UNIT 3 - GRAMMAR COURSE

5. Many mythological stories tell of heroes encounters with giants or dangerous animals.
In one story, the heros encounter with a dragon saves a village from destruction.

6. Childrens play is an important part of their lives. It teaches them about their
environment while theyre having fun. For instance, they can learn that boats float and
can practice ways to make boats move across water. Toys are not limited to children.
Adults have their own toys, such as pleasure boats, and children have theirs, such as
miniature boats. Adults toys are usually much more expensive than childrens toys.

The soup has vegetables in it. When a noun is used as a modifier, it is in its singular form.*
(a) It is vegetable soup. In (a): vegetable modifies soup.
The building has offices in it.
(b) It is an office building. In (b):ofice modifies building.
- -

The test lasted two hours. When a noun used as a modifier is combined with a number
(c) It was a two-hour test. expression, the noun is singular and a hyphen (-) is used.
INCORRECR She has a jive years old son.
Her son is five years old.
(d) She has a five-year-old son.

*Adjectives never take a final -s.(INCORRECT: beaunfirls pictures) See Appendix Chart A-3, p. ~ 4 Similarly,
. nouns used as
adjectives never take a final -s. (INCORRECT: vegetables soup)

EXERCISE 7. Using nouns as modifiers. (Chart 7-3)

Directions: Complete the sentences with the words in parentheses. Use the singular or
plural form as appropriate. Include hyphens (-) as necessary.
1 . (shoe) They sell shoes at that store. It is a shoe store.

2. mower) M y garden has in it. It is a garden.

3. (bean) This soup is made from black . It is black soup.

4. (baby) People can buy special food in small jars for . It is called
food.

5. (child) Dr. Adams is trained as a psychologist for . She is a

psychologist.

6. (salad) At a formal dinner, there are usually two forks on the table. The smaller fork
is for . It is a fork.

7 . Cfax) In our office we have a machine that sends and receives

It is called a machine.

8. (can) A kitchen tool that opens is called a opener.

(potato) A tool that peels is called a
peeler.

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9 . (airplane) Seats on are uncomfortable.

seats should be made more comfortable and convenient for the passengers.

10. (mosquito) In tropical climates, sometimes it is necessary to hang a net over a bed to
protect the sleeper from . It is called a net.

1 1 . (two + hour) The plane was late. We had a wait. We had

to wait for

12. (ten +year + old) M y brother is . I have a

brother.

13. (ten + speed) Joe can shift his bicycle into different
He has a bike.

14. (six + game) The basketball team has won in a row (i-e.,
they haven't lost one of their last six games). They have a
winning streak.

15. (three + letter) "Arm" and "dog" are words. Each

word has

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EXERCISE 8. Using nouns as modifiers. (Chart 7 - 3 )
Directions: Think of common expressions in which the given nouns are used to modify
other nouns. Work in pairs, in groups, or as a class.
Example: flower 3 a flower vase, a flower garden, a jlower shop, etc.
1. cotton 6. telephone 11. silk 16. kitchen
2. grammar 7. mountain 12. morning 17. baby
3. birthday 8. government 13. street 18. vegetable
4. chicken 9. football 14. newspaper 19. office
5. airplane 10. bedroom 15. hotel 20. bicycle

(a) I bought a chair. Sam bought three chairs. Chair is a count noun; chairs are items that can be counted.
(b) We bought somefurniture. Furniture is a noncount noun. In grammar, furniture
INCORRECT: we bought some furnitures. cannot be counted.
INCORRECT: We bought a furniture.

SINGULAR PLURAL

COUNT a chair 0 chairs* A count noun:

NOUN one chair two chairs (1) may be preceded by alan in the singular.
some chairs (2) takes a final -st-es in the plural.
a lot of chairs
many chairs

some furniture (1) is not immediately preceded by alan.

a lot of furniture (2) has no plural form, so does not take a final -sl-es.
much furniture

*0= nothing.

EXERCISE 9. Count and noncount nouns. (Chart 7-4)

Directions: Look at the italicized nouns in the sentences. Write "c" above the count nouns
and "NC" above the noncount nouns.
C C C NC
1. I bought some chairs, tables, and desks. In other words, I bought some furniture.

2. Ann likes to wear jewelry. Today she is wearing four rings, six bracelets, and a necklace.

3. We saw beautiful rnountains,fieMs, and lakes on our trip. In other words, we saw

beautiful scenery.

4. Gold and iron are metals.

5. I used an iron to press my wrinkled shirt.

6. In the United States, baseball is called the national pastime. To play it, you need a

baseball and a bat.

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(a) I bought some chairs, tables, and desks. In other Many noncount nouns refer to a "whole" that is made
words, I bought some Jirrniture. up of different parts.
In (a):furniturerepresents a whole group of things that
is made up of similar but.separate items.
(b) I put some s u g a r in my coffee. In (b): s u g a r and coJSee represent whole masses made
up of individual particles or elements.*

r 1
-

c) I wsh YOU luck. Many noncount nouns are abstractions. In (c): l u c k is

an abstract concept, an abstract "whole." It has no
physical form; you can't touch it. You can't count it.

( d ) S u n s h i n e is warm and cheerful. A phenomenon of nature, such as s u n s h i n e , is

frequently used as a noncount noun, as in (d).

(e) NONCOUNT: Ann has brown hair. Many nouns can be used as either noncount or count
COUNT: Tom has a h a i r on his jacket. nouns, but the meaning is different; e.g., h a i r in (e) and
I (f) NONCOUNT: I opened the curtains to let in some light in (f).
light. (Dictionaries written especially for learners of English as
COUNT: Don't forget to turn off the light a second language are a good source of information on
before you go to bed. count/noncount usages of nouns.)

*To express a particular quantity, some noncount nouns may be preceded by unit expressions: a spoon@ of sugar, a glass of water,
a cup of coffee, a quart of mdk, a loaf of bread, a grain of rice, a bowl of soup, a bag ofjlour, a pound of mear, a p"ce of furnirure,
a piece of paper, a piece of jewelry.

This list is a sample of nouns that are commonly used as noncount nouns. Many other nouns can also be used as
noncount nouns.
(a) WHOLE GROUPS MADE UP OF SIMILAR ITEMS: baggage, clothing, equipment, food,fruit, furniture, garbage,
hardware, jewelry, junk, luggage, machinery, mail, makeup, moneylcashlchange,posurge, scenery, rraffic, etc.
(b) ~ U D S :water, coffee,tea, milk, oil, soup, gasoline, blood, etc.
(c) SOUDS: ice, bread, butter, cheese, meat, gold, iron, silver, glass, paper, wood, cotton, wool, etc.
(d) GASES: steam, air, oxygen, nitrogen, smoke, smog, pollution, etc.
(e) PARTICLES: rice, chalk, corn, dirt, dust, flour, grass, hair, pepper, salt, sand, sugar, wheat, etc.

(f) ABSTRACTIONS:
-beauty, confkience, courage, education, enjgyment,fun, happiness, health, help, honesty, hospz'tality, importance,
intelligence,justice, knowledge, laughter, luck, music, p&e, peace, p d e , progress, recreation, signijicance, sleep,
truth, violence, wealth, etc.
--advice, information, news, evidence, proof, etc.
--time, space, energy, etc.
-homework, work, etc.
-grammar, slang, vocabulary, etc.
(g) LANGUAGES: Arabic, Chinese, English, Spanish, etc.
(h)FIELDS OF STUDY: chemistry, engz'neerthg, history, literature, mathematics, psychology, etc.
( i ) RECREATION: baseball, soccer, tennis, chess, bridge, poker, etc.
( j ) ACTNITIES: driving, studying, swimming, traveling,* walking, etc. (and other gerunds)

(k) NATURAL PHENOMENA: weather, dew,fog, hail, heat, humidity, lightning, rain, sleet, snow, thunder, wind, darkness,
light, sunshine, elecnicity,fire, gravity, etc.

*British spelling: mawelling.

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EXERCISE 10. Count and noncount nouns. (Charts 7-5 and 7-6)
Directions: Complete the sentences with the given nouns, adding final -st-es if necessary.
Us,e each noun only once.

advice homework music stuf

/change information progress thunder
garbage junk driver ma&
hardware luggagelbaggage screwdriver

1. I have some coins in my pocket. In other words, I have some cko\ye in

my pocket.

2. The Mississippi, the Amazon, and the Nile are well-known vivevs

3. I like to listen to operas, symphonies, and folk songs. I enjoy

4. The street is full of cars, trucks, and buses. It is full of

5. I put some banana peels, empty juice cartons, and broken bottles in the waste can.
The can is full of

6. They have a rusty car without an engine, broken chairs, and an old refrigerator in their
front yard. Their yard is full of

7. 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.*

*As a noncount noun, stu.usually means "a group of various things." It is an inexact term used primarily in
very informal spoken English. (Junk sometimes has the same meaning.)
Examples: I keep a lot of snrlyin my desk drawers.
Look at all the stuff in this room!
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8. The children got scared when they heard during the storm.

9. Tools that are used for turning screws are called

10. I went to the store to get some nails, hammers, and screws. In other words, I bought
some

11. Tonight I have to read 20 pages in my history book, do 30 algebra problems, and write
a composition. In other words, I have a lot of to do tonight.

12. Ann took three suitcases, a shoulder bag, and a cosmetics case. In other words, she
took a lot of on her trip.

13. Toronto is 365 ft.1109 m. above sea level. The average annual precipitation in Toronto
is 32 in.181 cm. The population of the metropolitan area is over 3,000,000. I found
(this, these) in the encyclopedia.

14. I didn't feel good. Ann said, "You should see a doctor." Nick said, "You should go
home and go to bed." Martha said, "You should drink fruit juice and rest." I got
from three people.

15. 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've made in learning English.

EXERCISE 1 1. Count and noncount nouns; nouns as modifiers.

(Charts 7-3,7-5, and 7-6)
Direcnons: Add final -sf-es to the nouns in italics if necessary. Do not add or change any
other words.
S S
1. Isabel always has fresh egg available because she raises chicken in her yard.
A A

2. I had chicken and rice for dinner last night. (no change)

3. Outside my window, I can see a lot of tree, bush, grass, dirt, and flower.

4. Abdullah gave me some good advice. Nadia 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. Mr. Chu wears glass because he has poor eyesight.

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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. I like to experience different season. I like both hot and cold weather.

15. Being a parent has brought me a lot of happiness. Parenting requires a lot of patience,

but it provides many reward.

-
16. You can find a lot of time-saving machine in a modern factory. Modern factory need

modern machinery.

17. Experienced traveler learn to travel with minimal luggage. My globe-trotting aunt can

pack everything she needs into two small suitcase, whether her trip will last for three

day or three month. I'm not an experienced traveler. When I travel, I invariably take

along too much stufl Last month I took a three-day trip to Chicago with twice as

many clothes as I needed.

18. Recycling is important. Regular garbage will typically contain many things that can be

recycled: magazine, envelope, cardboard box, old phone book, glass bottle, jar, copper, brass,

tin can, etc. 0

19. There are more star in the universe than

there are grain of sand on all the beaches

on earth.

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UNIT 3 - GRAMMAR COURSE
UNIT 3 - GRAMMAR COURSE