1.Nouns & Pronouns
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1. NOUNS & PRONOUNS NOUNS A. 'Common nouns'can be countable or uncountable. a car; three cars (countable) some oil; music (uncountable) Countable nouns like chair, idea can be used with a/an, and have plurals. Uncountable nouns like water, intelligence CANT BE used with a/an, and have no plurals. Some English nouns are uncountable, although they may have countable equivalents in other languages, e.g. ADVISE ( NOT NORMALY an advise ) eg. uncountable nouns ;:. accommodation, equipment, information, luggage, news. countable nouns used like uncountable :: idea , chance, difference, point, reason, difficulty ,question and change can be used with some, any and much, rather like uncountables. NOTES different meanings/uses Some uncountable nouns can be countable with other meanings. He lacks experience. I had one or tlvo strange experiences in Rome last year. And some uncountable abstract nouns can be used with a/an when their reference is defined. an extensive experience of tropical medicine. a knowledge of languages. making countable nouns uncountable Countable nouns can sometimes be used like uncountables if there is an idea of quantity or mass. We've got another ten metres of wall to paint. making uncountable nouns countable With many uncountables, we use particular nouns to mean 'a piece of' or 'a certain amount of e.g. a bar of soap, a flash of lightning, a stroke of luck, a grain of rice, a piece of research. For other examples, see dictionary mixed singular and plural group nouns In British English, singular words for groups of people and organizations. e.g. team, family, choir, government ,bank) are often used with plural verbs and pronouns. My family are furious with me. They think I have let them down This happens particularly when we are thinking about personal kinds of activity. Compare: The team really want to win the cup this season. A rugby union team consists offfteen players. a number of, the majority of etc + plural noun have plural verbs and pronouns. A number of people have criticised our decision. The majority of his students are pleased with their courses. plural expressions of quantity are often treated as singular. Thirty miles is a long way to run. We often use a/an before adjective + plural expression of quantity. I waited for a good two hours. We'll need another four tables. Common fixed expressions with and arc often treated like singular nouns. Toast and marmalade isn't enough for breakfast, in my opinion singular noun, plural modifying expression When a singular noun is modified by a plural expression, the verb is normally singular. A good knowledge of three languages is needed for the job one of; more than one Note these structures: One of my friends is getting married. (Not One of-::.-are . ..) More than one person is/are going to be disappointed. people doing/having the same thing To talk about several people each doing or having the same thing, we normally use a plural noun for the repeated idea. The students can use dictionaries. (more natural than ... a dictionary.) We almost always use plurals after possessives in this case. Tell the kids to blow their noses. (Nor ...their nose:) Six people lost their lives. NOTES After one of the ,., who etc singular and plural verbs are both common. She’s one of the few women who has/have climbed Everest in winter. After any/none/neither/either of, singular or plural verbs are possible. None of my friends know(s) where I am. subject and complement If a verb is a long distance from the subject, people sometimes make it agree with a following complement instead of the subject, but this is not generally considered correct. Compare: The biggest problem is the holiday dates. (Nor . are the..) The most interesting thing on television last weelg in my own opinion, was/were the tennis championships. (Was is more correct.) A plural verb is, however, common in structures beginning What. What we need is/are more people like Jeannie. countries Plural names of countries have singular verbs. The United States is coming out of recession. here's etc In informal speech we often use here's, there\ and where\before a plural noun. Here’s your gloves. There's two policemen outside. Where's those letters? NOUN + NOUN OR PREPOSITION STRUCTURE Revise the basics. A noun + noun phrase is often simply like a single noun which happens to have two parts. Common short combinations are often written without a space. Compare: Iight headlight ceiling light cloth washcloth table cloth The first noun is often like an object (of a verb or preposition). It is normally singular, even if it has a plural meaning. a shoe shop = 'a shop that sells shoes' a toothbrush = 'a brush for teeth' a war film = 'a film about war' Remember: the first noun describes the second, not the other way round. A rqce horse is a kind of horse; a horse race is a kind of race. Chocolate milk is milk; milk chocolate is chocolate. noun + noun + noun ... Three or more nouns can be combined. This is often done in newspaper headlines to save space. business administration course. DRUGS BOSS ARREST DRAMA. measurement expressions We often use noun + noun in expressions of measurement beginning with a number. We put a hyphen (-) between the number and the measure. less common combinations: noun + noun not used The noun + noun structure is mostly used for very common well-known combinations. For less common combinations, we prefer other structures - for example a preposition phrase. Compare: the kitchen table (a common kind of table) a table for the prizes (not a prize table) road signs signs of tiredness (Not tiredness signs) a love letter a letter from the insurance company a history book a book about George Washington NOTES how much/many We don’t normally use noun + noun in expressions that say how much/many of something we are talking about. a piece of paper a bunch of flowers a blade of grass Note the difference between a beer bottle, a matchbox etc (containers), and a bottle of beer, a box of matches etc (containers with their contents). noun + noun or possessive structure We don't normally use noun + noun to talk about particular people or organisations and their possessions or actions. Instead we use a possessive structure my father\ house the President’s arrival first noun plural In a few noun + noun combinations, the first noun is plural. antiques dealer sports car drugs problem This is especially the case when the first noun is mainly or only used in the plural, or has a different meaning in the singular. accounts department customs officer clothes shop glasses case savings account arms trade possessive structure or other structures basics: forms Singular possessive nouns end in 's, plural possessives end in s', irregular plural possessives end in 's. my sister's husband my parents' house my children's school Names ending in -s sometimes have a possessive in s', especially in classical and literary references, but 's is more common. Sophocles'plays Dickens'novels James'suncle. A phrase of several words can have a possessive form. Ioe and Ann's children the man in the downstairs Jlat s dog Several nouns can be joined by possessives. Iane's mother's bank manager's daughter belonging characteristics: possessive or preposition structure We use the possessive structure most often to talk about something that belongs to, or is a characteristic of a person, group, organisation, country or animal. The first noun is often like a subject. my boss's car (My boss has a car.) Ann's idea (Ann had an idea.) Mary's kindness (Mary has been kind.) The cat's milk (The cat drinks the milk.) NOTES Time expressions often use possessive structures. yesterday's news last Saturday's match this evening's programmes Possessives are also possible in expressions saying how long something lasts. a day's journey three weeks'holiday four months' notice at the doctor's etc In some common expressions, the second noun is left out. I've been at the doctor's (surgery). I'II see you at Pat's (house). The names of many shops and businesses have this structure, often with no apostrophe. Smith’s or smiths Harrods Barclays Instead of a complex possessive we may prefer a preposition structure. the son of the man we met in Borneo RATHERTHAN the man we met in Borneo's son nouns for activities: using have, make, do etc 1.English often uses nouns to refer to actions. These nouns often have the same form as verbs: for example a swim, a wash, a guess. They are especially common in an informal style, and are often introduced by general-purpose'verbs like have, take, make, give, go for, especially when we are talking about casual or unsystematic activity. I like to have a swim every day. I'm going to have a wash. I don't know, but I'lI have/make a guess. I'll have a think and get back to you. (informal BrE) Just take a look at yourself. If it won't start, give it a kick 2 Go for is common with nouns for physical activity Let’s go for a walk. I always go for a long run on Sundays 3 We can use -fug forms in a similar way after do, usually with a determiner like some, any etc I need to do some tidying. I do a bit of painting in my spare time. a note on gender: he, she or it? animals Pet animals are usually he/him/his or she/her andwho rather than it/its/which.