ELL Grammar Key 5 – Count and Non-Count Nouns

Typical ELL Errors- If I could have any pet in the world, I would prefer to have a

cat because it is very clean and friendly animal.- I like how Mr Johnson teaches, but one thing that I don’t like

about his class is that he gives us so many homeworks every night.

- I was thinking of dropping out of school, but I talked it over with my uncle. He gave me a really good advice about my future, and I decided to stay in school.

- My mother was elementary school teacher from 1992 to 2007, and she taught hundreds of student during this time.

Singular Plural

A house Some houses

A book Ten books

My cousin My cousins

Count Nouns

Nouns that name things you can count. These can be singular or plural.

Grammar Eplanation – Count Nouns

All singular count nouns must have an article (indefinite: a, an; definite: the)or some other determiner before them.

Determiner Determiner + Noun Determiner + Descriptive Adjective + Noun

Articles A cat A black cat

Demonstrative That book That interesting book

Number One reason One specific reason

Possessive My class My worst class

Quantifier Each problem Each serious problem

Foods Liquids Ideas Nature Collective Words

Sugar Milk Honesty Snow Luggage

Rice Water Importance Scenery Furniture

Flour Juice Intelligence Thunder Fruit

Salt Coffee Peace Sunlight Advice

Mustard Oil Wisdom Hail Homework

Non-Count Nouns

Nouns that cannot be counted are called non-count nouns.

Grammar Explanation – Non-count nouns

When Natives sometimes use non-count foods and liquids in a countable sense, they are referring to the container or serving of said thing.For example two coffees means two cups of coffee, two sugars means two packets of sugar and so on.

Many non count nouns are used in a countable sense, but that changes the meaning of the noun to types.

For example it is correct to say that France produces over sixty cheeses. Here cheeses, a non-count noun, is used as a count noun and conveys the meaning type of. (This usage is not very common.)

Easier for ELLS More difficult for ELLS

Quantifyers that deal with food: A piece ( they associate it with something that is broken)

A cup, a bowl, a slice, a glass A piece of luggage, a piece of furniture, a piece of advice.

Words to count non-count nounsIt is not possible to count non-count nouns, but it is possible to quantify them.

For Example:

- Not much of the furniture is new, only three or four pieces.- I’d like a glass of chocolate milk.- I bought two pounds of ground beef.

How Many vs. How Much

We use how many to ask about count nouns and how much to ask about non-count nouns. This may be hard for ELLs since most languages only have

one word to ask about quantities.

Many vs. Much

We use many with plural count nouns and we use much with non-count nouns. When in doubt, it is always correct to use a lot of with both count and non-count

nouns.

Many Much A Lot Of

Count Many books ------------------- A lot of books

Non-Count ------------------- Much money A lot of money

A few / A Little

We use a few with plural count nouns. We use a little with non-count nouns.

A few A little

Count A few books -------------------

Non-Count ------------------- A little money

A few vs. Few; A little vs. littleThis difference should not concern beginning or intermediate proficiency ELLs as it is an advanced grammar point.

The connotation of a few is positive, whereas the connotation of few is negative.

For example:

That person has a few friends.

VS.

I have few friends.

The same distinction happens between little and a little.

Advanced Quantity ExpressionsOnce ELLs have mastered a few, a little, many and much, it is time to provide explicit instruction in variations of these quantifying terms. This will improve the ELLs speech and writing.Note : words in red can be count or non-count.

Count Non-Count

0% No, not any, a (complete) lack of

No, not any, a (complete) lack of

FewA lack of

LittleA lack of

A few A littleA bit of

Some Some

SeveralA number of

100% A great number of, a great many, a good number of,A lot, lots of, plenty of

A great deal of, a large amount of, a substantial amount ofA lot, lots of, plenty of

Common ELLs Mistakes: What your ELLs should know.1-Do not use a singular count noun without an article or other determinerWrong: job, apple, reason, best choice.Correct: a job, an apple, a reason, the best choice.

2- Non-count nouns do not have a plural form, so do not add –sWrong: homeworks, informations, equipments.Correct: homework, information, equipment.

3- Do not use and article or other determiner before a non-count noun. With non-count nouns you cannot use a or an for the same reason you cannot use one or two.Wrong: a homework, an information, an equipment. Correct: homework, information, equipment.

4-Use many and a few with count nouns. Use much and a little with non-count nounsWrong: much problems, a few difficulty. Correct: many problems, a little difficulty.

5- Avoid using much in affirmative statements. It is not necessarily wrong, but it can sound strange in some cases.Unusual: She’s rich. She has much money. Correct: She’s rich. She has a lot of money.

6- Do not use a lot of without a noun after it. Add a noun or drop the preposition of. Wrong: do you have any reasons for quitting your job?

Yes, a lot of (the correct would be Yes, a lot.)

Count and Non-Count Nouns – Lesson PlanObjective - Have students recognize when to use how many and when to use how much.

Steps

1. The students will be given a list of breakfast items. They will also be asked what they had for breakfast. There will be two columns on the board, no title included.

2. They will name the food items and we will separate them according to whether they are countable or uncountable, without them knowing.

3. After that we will go over why they are separated into those two groups.

4. Next exercise will have them for questions with how much/how many.