UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CHIMBORAZO

Names:• Darío Amancha• Patricio Castillo• Elvis Guaranga

GRAMMAR V

COMMON MISTAKES WITH PLURALS

COMMON MISTAKES WITH PLURALS

There are two types of common noun:

Countable nounsUncountable nouns

Countable nouns are things which can be counted or we can add “s” in plural

Example:

One book – Two books

Uncountable nouns are usually things which can't be counted. These can be: weather, emotions, natural. We cannot add “s” in plural

Example:

Money, rice, water

Sometimes there is not much logic to whether a noun is countable or uncountable.

Example:

“Work” is uncountable “job” is countable.“Trip” is countable, “travel” is uncountable.“Word” is countable, “vocabulary” is

uncountable.

UNCOUNTABLE PLURALSWe sometimes use uncountable nouns in plural forms.In liquids or substances, it usually takes on the meaning of "cups of", "bottles of" or "types of".

Examples:

We'll have two coffees. CUPS OF COFFEEI bought three waters. BOTTLES OF WATER

advice Could you give me some

advice?

dust The old table was covered

with dust.

electricity Electricity runs through this

wire.

equipment Could you give me a list of

the equipment we need for

the trip?

evidence What evidence is there

against John?

WORDS THAT CAN BE BOTH COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE

There are some words that can be used as countable and uncountable nouns, such as: coffee, yogurt, light.

Example:

Uncountable: Coffee is my favorite drink.Countable: Could you buy two coffees and two teas,

please?

There are a few words that change their meaning depending on if they used in a countable way or an uncountable way.

Hair

Countable = one hair

Urg! There's a hair in my

food!

Uncountable = all the

hair on a person's head

She has very beautiful

hair.

Paper

Countable = a newspaper

I bought all the papers this

morning.

Uncountable = paper in

general

Could you give me some

paper to write on?

Light

Countable = a single lamp or

light bulb

The Christmas tree was

covered in lights.

Uncountable = light in

general

The room was full of light.

NOUNS WHICH ARE ALWAYS PLURAL

Some nouns are always used in a plural form and with a plural verb. Sometimes you can use phrases like 'one pair of' or 'three pairs of' if you'd like to count them. It is more used in clothes, tools that have two parts.

Trousers My trousers are too

long.

Tights I need to wear tights

with this dress.

Shorts He bought some blue

shorts.

Scissors There are three pairs of

scissors in the drawer.

UNCOUNT NOUNS THAT END IN –SSome uncountable nouns end in -s so they look like plurals even though they are singular nouns.

Subjects of

study:

mathematics, physics,

economics, etc.

Activities: gymnastics, athletics, etc. 

Games: cards, darts, billiards, etc.

Diseases: mumps, measles, rabies, etc.

EXAMPLES:

Incorrect: She likes to feed the poors.Correct: She likes to feed the poor.Incorrect: He is working for the blinds.Correct: He is working for the blind.Incorrect: Please put your sign here.Correct: Please put your signature here.Incorrect: She has bought two dozens apples.Correct: She has bought two dozen apples.

CORRECT THE MISTAKES

I heard these news in the morning.I heard this news in the morning.This fabric is superior than that fabric.This fabric is superior to that fabric. He is most intelligent boy in our class.He is the most intelligent boy in our class.The teacher gave us many advices.The teacher gave us some advices.

People have two foots.People have two feet.Some people are afraid of mouses.Some people are afraid of mice.My childs were playing in the street when they saw

the accident. My children were playing in the street when they saw the accident. There are so many beautiful womans in the world.There are so many beautiful women in the world.