Essential Grammar in Use-134-137

Unit a bottle / some water
67 (countable/uncountable 1)
A A noun can be countable or uncountable.
Countable nouns
For example: (a) car (a) man (a) bottle (a) house (a) key (an) idea (an) accident
You can use one/two/three (etc.) + countable nouns (you can count them):
one bottle two bottles three men four houses
Countable nouns can be singular (= one) or plural (= two or more):

singular a car the car my car etc.
plural cars two cars the cars some cars many cars etc.
I’ve got a car.

New cars are very expensive.
!ere aren’t many cars in the car park.
You can’t use the singular (car/bottle/key etc.) alone. You need a/an:
We can’t get into the house without a key. (not without key)
B Uncountable nouns
For example: water air rice salt plastic money music tennis
water salt money music
You can’t say one/two/three (etc.) + these things: one water two musics
Uncountable nouns have only one form:
money the money my money some money much money etc.
I’ve got some money.
!ere isn’t much money in the box.
Money isn’t everything.
You can’t use a/an + uncountable nouns: a money a music a water

But you can say a piece of … / a bottle of … etc. + uncountable noun:
a bottle of water a carton of milk a bar of chocolate
a piece of cheese a bottle of perfume a piece of music
a bowl of rice a cup of coffee a game of tennis
a/an ➜ Unit 65 countable/uncountable 2 ➜ Unit 68

Exercises Unit
What are these things? Some are countable and some are uncountable.
67
Write a/an if necessary. !e names of these things are:
bucket envelope money sand toothbrush wallet
egg jug salt spoon toothpaste water
1 2 3 4
It’s salt . It’s a spoon . It’s . It’s .

5 6 7 8
It’s . It’s . It’s . It’s .

9 10 11 12
It’s . It’s . It’s . It’s .
Some of these sentences are OK, but some need a/an. Write a/an where necessary.
1 I don’t have watch. a watch 9 Jamaica is island.
2 Do you like cheese? OK 10 I don’t need key.
3 I never wear hat. 11 Everybody needs food.
4 Are you looking for job? 12 I’ve got good idea.
5 Kate doesn’t eat meat. 13 Can you drive car?
6 Kate eats apple every day. 14 Do you want cup of coffee?
7 I’m going to party tonight. 15 I don’t like coffee without milk.
8 Music is wonderful thing. 16 Don’t go out without umbrella.
What are these things? Write a … of … for each picture. Use the words in the boxes.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
bar cup loaf bread milk tea

bowl glass piece + chocolate paper water
carton jar piece honey soup wood
1 a carton of milk 4 7
2 5 8
3 6 9
Unit a cake / some cake / some cakes
68 (countable/uncountable 2)
A a/an and some
a/an + singular countable nouns (car/apple/shoe etc.):

I need a new car.
Would you like an apple? an apple
some + plural countable nouns (cars/apples/shoes etc.):
I need some new shoes.
Would you like some apples? some apples
some + uncountable nouns (water/money/music etc.):
I need some water.
Would you like some cheese? some cheese or
(or Would you like a piece of cheese?) a piece of cheese
Compare a and some:

Nicola bought a hat, some shoes and some perfume.
I read a newspaper, made some phone calls, and listened to some music.
B Many nouns are sometimes countable and sometimes uncountable. For example:
a cake some cakes some cake or a piece of cake
a chicken some chickens some chicken or a piece of chicken
Compare a paper (= a newspaper) and some paper:

I want something to read. I’m going to buy a paper.
but I want to make a shopping list. I need some paper / a piece of paper. (not a paper)
C Be careful with:
advice bread furniture hair information news weather work
!ese nouns are usually uncountable. So you can’t say a/an … ( a bread, an advice ), and they can’t be
plural ( advices, furnitures etc.).
Can I talk to you? I need some advice. (not an advice)
I’m going to buy some bread. (not a bread)
!ey’ve got some nice furniture in their house. (not furnitures)
Silvia has very long hair. (not hairs)
Where can I get some information about hotels here? (not informations)
Listen! I’ve just had some good news. (not a good news)
It’s nice weather today. (not a nice weather)
‘Do you like your job?’ ‘Yes, but it’s hard work.’ (not a hard work)
We say a job (but not a work):
I’ve got a new job. (not a new work)
countable/uncountable 1 ➜ Unit 67 some and any ➜ Unit 76

Exercises Unit
What can you see in these pictures? Use a or some.

68
1 2 3 4
1 some perfume, a hat and some shoes

2
3
4
Write sentences with Would you like a … ? or Would you like some … ?
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Would you like some cheese? 4 ?

2 Would you like ? 5 ?
3 Would ? 6 ?
Write a/an or some.
1 I read a book and listened to some music.
2 I need money. I want to buy food.
3 We met interesting people at the party.
4 I’m going to open window to get fresh air.
5 Rachel didn’t eat much for lunch – only apple and bread.
6 We live in big house. !ere’s nice garden with beautiful trees.
7 I’m going to make a table. First I need wood.
8 Listen to me carefully. I’m going to give you advice.
9 I want to make a list of things to do. I need paper and pen.
Which is right?
1 I’m going to buy some new shoe/shoes. (shoes is right)
2 Mark has brown eye/eyes.
3 Paula has short black hair/hairs.
4 !e tour guide gave us some information/informations about the city.
5 We’re going to buy some new chair/chairs.
6 We’re going to buy some new furniture/furnitures.
7 It’s hard to find a work/job at the moment.
8 We had wonderful weather / a wonderful weather when we were on holiday.

Essential Grammar in Use-134-137

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Unit a bottle / some water

one bottle two bottles three men four houses

Countable nouns can be singular (= one) or plural (= two or more):

I’ve got a car.

water salt money music

You can’t use a/an + uncountable nouns: a money a music a water

a/an ➜ Unit 65 countable/uncountable 2 ➜ Unit 68

It’s salt . It’s a spoon . It’s . It’s .

It’s . It’s . It’s . It’s .

It’s . It’s . It’s . It’s .

bar cup loaf bread milk tea

a/an + singular countable nouns (car/apple/shoe etc.):

Compare a and some:

a cake some cakes some cake or a piece of cake

a chicken some chickens some chicken or a piece of chicken

Compare a paper (= a newspaper) and some paper:

countable/uncountable 1 ➜ Unit 67 some and any ➜ Unit 76

What can you see in these pictures? Use a or some.

1 some perfume, a hat and some shoes

1 Would you like some cheese? 4 ?

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