouse, or a whole nest of mice,
But the plural of house is houses, not hice.
If the plural of man is always called men.
Why shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?
The cow in the plural may be cows or kine.
But bow, if repeated, is never called bine
And the plural of vow is vows, never vine.
If I speak of a foot, and you show me your feet,
And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?
If the singular is this and the plural is these.
Should the plural of kiss ever be nicknamed keese?
Then one may be that and three would be those.
Yet hat in the plural would never be hose,
And the plural of cat is cats, not cose.
We speak of a brother and also of brethren.
But though we say mother, we never say methren,
Then the masculine pronouns are he, his, him,
But imagine the feminine she, shis, and shim!
So English, I think you all will agree,
Is the greatest language you ever did see.
Unknown
EXERCISE 12.
A) Translate each noun into Russian and say if it is singular or plural.
Memoranda, parenthesis, bases, mathematics, genius, politics, media, news, measles, earnings, pants, cloth, pence, antenna, athletics, crisis, geese, louse, millenium, strata.
B) Make the following nouns
plural:
Office, roof, key, tomato, penny, cupful, sheep, knife, tariff, salmon, Vietnamese, shrimp, parenthesis, crisis, zero, cello, solo, key, chief, video, fish.
singular:
Swine, mice, shrimp, criteria, fish, cliffs, formulas, analyses, hypotheses, memoranda, theses, data, phenomena, crises, bases, species, geniuses, genii.
EXERCISE 13. Translate.
(, ), , , , , , , , , -, , , , , (dozen) .
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EXERCISE 14. Find English equivalents for:
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
EXERCISE 15. Comment on the number forms of these nouns.
bread, cheese, thought, thinking, means, cloth, swine, salmon, tongs, physics, physicist, mechanics, mechanic, headquarters, series, trout
EXERCISE 16. State in what meaning of these nouns the number forms given here are possible.
young beauties, a chemical works, to go through the customs, in stormy waters, several experienced mechanics, a specialist in classical mechanics, to clothe smb. in irons, Virginian tobaccos, to take pains, to defend the colours of the University, at srnb's quarters, a piece of clean cloth, dirty clothes, walking-staffs, the five music staves, dirty swines, to pay the damages
EXERCISE 17. Choose the right variant.
MODEL: The news is / are important.
1. The police believes / believe the man is a thief.
2. My scissors doesn't / don't cut well.
3. The news isn't / aren't very good.
4. The people you want to see is / are here.
5. This / these advice is/are ridiculous.
6. The cups is / are full.
7. Her hair is / are long.
8. Has / have the police got enough evidence?
9. His knowledge leaves / leave much to be desired.
10. Does / do the child like to bathe?
11. Does / do his advice help you?
12. Is / are his trousers new?
13. Does / do the furniture cost much?
14. His wages isn't / aren't very high.
15. The cattle is / are on the farm.
16. Does / do the information need checking?
17. Has / have the men got good jobs?
18. His foot hurts / hurt.
19. Is / are the woman on a diet?
20. Does / do the work give him pleasure?
EXERCISE 18. Translate into English.
1. . .
2. .
3. .
4. .
5. . .
6. . .
7. .
8. .
9. . .
10. ?
, ?
11. .
12. . .
13. .
14. .
15. .
16. .
17. . .
18. ? .
19. , .
20. .
21. ?
22. .
23. ( ) .
24. ? .
25. .
26. .
27. .
28. .
EXERCISE 19: Look at the italicized nouns in the following sentences. Write "C" above the count nouns and "NC" above the noncount nouns.
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C c c NC
1. I bought some chairs, tables, and desks. In other words, I bought some furniture.
2. I have some pennies, nickels, and dimes in my pocket. In other words, I have some money in my pocket.
3. Ann likes to wear jewelry. Today she is wearing four rings, six bracelets, and a necklace.
4. We saw beautiful mountains, fields, and lakes on our trip. In other words, we saw beautiful scenery.
5. Would you like some food} How about a sandwich and an apple}
6. We had meat, rice, bread, butter, cheese, fruit, vegetables, and tea for dinner.
7. Gold and iron are metals.
8. I used an iron to press my shirt because it was wrinkled.
9. I wish you happiness, health, and luck in your life.
10. Tom is studying chemistry, history, and English.
11. In the United States, baseball is called the national pastime. To play it, you need a baseball and a bat.
12. My hometown has rain, thunder, fog, sleet, and snow in the winter months. In other words, it has bad weather.
13. Ed has black hair and brown eyes.
EXERCISE 20: Complete the sentences with the given nouns. Add final -sl-es if necessary Use each noun only one time.
advice information screwdriver
change junk stuff
city luggage/baggage thunder
garbage music traffic
hardware progress traveling
homework river trip
1. I have some coins in my pocket. In other words, I have some change i n my pocket.
2. The Mississippi, the Amazon, and the Nile are well-known rivers in the world.
3. I like to listen to operas, symphonies, and folk songs. I enjoy ______________
4. Since I came to the United States, I have visited Chicago, New York, and Miami. I want to visit other _______________ before I return to my country.
5. The street is full of cars, trucks, and buses. This street always has heavy _______________, especially during rush hour.
6. In the last couple of years, I've gone to France, India, and the Soviet Union. I like to take ________________ In other words, _______________________ is one of my favorite activities.
7. I put some banana peels, rotten food, and broken bottles in the waste can. The can is full of ________________
8. They have a rusty car without an engine, broken chairs, and an old refrigerator in their front yard. Their yard is full of ________________
9. Paul has books, pens, papers, notebooks, a clock, scissors, a tape recorder, and some other things on his desk. He has a lot of ___________ on his desk.*
10. The children got scared when they heard _______________ during the storm.
11. Tools that are used to fasten screws into wood are called ______________
12. I went to the store to get some nails, hammers, and screws. In other words, I bought some ________________
13. Tonight I have to read 20 pages in my history book, do 30 problems in algebra, and write a composition for my English teacher. In other words, I have a lot of _________________ to do tonight.
14. Ann took three suitcases, a shoulder bag, and a cosmetics case. In other words, she took a lot of __________________________ on her trip.
15. Toronto is 356 ft./109 m above sea level. The average annual precipitation in Toronto is 32 in./81 cm. The population of the metropolitan area is over 3,000,000.1 found (this, these) ______________ in the encyclopedia.
16. I didn't feel good. Ann said, "You should see a doctor." Tom said, "You should go home and go to bed." Martha said, "You should drink fruit juice and rest."
I got _________________ from three people.
17. My English is slowly getting better. My vocabulary is increasing. It's getting easier for me to write and I make fewer mistakes. I can often understand people even when they talk fast. I'm satisfied with the _________________ I have made in learning English.
EXERCISE 21: Add final s/-es to the nouns in italics if necessary. Do not add or change any other words.
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1. I had chicken and rice for dinner last night. (no changes)
Eggs chickens
2. Mary always has fresh egg available because she raises chicken in her yard.
3. Outside my window, I can see a lot of tree, bush, grass, dirt, and flower.
4. Tom gave me some good advice. Milly also gave me some good suggestion.
5. Yoko learned several new word today. She increased her vocabulary today.
6. I drank two glass of water.
7. Window are made of glass.
8. Jack wears glass because he has poor eyesight.
9. It took me a lot of time to finish my homework. I had a lot of assignment.
10. I have been in Mexico three time. I've spent a lot of time there.
11. There are typewriter, copier, telephone, and stapler in a typical business office. A business office needs a lot of equipment.
12. The air is full of smoke, dust, carbon monoxide, and many other harmful substance. We must seek to reduce air pollution.
13. I like to read good literature. I especially like to read novel, poetry, and essay. My favorite poet are Longfellow and Wordsworth. I have always liked their poem.
14. You can find a lot of time-saving machine in a modern factory. Modern factory need modern machinery.
15. There are more star in the universe than there are grain of sand on all the beaches on earth.
EXERCISE 22. Consult the table and give the plural of the following foreign words.
| Ending | Regular plural | Latin/Greek plural | |
| a | -us | -uses | -i |
| b | -a | -as | -ae |
| -um | -ums | -a | |
| d | -ex | -exes | -ices |
| e | -ix | -ixes | -ices |
| f | -is | -ises | -es |
| g | -on | -ons | -a |
a) cactus, fungus, radius, stimulus, genius;
b) alga, formula (in science), vertebra, antenna;
) bacterium, curriculum, datum, medium, memorandum, stratum, millennium;
d) index (in mathematics, in books);
e) appendix (in books, in medicine);
f) analysis, axis, basis, crisis, diagnosis, hypothesis, oasis, parenthesis, thesis;
g) criterion, phenomenon.
EXERCISE 23. Give the plural forms of:
a) radius, bacillus, focus, abacus;
b) curriculum, referendum, bacterium, addendum;
c) copula, amoeba, larva;
d) crisis, thesis, analysis, neurosis;
e) phenomenon, criterion, automaton
EXERCISE 24. Give the singular of:
oases, alumni, bases, symposia, encyclopaediae, paralyses, genii, calculi, scleroses, uvulae, fungi, moratoria, hypotheses, iambi, cumuli, media
EXERCISE 25. Make the following sentences singular.
1. My teeth ache. 2. Help your mum to carry heavy bags. 3. There are interesting flies in Nick's collection. 4. The families are happy. 5. The calves are hungry, the sheep are grazing. 6. The friends of mine are coming to stay at weekend. 7. Whales are mammals but they live in the sea. 8. The mice are grey. 9. The oxen are in the yard. 10. There were several small losses. 11. The mysteries of the storms were revealed. 12. We took the children to the Zoo. 13. Do you know the people who live next door? 14. All cars have wheels. 15. Wolves are stronger than foxes. 16. These heroes are unknown. 17. The days are long in summer. 18. The women are in the shop, the men are in the bar. 19. The babies are crying in the dining-room. 20. Take these loaves. 21. The Browns have two boys and three girls. 22. The knives are sharp. 23. I can see some heroines. 24. We bought new clocks. 25. What are the criteria for this estimation? 26. Ted had no stimuli to get a higher education.
EXERCISE 26. Change the number form of the nouns in bold type for the plural.
1. This place can well be called an oasis of culture. 2. The atomic nucleus must not be used as a medium of destruction, but rather as a medium of construction. 3. Every heavenly body revolves round its axis. 4. Through a microscope we can see such a tiny living thing as a bacillus, a bacterium or a larva. 5. A more detailed analysis of this phenomenon can be found in a specialized encyclopedia.
6. A fungus is a kind of a poisonous mushroom. 7. There is a strict criterion, which makes it possible to support this hypothesis and to present it in the form of a mathematical formula. 8. An abacus is a very simple instrument for doing arithmetic. 9. A nebula is a cloudlike group of stars, too far away to be seen singly. 10. An alumnus of a university is person who has attended, or is a graduate, of this particular institution.
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EXERCISE 27. Choose a suitable number form from those given in brackets so as to show stylistic or meaningful differences.
1. (mediums media) a) We get the most information now from the mass.... b)... are people who claim that they can communicate with the dead. 2. (formulas formulae) a) These symbols are used in mathematical...; b) Quite a number of words are not informative, but used as special of politeness or etiquette. 3. (aquariums aquaria) a) People use... to keep live fish in the house; b) Oceans are, in a way, great natural... for underwater life. 3. (content contents) a) The unity of form and... is an important requirement for a true piece of art; b) How high is the... of fat in this food? c) The police emptied the bag and examined its... d) The Prime-Minister declined to go into details on the... of his talks with the Chancellor.
4. (brothers brethren) As ye (= you) have done it unto (= to) one of my..., ye have done it unto me. (Matthew)
EXERCISE 28. Correct the mistakes in these sentences.
1. I need some informations.
2. We had a lovely weather.
3. The furnitures are very old.
4. I'm looking for a new jeans.
5. Your hairs are getting very long.
6. Do you have a scissors?
7. We had a lot of homeworks yesterday.
8. Do you think she's making a progress with her English?
9. These trousers is too small.
10. She gave me some good advices.
EXERCISE 29. Are these nouns countable, uncountable, or countable with one meaning and uncountable with another? Use a dictionary to help you. If they can be countable and uncountable, write sentence examples to show the difference.
butter cup housework insurance
spaghetti coffee grape money
television coin work travel
EXERCISE 30. Complete these dialogues using a suitable plural noun or uncountable noun. Make sure the form of each word is correct. Look at the example first.
Example: A: It's too hot for jeans.
B: You need... a pair of shorts.
1. A: I have to cut this paper into three pieces.
B: You need........................................................................
2. A: I can't see because the sun is in my eyes.
B: You need......................................................................
3. A: I don't know what to do when I leave school.
B: You need........................................................................
4. A: My room looks so empty.
B: You need........................................................................
5. A: I want to find out how much I weigh.
B: You need........................................................................
6. A: I can't play my music loud because my mother always complains.
B: You need........................................................................,
7. A: I'm starting to feel cold in bed.
B: You need.......................................................................
8. A: My teacher said my English wasn't getting any better.
B: You need.......................................................................
EXERCISE 31. Are these rules true or false? If they are false, correct them.
1. Nouns like information and furniture cannot be counted in English, so they don't have a plural form with s on the end.
2. These nouns are used with a singular verb (e.g. is not are).
3. They cannot be used with the definite article the.
4. The words trousers, clothes and pyjamas always have 's' on the end.
5. They are used with a singular verb.
EXERCISE 32. Circle the correct answer.
1. I couldn't get all the information / informations I needed.
2. She doesn't have a work / any work at the moment.
3. We had good weather / a good weather.
4. I definitely need a new trousers / a new pair of trousers.
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5. My hair is / my hairs are very dry at the moment.
6. Have you done the housework / houseworks?
EXERCISE 33. Rewrite these sentences. Start with the words you are given and include the words on the right. The meaning must stay the same.
1. Idon't usually take many suitcases with me.
I don't usually take....................................................................... luggage
2. Her teacher sometimes gives her a lot of things to do in the evening.
Her teacher sometimes gives her................................................ HOMEWORK
3. She's definitely getting better.
She's definitely.................................................................................. PROGRESS
4. He gave me a lot of ideas.
He gave me...................................................................................... ADVICE
5. I only know a few words of Spanish.
I only........................................................................ KNOWLEDGE
6. I'm going to buy some jeans.
I'm going to buy................................................................................... PAIR
EXERCISE 34. Insert the appropriate noun.
1. Sally has got very long black... (hair/hairs). 2. We had... (a very good weather/very good weather) when we were on holiday. 3. Sorry I'm late. I had... (trouble/ troubles) with the car this morning. 4. It's very difficult to find a... (work/job) at the moment. 5. The flat is empty. We haven't got any... (furniture/furnitures) yet. 6. Our... (travel/journey) from London to Istambul by train was very interesting. 7. When the fire alarm rang, there was... (a complete chaos/complete chaos). 8. After spending most of his life travelling round the world, he is now writing a book about his... (experience/experiences). 9. I want something to read. I'm going to buy... (a paper/ some paper). 10. I want to write some letters. I need... (a writing paper/some writing paper). 11. Tom gave me... (some good advice/good advices).
EXERCISE 35. Complete the following sentences using the nouns given below. The first one has been done for you.
| Progress advice accommodation hair work experience information paper permission furniture. |
1. We haven't got anywhere to live. We're looking for (some) accommodation. 2. I don't think Ann will get the job. She hasn't got....3. They'll tell you all you want to know. They'll give you plenty of....4. You'll easily recognize Alan. He's got green.... 5. Carla's English "has improved. She has made.... 6. I want to write down your address. Have you got...? 7.1 didn't know what to do. So I asked Jack for....
8. George is unemployed at the moment He is looking for.... 9. IF you want to leave early, you have to ask for.... 10. They've got some lovely..., but just look at the price!
EXERCISE 36. Paraphrase each sentence using the given word.
Example: He told me how He gave me news about
my friend in the my friend in the States.
States was getting on. (news)
1. He told me how to work the machine. (advice) 2. A team of scientists is looking into ways of using computers in medicine. (research) 3. She has shown that computer crime is in fact very widespread. (evidence) 4. I had never seen such a complex and expensive machine. (equipment) 5. He told me many details about how the computer programme was prepared. (information) 6. For the conference, we hope to stay at the superb Excelsior hotel. (accommodation) 7. We have not yet had time to evaluate these facts. (data)
EXERCISE 37. Choose the appropriate noun for each sentence.
1. I must get my... cut. He has a few grey.... (hairs/ hair) 2. She doesn't like the vase. The... is not transparent. Where have I put my...? I can't read a thing, (glass/ glasses) 3. We had a lot of interesting... during our holiday. You need... for this job. (experience/experiences) 4. But commodity...are less satisfactory as media of exchange and stores of value. This... belongs to my brother. (money/moneys)
5. There are pears, oranges and other... on the table.... is useful for our health, (fruit/fruits) 6. I like to read in train, so I bought.... I need... to write a report, (a paper/some paper). 7. When water freezes, it changes into.... Will you bring us two chocolate...? (ice/ices). 8. Three..., please. I Tike strong.... (coffee/coffees) 9. Can you tell me how many thousands of... are produced at the plant every day? Our college was built of... .(brick/bricks) 10. He's 75 but he is in possession of all his.... The... of our University consists of highly qualified specialists, (faculty/faculties).
EXERCISE 38. Complete the following sentences with nouns ending in -s. Remember that some of them can be both singular and plural.
Example: This plant is a very rare species.
1. She can't see very well. She needs....2. Footballers don't wear trousers when they play. They wear.... 3. Kate is going to write... of articles for "her local paper. 4. There are a lot of American television... on British television. 5. We need at least four... to play this game. 6. The bicycle is... of transport. 7. The bicycle and the car are... of transport. 8. While we were walking, we saw 23 different... of bird. 9. I want to cut this piece of material. I need.... 10. You'll find your clean... in the cupboard. 11. Put the suitcase on the... so I can see how much it weighs.
Prompts: scales, a means, glasses, some (a pair of) scissors, series, means, people, shorts, species, a series, pyjamas.
EXERCISE 39. Translate the following sentences into your own language. Write out the nouns used in English only in the plural.
1. Have you seen my sunglasses anywhere? 2. The stairs are steep. 3. Could you pass me the scissors? I can't cut this with a knife. 4. If you want to buy some new clothes, the shop I would recommend is Harrison's. 5. The goods produced by TarMac are of excellent quality. 6. Have you washed my jeans and leggings, Mum? 7. You'll find your clean pyjamas on the bed. 8. My granny lost her spectacles. 9. The trousers are out of fashion. 10. The arms have been delivered on time. 11. Her new tights with lycra are superb. 12. I'd like to buy some new playing cards.
EXERCISE 40. Correct the mistakes in these sentences.
1. We had such a terrible weather that we left the camp-site and got an accommodation in town instead.
2. In the North of England, most houses are made of stones, but in the South, bricks are more common.
3. I love antique furnitures, but I would need an advice from a specialist before I bought any. My knowledges in that area are very poor.
4. Her researches are definitely making great progresses these days. She has done a lot of original works recently.
EXERCISE 41. Are these nouns normally countable or uncountable? Tick (ü)the correct box.
countable uncountable
1 passport □ □
2 currency □ □
3 luggage □ □
4 reservation □ □
5 accommodation □ □
6 flight □ □
7 information □ □
8 travel □ □
9 visa □ □
10 journey □ □
EXERCISE 42. Correct the mistakes in these sentences.
1. We're going to the shops tomorrow. I want to look at some new furnitures, Dan needs new clothes, Maria wants to look at skiing equipments and Sheila needs some papers for her computer printer. We'll probably spend lots of moneys!
2. After some courses, he found that he was making progresses and increasing his knowledges of geography. He looked forward to continuing his studies at university and, perhaps, one day, doing some advanced researches into the geography of his local area.
3. I really need some advices from you before I take up the violin. Do you have any tips about buying an instrument? Are there any works by famous composers that are easy for a beginner? Which kinds of musics would you recommend? Any informations you can give me would be useful.
EXERCISE 43. Which ten of these food names are not normally used in the plural?
flour, loaf, fish, cooking-oil, toast, fruit, carrot, pancake, garlic, biscuit, parsley, soya-sauce, rice, wheat
EXERCISE 44. Complete the sentences with these words connected with materials and resources. Decide whether the word is used countably or uncountably.
stone leather coals cloth plastic glass
1. Most of the cottages were built of......................, which was not surprising because you could see large......................lying everywhere in the fields around the village.
2. I have some......................here which I bought to make a dress. I hate it now. I think I'll tear it up and make some......................for dirty jobs in the kitchen.
3.......................can produce a phenomenal heat. That's why I find it hard to believe that he said he once saw someone in India walking over red-hot.......................
4. The car seats are all...................They're much more comfortable than....................
5. The................that those wine-...............are made of is very pure and expensive.
EXERCISE 45. What things which are always plural can be used to:
1. cut a hedge? shears 5. get a splinter out of your skin?.
2.weigh something? 6. look at distant objects?
3. cut paper? 7. get a nail out of a piece of wood?
4. hold your trousers up? 8. keep a prisoner's hands together?
EXERCISE 46. How many articles on the clothes line are plural nouns?
EXERCISE 47. Fill the gaps with an appropriate plural-form noun.
1. (To a child) Come on! Get your............................... on! It's time to go to bed.
2. The................................. of the rock concert are going to the international 'Save the Children fund'.
3. The................................. in the new concert hall are superb. I've never heard such clear sound.
4. The escaped prisoner is tall, dark and has a beard. His................................. are unknown, but the search is continuing.
5. You don't have to wear................................. to ride, but it's much more comfortable.
6.The............................. have forbidden the import of all foreign...............................
EXERCISE 48. Odd one out. In each of these groups, one of the nouns is always used in the plural. Which one?
1. Wellington trouser slipper 3. knife scissor razor
2. billiard squash archery 4. tracksuit costume dungaree
EXERCISE 49. In this little story, there are some nouns that should be plural but are not. Change the text where appropriate.
I decided that if I wanted to be a pop star I'd have to leave home and get lodging in London. I finally got a room, but it was on the outskirt of the city. The owner didn't live on the premise, so I could make as much noise as I liked. The acoustic in the bathroom was fantastic, so I practised there. I made so much noise I almost shook the foundation! I went to the headquarter of the Musicians' Union, but a guy there said I just didn't have a good enough look to be famous. Oh well, never mind!
EXERCISE 50. Ten of these nouns are normally only used in the plural. Which ones? Tick (√) the boxes.
1 binoculars □ 9 corkscrews □
2 trousers □ 10 e-mails □
3 slippers □ 11 headquarters □
4 pants □ 12 pyjamas □
5 sunglasses □ 13 shears □
6 gloves □ 14 rulers □
7 tongs □ 15 swimming trunks □
8 tweezers □
EXERCISE 51. Fill in the gap with a plural word that means the same as the words in brackets.
The first letter is given.
Example: Her luggage was searched by the.. customs...(officials at the airport or port)
1. The a..............................in the concert hall are excellent. (the sound quality)
2. We complained to.the a..................but it was a waste of time. (the people in power)
3. The ................of each chapter are listed at the beginning of the book. (what is in it)
4. A dangerous criminal has escaped. The police have no idea of his w................................(where he is)
5. Some of the g..............................on the lorry were damaged in the accident. (things to be bought and sold)
EXERCISE 52. Identify the objects in these pictures
EXERCISE 53. Make the verbs and pronouns singular or plural, as appropriate.
Example: Physics (be) a very difficult subject. Physics is a very difficult subject.
1. Darts (be) a good game if you are bored and just want to have fun.
2. Economics (be) my best subject when I was at school. Maths (be) compulsory and I hated (it/them).
3. The news (be) very bad, I'm afraid. Do you want to hear (it/them)?
4. The spaghetti (be) ready. I hope you're hungry, because there (be) a lot of (it/them).
5. Looks (be) not the most important thing. What matters is a person's personality.
EXERCISE 54. Answer these remarks using the word in brackets, as in the example. Use a(n) if the meaning is countable.
Example: Oh dear! I've spilt water on the floor! (cloth) Never mind. Here's a cloth; just wipe it up.
1. How did you get that puncture in your tyre? (glass)
2. I was surprised to hear that old Mrs Jones doesn't live with her family any more, (home)
3. What do you think my son should do? He's just left school and he's not really academic. He needs a job. (trade).
4. Why did you choose this house in the end? (land)
5. Mum, what's the Mona Lisa} (work)
6. How can I find out what the restrictions are on this car insurance? (policy)
EXERCISE 55. Decide whether the noun in brackets should be used countably (with the indefinite article a or in the plural) or uncountably (no a or no plural).
Example: Would you like... cheese.... in your sandwich? (cheese)
('A cheese' usually means a big, whole round cheese.)
1. There was.......................on the floor and I got a little piece in my foot, (glass)
2. I bought some.......................to make a dress for our Patsy's wedding, (cloth)
3. Would you like..................? My sister bought me a big box for my birthday, (chocolate)
4. Would you prefer....................or......................for dinner tonight? (fish/chicken)
5. Could I borrow.................? My shirt is creased through being in the suitcase for two days, (iron)
6. There's.......................at the back of the house. We could go for a walk there after lunch if you like. The trees are lovely right now. (wood)
7. As I arrived I saw.......................walking around in the garden. And that was in the middle of the city! (chicken)
8. Did you buy.......................for the computer? I want to print something, (paper)
9. We need some......................for the orange juice. Could you fetch some? (glass)
EXERCISE 56. Say whether the nouns can be singular (S), plural (P), or both (S/P) in these sentences. Put the verb 'be' in the correct form.
Example: We don't use so much/many paper(s) since we started using e-mail.
(S) - singular. (The material you write letters on is 'paper'.)
1. After the dog had been on it, there (be) hair(s) all over the sofa.
2. The economic (policy/policies) of this government (be) completely crazy.
3. I love meeting (people) from different countries and different professions.
4. He wanted to build six houses, so he bought (land) just on the edge of the city.
5. She bought me a wonderful gift: The Complete (Work) of Shakespeare on CD-ROM.
EXERCISE 57. Rewrite the text, making all the uncountable nouns countable.
Example: You can travel round England using different transport. You can travel round England, using different means of transport.
Before visiting England, let me give you some advice and some information. Don't take too much luggage with you but take some warm clothing. You never know whether you are going to get good weather or not. One day you have thunder, lightning and rain, the next it is sunny.
EXERCISE 58. Complete the conversation. Choose the correct form.
Jessica: What are you doing, Andrew? Andrew: I'm writing (0) essay /an essay.
Jessica: Oh, you've got (1) computer/a computer. Do you always write
(2) essay/essays on your computer?
Andrew: Yes, but I'm not doing very well today. I've been working on my plan for about three (3) hour/hours now.
Jessica: You've got lots of books to help you, though. I haven't got as
(4) many/much books as you. That's because I haven't got much (5) money/moneys. Quite often I can't even afford to buy
(6) food/a food.
Andrew: Really? That can't be (7) many/much ran.
Jessica: I'd like to get (8) job/a job I can do in my spare time and earn
(9) a/some money. I've got (10) a few/a little ideas, but what do you think I should do?
Andrew: I know someone who paints (11) picture/pictures and sells them. Why don't you do that?
Jessica: Because I'm no good at painting.
EXERCISE 59. Read the following sentences paying attention to the nouns. Explain when the nouns are countable and when they are uncountables.
1. The melting point of ice is zero Centigrade. Will you bring us two strawberry ices? 2. When water freezes, it changes into ice. 3. This vase is made of glass. I'm terribly sorry, but I've broken two of your beautiful glasses. I can't read without glasses. 4. I've seen three fires in the last month. In many English houses there are wood fires, coal fires and electric fires. 5. Two coffees, please. I like strong coffee. 6. Our house is made of brick. He carried a brick in each hand. 7. Steel is made of iron and carbon. It's always good to take a small iron when you travel. 8. We have more hours of light in summer than in winter. You should turn off all the lights when you leave the house. 9. Wine can develop better taste through aging. I like sweet wine. 10. In a good restaurant a fruit is sometimes served at the end of dinner. Fruit is a part of a balanced diet. 11. There was a hair in my glass and I couldn't make myself drink the juice. Get your hair set at the hairdresser's. 12. A strong cheese is usually aged. Cheese is made from milk. 13. Tea is sold in many flavours. A good restaurant usually gives you a selection of teas.
EXERCISE 60. Complete the sentences. Put in a/an or some.
I really ought to do some housework.
1. The people who camped in the field have left ..rubbish.
2. I've been working on the business plan. I've made progress.
3. The visitors are here for two nights. They're looking for accommodation.
4. That shop has nice sofa.
5. You'll have to pay extra for the taxi because you've got luggage.
6. The flat is quite empty. I need . furniture.
7. I can't possibly fit this guitar into. suitcase.
8. You need. luck to win at this game.
EXERCISE 61. You are talking about the holiday you had with a friend. Use these words: acco mmodation, awful journey, beautiful scenery, chair, fun, good weather, meal. You have to decide whether you need to put a/an or not.
(It was quite easy to book a place to stay.)
Booking accommodation was quite easy.
(There was nothing to sit on in your room.)
But my room wasn't very nice. It didn't even have a chair in it.
1. (You were in a beautiful part of the country.)
It was a lovely place, though. There was all around us.
2. (The weather was good.)
And we had while we were there.
3. (One evening you went to a restaurant with some other people.)
One evening we had ..with some people we met.
4. (You enjoyed yourselves at the disco.)
We went to a disco. We had there.
5. (Traveling home was awful.)
We had.. home last Saturday.
EXERCISE 62. Complete the conversations. Choose the correct form.
Can I pick an apple/sorne apple from your tree? ~ Yes, of course.
1. I think sport/a sport is boring. ~ Me too. I hate it.
2. We ought to buy some potato/some potatoes. ~ OK, I'll get them.
3. I think painting/a painting is a fascinating hobby. ~ Well, you're certainly very good at it.
4. Did you hear noise/a noise in the middle of the night? ~ No, I don't think so.
5. Is there cheese/a cheese in this soup? ~ Yes, a little.
6. I had conversation/a conversation with Vicky last night. ~ Oh? What about?
7. Shall I put a chicken/some chicken in your sandwiches? ~ Yes, please.
8. Are you a pacifist? ~ Well, I don't believe in war/a war, so I suppose I am.
9. It isn't fair. ~ No, life/a life just isn't fair, I'm afraid.
10. What's the matter? ~ You've got some egg/some eggs on your shirt.
EXERCISE 63. Complete the conversations. Put in these nouns: business (x2), experience (x2), glass, iron, light, paper, space, time. Put a/an or some before each noun.
Harriet: Did you manage to park in town?
Mike: It took me ages to find a space. And all I wanted was to buy some paper to wrap this present in.
1. Sarah: Are you busy tomorrow?
Mark: I'm meeting someone in the office. We've got to discuss.
2. Trevor: Do you think I need to take. with me for my shirts?
Laura: Oh, surely the hotel will have one.
3. Vicky: I was going to have some juice, but I can't find.
Rachel: If you turned .on, you might be able to see properly.
4. Claire: I've never met your brother.
Mark: Oh, he's usually very busy because he runs.. But he's been ill recently. The doctor has ordered him to spend resting.
5. Daniel: How did your interview go?
Emma: Well, I didn't get the job. I think they really wanted someone with. of the work, and that's what I haven't got. So it was a bit of a waste of time. And the train coming back was two hours late. That's I don't want to repeat.
EXERCISE 64. Complete Claire's postcard to her sister. Choose the correct form.
The island is very peaceful. (0) Life /A life is good here. Everybody moves at a nice slow pace. People have (1) time/a time to stop and talk. It's (2) experience/an experience I won't forget for a long time. There aren't many shops, so I can't spend all my money, although I did buy (3) painting/a painting yesterday. Now I'm sitting on the beach reading (4) paper/a paper. The hotel breakfast is so enormous that I don't need to have lunch. I've just brought (5) orange/an orange with me to eat later. I've been trying all the different (6) fruit/fruits grown in this part of the world, and they're all delicious.
EXERCISE 65. Put in the nouns and add -s if necessary.
Claire had to take her luggage through customs (custom).
1. Please accept this gift as an expression of our. (thank).
2.The woman is demanding . (damage) for her injuries
3. The .(pain) was so bad I called the doctor.
4. The old man carried his few . (belonging) in a plastic bag.
5. if we pay in cash, we make a . (saving) of ten per cent.
6. More. (good) should be transported by rail instead of by road.
7. The gas explosion caused some (damage) to the flats.
8. We are going to spend all our .. (saving) on a new car.
9. The company always takes .(pain) to protect its image.
EXERCISE 66. Choose the correct verb form.
The television news is/are at ten o'clock.
1. These clothes is/are the latest fashion.
2. Maths is/are Emma's favourite subject.
3. The troops was/were involved in a training exercise.
4. The contents of the briefcase seems/seem to have disappeared.
5. Darts is/are often played in pubs in England.
6. The athletics we watched was/were quite exciting.
7. The remains of the meal was/were thrown in the bin
EXERCISE 67. Complete this letter Rachel has received from her sister. Choose the correct forms.
(0) Thank /Thanks for your letter. Your news (1) was/were interesting. We must talk soon. What about us? Well, we're living on the (2) outskirt/outskirts of town. not far from the company (3) headquarter/headquarters, where Jeremy works. Weve spent nearly all our (4) saving/savings on the house. house. That wouldn't matter so much if I hadn't crashed the car last week and done some (5) damage/damages to the front of it. More bills! But at least I wasnt hurt. The house is nice actually, but the surroundings (6) isn't/aren't very pleasant. We're on a very busy (7) crossroad/crossroads.
I'm doing the course I told you about. Statistics (8) is/are an easy subject, I find, but economics (9) gives/give me problems!
EXERCISE 68. Choose two of the words below as the most likely ways of completing each sentence. For one answer you will need to make the word plural, and for the other you will need to make no change.
accommodation bag equipment house jewellery job luggage painting shower sunshine tool work
1. On the weather forecast they said there would be...............this afternoon.
2. The waiting room was so full of people and their.............., there was nowhere to sit.
3. Repairing car engines is easy if you've got the right................
4. In Stockholm at the moment there's a fascinating exhibition of...........from 19th century Sweden.
5. Both my brothers are looking for................
6. The price of..............has increased by 12% this year alone.
EXERCISE 69. Choose from the words below to complete each sentence. Decide if the word should be countable or uncountable. If the word is countable, add a/an or make it plural as appropriate.
chicken dislike improvement language life success
1. Mary used to keep.....................in her garden until they started to get out.
2. A score of 40% may not be very good but it's certainly...................on her last mark.
3. After so many previous....................., it was inevitable that one of his films would be unpopular.
4......................is too short to worry about keeping your house spotlessly clean.
5. I've had.....................of green vegetables ever since I was a child.
6. Our students study both.....................and literature in their English degree.
EXERCISE 70. Choose from the words below to complete each pair of sentences. Use the same word in (a) and (b). Decide if the word should be countable or uncountable. If the word is countable, add a/an at an appropriate point in the sentence or make it plural.
damage education traffic paper resistance speech
1. a) I had to go through very strict and traditional education
b)...............has been hit once again in the government's spending cuts.
2. a)...............was building up on the motorway as the fog got thicker.
b) Since the war, illegal...............in weapons has grown.
3. a) Outnumbered by at least three to one, he knew that...............was useless.
b) After a while we seemed to build up...............to mosquitoes.
4. a) The judge awarded Mr Sinclair...............of nearly £50,000.
b) The accident caused some............to my car but it wasn't worth getting it repaired.
5. a) Muriel gave...............at the conference on the psychological effects of divorce.
b) The use of recycled..............is saving thousands of trees from being cut down each year.
6. a) It is said to be...............that distinguishes us from the other animals.
b) We had to listen to some long and boring...............after the meal.
EXERCISE 71. Translate into English.
1. . , , . 2. . 3. . 4. . 5. , . 6. . 7. . . 8. . 9. , . 10. . 11. , . 12. .
EXERCISE 72. Translate the following sentences into English. Mind the use of singular and plural nouns.
1. ? 2. ? 3. . 4. , , . 5. : . 6. ! , , ? 7. . 8. , . 9. . 10. , . 11. . 12. - " , ?" " . . ? , ."
EXERCISE 73. Translate into English.
1. , , . 2. . 3. . 4. . , . 5. . . 6. , . 7. . 8. . 9. . 10. . . 11. , , , , . 12. , , : , , , . 13. . (). 14. , . - . 15. . 16. . 17. ? , . 18. , - , . 19. . 20. .
EXERCISE 74. Translate into English.
1. . . 2. ? 3. . 4. . 5. . 6. ? . 7. ! 8. . 9. ? 10. , , . 11. , , . 12. . 13. . 14. . 15. . 16. . . 17. . 18. . . 19. , . 20. ? . 21. , . . 22. . . (. . )
