english grammar - 4

Primary 3 English

by Lam OI Yee 2003

Countable nouns & Uncountable nouns

Dr Catherine F Woo Memorial Sch.

Countable nouns

e.g. I eat a banana every day. I like bananas.

Banana is a countable noun.

A countable noun can be1. singular (banana) or

Countable nouns are things we can count. So we can say ‘one banana’ ,‘two bananas’ etc.

Countable nouns

2. plural (bananas)

Countable nounsExamples of countable nouns

singular plural apple apples

pineapple pineapples papaya papayas

strawberry strawberries

grape grapes

Countable nouns

We add -es to most nouns in -o:tomato tomatoespotato potatoes

But we just add -s to:radio radios

photo photos

Uncountable nouns

e.g. I eat rice everyday. I like rice.

Rice is an uncountable noun.

Uncountable nouns An uncountable noun has only one form. (rice)

Uncountable nouns are things we cannot count. We cannot say ‘one rice’, ‘two rices’, etc.

Uncountable nouns

Examples of uncountable nouns:

pet food

garlic

ham

water

milk

Is/are some

Study the following table:

is

meat cheese

in the f ridge.

There

are

some

papayas pineapples

on the table.

We use ‘is some’ when the noun is uncountable. (meat, cheese.)

We use ‘are some’ when the noun is plural countable.(papayas, pineapples.)

Is/are some

Isn’t/aren’t any

Study the following table:

isn’t

milk coff ee

in the shop.

There

aren’t

any

onions fi sh balls

in the kitchen.

We use ‘isn’t any’ when the noun is uncountable in negative sentences. (milk, coffee.)

We use ‘aren’t any’ when the noun is plural countable in negative sentneces.(onions, fish balls)

Isn’t/aren’t any

Is there any/Are there any…

Is  

there any

coke?

cheese?Yes,

there

is.are.

Are biscuits?

apples?No,

isn’t.aren’t.

I. Put the correct form of the given words into the spaces.

1.John is eating some __________(potato).2.Is there any ___________ (water) in the

jar?3.Mother says, ‘Gogo, please give me

some __________ (jam).’4.There are some _________ (rubbish bin) in

the playground.5.There aren’t any ______________(tomato)

on the table.

potatoes

water

jamrubbish bins

tomatoes

II. Put the correct answer into the spaces with “some” or “any”.

1.There is’nt________sugar in the coffee.2.There are ___________ stars in the sky.3.There aren’t ________ roses on the table.4.Are there _________ eggs?5.Is there ________ orange juice?6.There is ________ pepper on the table.

anysome

anyany

any

some

Ask and answer the questions.

1.Is there any garlic?

No, there isn’t.

2. Are there any apples?

Yes, there are.

3. Are there any pears?

No, there aren’t.

4. Is there any pet food?

Yes, there is.