4. dictionary – 11. bush – 18. mouse —
5. pincushion – 12. pen-friend – 19. godfather —
6. hold-up – 13. video – 20. wish —
7. hoof – 14. pillowcase – 21. phenomenon —
Test 3. Write the plural of the following nouns.
1. deer – 8. sheep – 15. datum —
2. lady – 9. species – 16. Eskimo —
3. roof – 10. day – 17. leaf —
4. chief – 11. family – 18. life —
5. studio – 12. dish – 19. zero —
6. zoo – 13. paw – 20. buffalo —
7. bus – 14. fork – 21. criterion —
Test 4. Write the plural of the following nouns.
1. trout – 8. baby – 15. vowel —
2. composer – 9. handkerchief – 16. buzz —
3. insect – 10. church – 17. glass —
4. oasis – 11. memo – 18. man —
5. analysis – 12. ball game – 19. goose —
6. bacterium – 13. passer-by – 20. foot —
7. waiter – 14. letdown – 21. volcano —
Test 5. Write the plural of the following nouns.
1. bench – 8. scarf – 15. fruit —
2. celebrity – 9. belief – 16. swine —
3. louse – 10. sheep – 17. activity —
4. bath – 11. half – 18. thief —
5. woman – 12. tomato – 19. kilo —
6. cliff – 13. means – 20. party —
7. play – 14. photo – 21. appendix —
1.2. COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
Nouns can be countable(those that can be counted) or uncountable(those that can’t be counted). Uncountable nouns take a singular verb. The most common uncountable nouns are :
• Mass nouns: fluids(blood, tea, coffee, milk etc), solids(bread, butter, china, coal, food, fruit, glass, ice, iron, fish [meaning food], etc), gasses(air, oxygen, pollution, smoke, smog, etc), particles(corn, dust, flour, hair, pepper, rice, salt, sand, etc).
• Subjects of study: chemistry, economics, literature, mathematics, physics, etc.
• Languages: Chinese, English, French, etc.
• Games: billiards, chess, golf, soccer, tennis, etc.
• Diseases: flu, measles, mumps, etc.
• Natural phenomena: darkness, hail, heat, rain (but: the rains = season of continuous rain in tropical countries), humidity, thunder, snow, etc.
• Some abstract nouns: accommodation, advice, anger, applause, assistance, behaviour, business, chaos, countryside, courage, damage, dirt, education, evidence, housework, homework, information, intelligence, knowledge, luck, music, news, peace, progress, seaside, shopping, traffic, trouble, truth, wealth, work, etc.
• Collective nouns: baggage, cutlery, furniture, jewellery, luggage, machinery, money, rubbish, stationery, etc.
• Many uncountable nounscan be made countableby adding a partitive: a piece ofpaper/cake/advice/information/furniture; a slice/loafof bread; a(n) item/piece of news, etc.
• Some nouns take only a plural verb.These are objects consisting of two parts: garments(pyjamas, trousers, etc), tools(scissors, etc), instruments(binoculars, compasses, spectacles, etc), or nounssuch as: arms, ashes, barracks, clothes, congratulations, earnings, (good) looks, outskirts, people, police, premises, riches, stairs, surroundings, wages, etc.
• Group nounsrefer to a group of people. These nouns can take either a singular or a plural verb depending on whether we see the group as a whole or as individuals. Such group nounsare: army, audience, class, club, committee, company, council, crew, crowd, headquarters, family, jury, government, press, public, staff, team, etc.
The team wasthe best. (the team as a group)
The team wereall given medals. (each member separately as individuals)
• With expressions of duration, distance or money meaning ‘a whole amount’we use a singular verb: Two years islong to wait. Three miles isa long way to go. Nine thousand pounds isa high price to pay.
Test 6. Fill in: is or are.
1. Your trousers _____ in the wardrobe.
2. Where______ his scissors?
3. There_____ a lecture on history today.
4. The shopping________ heavy.
5. Where_____ my gloves?
6. This information______ correct.
7. His hair_____ brown.
8. My socks_____ in the drawer.
9. Our furniture_____ very cheap.
10. His accommodation_____ luxurious.
11. Evidence_____ needed before the trial can continue.
12. The news_____ very exciting.
13. Mumps_____ a common illness among children.
14. My glasses_____ on the table.
15. Chinese_____ difficult to learn.
16. Where_____ the kitchen scales?
17. Billiards_____ a popular game.
18. His work_____ very interesting.
19. People_____ starving in some countries.
20. Education_____ the key to his success.
Test 7. Fill in: is or are.
1. Where_____ your trousers?
2. Could you tell me where_____ the scissors?
3. Tonight, there _____ athletics on TV.
4. Money_____ easy to spend and difficult to save.
5. Gloves_____ worn in cold weather.
6. This student’s knowledge_____ amazing.
7. Love_____ reason for much happiness.
8. This bread_____ stale.
9. Your jeans_____ on the chair.
10. His baggage_____ too heavy to carry.
11. Her advice _____ very interesting.
12. Mathematics_____ his favourite subject.
13. Measles_____ a common illness.
14. The glasses_____ on the table.
15. My sister’s hair_____ long.
16. Their bathroom scales_____ quite accurate.
17. Darts _____ a popular game in Britain.
18. This work_____ too hard.
19. People_____ unhappy with the new tax system.
20. The police_____ near.
Test 8. Choose the correct form of the verb.
1. Economics (is/are)his favourite subject.
2. The trousers he bought for her (doesn’t/don’t)fit her.
3. The police (want/wants)to interview men about the robbery.
4. Physics (was/were)my best subject at school.
5. Can I borrow your scissors? Mine (isn’t/aren’t)sharp enough.
6. The news (wasn’t/weren’t)as bad as we expected.
7. Where (does/do)your family live?
8. Four days (isn’t/aren’t)long enough for a good holiday.
9. He can’t find his binoculars. Do you know where (it is/they are)?
10. Do you think the people (is/are)happy with the government?
11. (Does/Do)the police know how the accident happened?
12. She doesn’t like hot weather. Twenty-eight degrees (is/are)too warm for her.
13. The staff at school (is/are)not happy with their new working conditions.
14. Thirty thousand pounds (was/were)stolen in the robbery.
15. Two years (is/are)a long time to be without job.
16. Five miles (is/are)a long way to walk every day.
17. I need more money. Six pounds (is/are)not enough.
18. These species (is/are)very rare.
19. My hair (is/are)dark brown.
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