Countable and Uncountable Nouns (Skill 20)

Previous Written expression problem: Singular ad Plural nouns (Skill 19)

In English, nouns are classified as countable or uncountable. For certain questions on the TOEFL test, it is necessary to distinguish countable and uncountable nouns in order to use the correct modifiers with them.

      As the name implies, countable nouns are nouns that can be counted. Count able nouns can come in quantities of one, or two, or a hundred, etc. The noun book is countable because you can have one book or several books.

     Uncountable nouns, on the other hand, are nouns that cannot be counted because they come in some indeterminate quantity or mass. A noun such as milk or happiness cannot be counted; you cannot have one milk or two milks, and you cannot find one happiness or two happinesses. Uncountable nouns are often liquid items such as water oil, or shampoo. Uncountable nouns can also refer to abstract ideas such as security, friendship, or hope.

     It is important for you to recognize the difference between countable and uncountable nouns when you come across such key words as much and many.

They have taken much* trips recently.

There was not many* water in the pool.

In the first example, much is incorrect because trips is countable. This sentence should say many trips. In the second example, many is incorrect because water is uncountable. This sentence should say much water.

The following chart lists the key words that indicate to you whether a noun is countable or uncountable.

EXERCISE 20: Each of the following sentences contains at least one key word to tell you if a noun is countable or uncountable. Circle the key words. Draw arrows to the nouns they describe. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

1. She will visit in a few months. (C)

    Analysis:

• a few is followed by countable noun and months is countable noun, too.
• So, a few months is correct.

2. Many are unnecessary. (I)

    Analysis:

• There should be countable noun object after Many.

3. You need to show a little kindness. (C)

    Analysis:

• little is followed by uncountable noun and kindness is uncountable noun, too.
• So, a little kindness is correct.

 4. You have a number of choice.(I)

     Analysis:

• a number should be follow by plural of countable noun. choice should be choices. So it should be a number of choices.

 5. There was a large amount of apples in the bowl. (I)

    Analysis:

• apples is countable noun
• amount is followed by countable noun 
• So, it should be a number of apples, not amount of apples.

6. We have fewer opportunities now.(C)

    Analysis:

• fewe is followed by countable noun and opportunities is countable noun.
• So, fewer opportunities is correct

7. How much money is left? (C)

    Analysis:

• much is followed by uncountable noun and money is uncountable noun, too.
• So much money is correct.

8. He caused less problems this time. (I)

    Analysis:

• less is followed by uncountable noun
• problems is countable noun. So less problems is incorrect. It should be fewer problems.

9. They need a little times to finish their work. (I)

    Analysis:

• little is followed by uncountable noun
• time is uncountable noun and should be time (no S). So a little times is incorrect. It should be a little time.

10. He visited many exotic places.(C)

Analysis:

• exotic places are countable noun 
• many should be followed by countable noun, too. So many exotic places is correct.

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Next Skill 21: Subject and Object Pronoun

Written Expression: Subject and Object Pronoun (Skill 21)

 Previous Skill: Countable and Uncountable Noun (Skill 21)

Pronouns are words such as he, she, or it that take the place of nouns. One common problem with pronouns on the TOEFL test is that subject and object pronouns are confused, so you should be able to recognize these two types of pronouns.

A subject pronoun is used as the subject of a verb. An object pronoun can be used as the object of a verb or the object of a preposition. Compare the following two sentences.

In the second sentence, the subject pronoun she is replacing the noun Marie. The object of the verb it is replacing the noun phrase the film, and the object of the preposition him is replacing the noun Barry.

The following are examples of the types of subject or object pronoun errors that you might see on the TOEFL test.

Me* and my friend are taking a trip.

Our neighbors are going with you and I*

1. In the first example, the object pronoun me is incorrect because this pronoun serves as the subject of the sentence. The object pronoun me should be changed to the subject pronoun I. It can be difficult to recognize that me is the subject because the verb are has a double subject, me and my friend.
2. In the second example, the subject pronoun I is incorrect because this pronoun serves as the object of the preposition with. The subject pronoun I should be changed to the object pronoun me. It can be difficult to recognize that I is the object of the preposition with because the preposition with has two objects: the correct object you and the incorrect object I.

EXERCISE 21: Each of the following sentences contains at least one subject or object pronoun. Circle the pronouns. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

1. You should do it for her. (C)

    Analysis:

• It is correct it functions as Object pronoun

2. They helped she with the work. (I)

    Analysis:

• She is Subject Pronoun.
• But, the sentence needs Object Pronoun "her". So, the correct sentence is They helped her with the work. 

3. Her and Bob came over to visit me. (I)

    Analysis:

• Her is Object pronoun.
• It should be Subject Pronoun " She". So, the correct sentence is She and Bob came over to visit me

4. I brought it for you and them.

    Analysis:

• Subject Pronoun "I" is correct.
• Object pronoun "You and Them" is correct too.

 5. He opened the refrigerator and took some food from it. (C)

    Analysis:

• Subject pronoun "He" is correct and Object pronoun "it" is correct, too.

 6. She lent it to you and I. (I)

    Analysis:

• Subject pronoun "She" is correct.
• Object pronoun "I" is incorrect. It should be "me" as object pronoun.
  

7. She spent all the money on them.(C)

    Analysis:

• Subject pronoun "She" is correct.
• Object Pronoun "Them" is correct, too

 8. You forgot to give it to they. (I)

      Analysis:

• Object pronoun "it" is correct.
• Subject pronoun "they" is incorrect. It should be Object pronoun "them". So the correct sentence is You forgot to give it to them.

 9. We offered she a place to stay. (I)

     Analysis:

• Subject pronoun "she" is incorrect. It should be object pronoun "her"

10. They watched us play with it. (C)

      Analysis:

• Object pronoun "us" and " it" is correct

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Next Skill 22: Possessive

Problems with singular and plural nouns(skill 19)

Previous Problem with Modal (Skill 18)

A problem that is common in the Written Expression section of the TOEFL test is a singular noun used where a plural noun is needed, or a plural noun used where a singular noun is needed.

He just finished several book*.

She studied each chapters

In the first example, several indicates that the plural books is needed. In the second example, each indicates that the singular chapter is needed.

In the Written Expression section of the TOEFL test you should watch very carefully for key words such as each, every, a, and single that indicate that a noun should be singular. You should also watch carefully for key words such as many, several, and three that indicate that a noun should be plural.

The following chart lists the key words that indicate to you whether a noun should be singular or plural.

EXERCISE 19:

Each of the following sentences contains at least one key word to tell you if a noun should be singular or plural. Circle the key words. Draw arrows to the nouns they describe. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

1. She talked to each people in the room. (I)

    Analysis:

• after each is singular object, so each people should be each person.

2. There is not a single bit of food in the refrigerator. (C)

    Analysis:

• after single is singular noun, so a single bit is correct.

3. You need two piece of weight loss pills (I)

    Analysis:

• after two is plural noun, so two piece should be two pieces

 4. Both classes started on time. (C)

    Analysis:

• After both is plural noun, so both classes is correct

 5. We took a new routes to the beach house.(I)

     Analysis:

• after a is singular noun, so a new routes is incorrect and it should be a new route

6. He gave many different reasons for his actions. (C)

   Analysis:

• after many is plural noun, so many different reasons is correct.

7. You must answer every questions on the test. (I)

    Analysis:

• after every is singular noun, so every question is incorrect and it it should be every question.

8. She tried several times to call me. (C)

    Analysis:

• after several is plural noun, so several times is correct.

9. He offered me only one glass of water. (C)

   Analysis:

• after one is singular noun, so one glass is correct.

10. We had various kind of drinks with the meal.(I)

     Analysis:

• after various is plural noun, so various kind is incorrect, it should be various kinds.

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Next Skill 20: Problem with Countable and uncountable noun