{"id":54,"date":"2014-07-18T19:26:34","date_gmt":"2014-07-18T19:26:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/successfulwriting\/?post_type=chapter&p=54"},"modified":"2014-07-19T04:45:31","modified_gmt":"2014-07-19T04:45:31","slug":"5-3-count-and-noncount-nouns-and-articles","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-writingforsuccess\/chapter\/5-3-count-and-noncount-nouns-and-articles\/","title":{"raw":"5.3 Count and Noncount Nouns and Articles","rendered":"5.3 Count and Noncount Nouns and Articles"},"content":{"raw":" \r\n
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5.3<\/span> Count and Noncount Nouns and Articles<\/h2>\r\n
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Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n
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  1. Define and use count and noncount nouns.<\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Recognize and use definite and indefinite articles.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\nNouns<\/span><\/span> are words that name things, places, people, and ideas. Right now, you may be surrounded by desks, computers, and notebooks. These are called count nouns<\/span><\/span> because you can count the exact number of desks, computers, and notebooks\u2014three desks, one computer, and six notebooks, for example.\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, you may be carrying a small amount of money in your wallet and sitting on a piece of furniture. These are called noncount nouns<\/span><\/span>. Although you can count the pieces of furniture or the amount of money, you cannot add a number in front of money<\/em> or furniture<\/em> and simply add -s<\/em> to the end of the noun. Instead, you must use other words and phrases to indicate the quantity of money and furniture.\r\n
    \r\n\r\nIncorrect:<\/strong> five moneys, two furnitures\r\n\r\nCorrect:<\/strong> some money, two pieces of furniture\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nBy the end of Section 5.3.1 \"Count and Noncount Nouns\", you will grasp the difference between the two types of nouns and be able to use them confidently in speaking and writing.\r\n
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    Count and Noncount Nouns<\/h2>\r\nA count noun refers to people, places, and things that are separate units. You make count nouns plural by adding -s<\/em>.\r\n
    \r\n\r\nTable 5.1<\/span> Count Nouns\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Count Noun<\/th>\r\nSentence<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
    Quarter<\/td>\r\nIt takes six quarters to do my laundry.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Chair<\/td>\r\nMake sure to push in your chairs before leaving class.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Candidate<\/td>\r\nThe two candidates debated the issue.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Adult<\/td>\r\nThe three adults in the room acted like children.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Comedian<\/td>\r\nThe two comedians made the audience laugh.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\nA noncount noun identifies a whole object that cannot separate and count individually. Noncount nouns may refer to concrete objects or abstract objects. A concrete noun<\/span><\/span> identifies an object you can see, taste, touch, or count. An abstract noun<\/span><\/span> identifies an object that you cannot see, touch, or count. There are some exceptions, but most abstract nouns cannot be made plural, so they are noncount nouns. Examples of abstract nouns include anger, education, melancholy, softness, violence, and conduct.\r\n
    \r\n\r\nTable 5.2<\/span> Types of Noncount Nouns\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Type of Noncount Noun<\/th>\r\nExamples<\/th>\r\nSentence<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
    Food<\/td>\r\nsugar, salt, pepper, lettuce, rice<\/td>\r\nAdd more sugar to my coffee, please.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Solids<\/td>\r\nconcrete, chocolate, silver, soap<\/td>\r\nThe ice cream was covered in creamy chocolate.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Abstract Nouns<\/td>\r\npeace, warmth, hospitality, information<\/td>\r\nI need more information about the insurance policy.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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    Exercise 1<\/h3>\r\nOn a separate sheet of paper, label each of the following nouns as count or noncount.\r\n
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    1. Electricity ________<\/li>\r\n\t
    2. Water ________<\/li>\r\n\t
    3. Book ________<\/li>\r\n\t
    4. Sculpture ________<\/li>\r\n\t
    5. Advice ________<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Exercise 2<\/h3>\r\nOn a separate sheet of paper, identify whether the italicized noun in the sentence is a count or noncount noun by writing C<\/strong> or NC<\/strong> above the noun.\r\n
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      1. The amount of traffic<\/em> on the way home was terrible.<\/li>\r\n\t
      2. Forgiveness<\/em> is an important part of growing up.<\/li>\r\n\t
      3. I made caramel sauce for the organic apples<\/em> I bought.<\/li>\r\n\t
      4. I prefer film cameras<\/em> instead of digital ones.<\/li>\r\n\t
      5. My favorite subject is history<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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        Definite and Indefinite Articles<\/h2>\r\nThe word the<\/em> is a definite article<\/span><\/span>. It refers to one or more specific things. For example, the woman<\/em> refers to not any woman but a particular woman. The definite article the<\/em> is used before singular and plural count nouns.\r\n\r\nThe words a<\/em> and an<\/em> are indefinite articles<\/span><\/span>. They refer to one nonspecific thing. For example, a woman<\/em> refers to any woman, not a specific, particular woman. The indefinite article a<\/em> or an<\/em> is used before a singular count noun.\r\n
        \r\n\r\nDefinite Articles (The<\/em>) and Indefinite Articles (A\/An<\/em>) with Count Nouns\r\n\r\nI saw the<\/strong> concert. (singular, refers to a specific concert)\r\n\r\nI saw the<\/strong> concerts. (plural, refers to more than one specific concert)\r\n\r\nI saw the<\/strong> U2 concert last night. (singular, refers to a specific concert)\r\n\r\nI saw a<\/strong> concert. (singular, refers to any nonspecific concert)\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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        Exercise 3<\/h3>\r\nOn a separate sheet of paper, write the correct article in the blank for each of the following sentences. Write OK<\/em> if the sentence is correct.\r\n
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        1. (A\/An\/The) camel can live for days without water. ________<\/li>\r\n\t
        2. I enjoyed (a\/an\/the) pastries at the Bar Mitzvah. ________<\/li>\r\n\t
        3. (A\/An\/The) politician spoke of many important issues. ________<\/li>\r\n\t
        4. I really enjoyed (a\/an\/the) actor\u2019s performance in the play. ________<\/li>\r\n\t
        5. (A\/An\/The) goal I have is to run a marathon this year. ________<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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          Exercise 4<\/h3>\r\nCorrect the misused or missing articles and rewrite the paragraph.\r\n\r\nStars are large balls of spinning hot gas like our sun. The stars look tiny because they are far away. Many of them are much larger than sun. Did you know that a Milky Way galaxy has between two hundred billion and four hundred billion stars in it? Scientists estimate that there may be as many as five hundred billion galaxies in an entire universe! Just like a human being, the star has a life cycle from birth to death, but its lifespan is billions of years long. The star is born in a cloud of cosmic gas and dust called a nebula. Our sun was born in the nebula nearly five billion years ago. Photographs of the star-forming nebulas are astonishing.\r\n\r\nCollaboration\r\n\r\nOnce you have found all the errors you can, share with a classmate and compare your answers. Did your partner find an error you missed? Did you find an error your partner missed? Compare with your instructor\u2019s answers.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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          Key Takeaways<\/h3>\r\n