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coming to grips with nouns
• defining the noun
• classifying nouns
• countable and uncountable nouns
• number and possession of nouns
• specifying the noun
• quantifying the noun
• noun phrases
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a noun is…
a naming word that refers to:
• a person, e.g. Maria
• a place, e.g. Singapore
• a thing, feeling, concept etc, e.g. fear, summer
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Classifying nouns
• common
• proper - Ah Seng
• abstract
• collective
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countable
uncountable
can be counted individuallycan be made plural by themselves
can stand alone in the singular (without a determiner)
one orange
one fruit
oranges fruits
orange fruit
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BUT some non-count nouns can be made
countable by adding a measure term e.g.
Please give me two teaspoons (of sugar)Would you like sugar in your tea?
Did you have breadfor breakfast? I ate two slices (of bread)
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some usages can make:1. a countable noun uncountable, e.g.
when we generalise: Experience is a good teacher.
2. an uncountable noun countable, e.g. when we refer to varieties or types of the noun: There is no such thing as a butter that is not fattening.
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counting abstract nouns
non-count when they refer to activities, states and qualities, e.g. employment; happiness; sleep; swimming
count when they refer to events, e.g. meeting; arrival; discovery.
abstract nouns are typically:
(Greenbaum & Quirk)
But remember that they may
be both!!!
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noun endin
g
-o*, -ch, -sh, -ss, -x
consonant + y
vowel + y
-fe
plural + -es y i + -es
+ -s -fe -ves
e.gtomatoeschurchesbossesboxes
*kimonos
babies keys knives
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irregular forms, e.g.
ox; oxen; child children
only one form (‘singular’), e.g.
music; milk
only one form (‘plural’), e.g.
physics; jeans
context-dependent interpretation of number, e.g.
craft (spacecraft etc)
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in English, nouns are not feminine,
masculine, or neuter; rather, gender
information is shown via:
• pronouns e.g. he she
• word endings, e.g. actor actress
• forms, e.g. stallion mare
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those two little snakes
HEAD
a group of words organised around a noun
e.g.
The noun is the Head word
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those two little baby snakes that I have met HEADpre-modifier post-
modifier
determiners Numerativ
es
Describers
Classifiers
qualifier
(phrase or clause)
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• pre-modifiers:
– determiners which indicate whether or not
the noun is specific; a snake; the snake;
–adjectives which count, describe or
classify the noun, e.g. the two small
dinner sets
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determiners indicate whether or not the head word is specific
determiners indicate whether or not the head word is specific
specific non-specific
definite article, e.g. the child;
indefinite article, e.g. a child; an egg;
demonstrative, e.g. this/that child;
no determiner at all, e.g. eggs
possessive, e.g. her child
interrogatives: whose, which, what
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add ‘s to:• singular nouns not ending in -s
e.g. the cook’s pie; Keats’s poem (Keats’s…)
• plural nouns not ending in -s e.g. the children’s play
add ‘ to:plural nouns ending in -se.g. the teachers’ workshop
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•how many things; or
•how much of a thingCountable things• many• both • other
eggs• some/any• six
Uncountable things• much • a little • less water• some/any • six cups of
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1. appositional noun phrases: two adjacent noun phrases both of which refer to the same thing,
e.g. my student, Ah Seng, wrote this text.
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2. co-ordinating noun phrases: two adjoining noun phrases each referring to a different thing,
e.g. Ah Seng and his teacher wrote this text.
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1. uncountable nouns are treated as countable, e.g. homeworks
2. abstract nouns are inappropriately treated as countable, e.g.
The question sparked off lively discussions;This company has no intentions of raising
prices.
3. Articles are omitted, e.g.Your request for appointment in salaries
section has been rejected.
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Rediscover Grammar by David Crystal London: Longman. (nd.) pp.92-123
A Students’ Grammar of the English Language by S. Greenbaum & R. Quirk.
London: Longman 1990. pp. 70-107
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Which determiner?
•A man went into a pet shop.
•“Can I help you sir?” asked the shop assistant.
•“Yes, do you have …… dogs going cheap?”
•“I’m sorry sir. …… our dogs go ‘Woof! Woof!’”
any
all
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• I’m afraid Alice will not be at school today.• Who’s this calling?• It’s …… mother
Which determiner?
• John and George, is this …. football?
• Did it break anything sir?
• No, not that I know of.
•Then yes, sir, it’s …..
her
your
ours
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• I don’t have …… hair so I’d like to buy a wig.
• Certainly sir. That’s 50 pounds plus tax.
• Forget the tacks. I’ll use ……glue.
Which determiner? much
some
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You are a person of sophistication and discernment. You know what you want and what you like. Achievement and ambition are a part of your life. You are known for your energy and zest for living.
...
So, now there is a range of skin care especially for people of your calibre.
Mustique – skin care for the charismatic, career-minded person who wants to look good effortlessly.
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a person of sophistication and discernment .
pre-modifier Head post-modifier
a part of your life. your energy and zest for living.a range of skin care people of your calibre.skin care
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the charismatic, career-minded person pre-modifier Head
our high-tech laboratoriespre-modifier Head
state-of-the-art combinations of natural oils of plants and flowers and laboratory-tested ingredients
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Snakes are reptiles (cold blooded creatures). They belong to the same group as lizards but form a sub-group of their own.
Snakes have a scaly skin and no legs. They can wriggle and slide out of their old skin and grow a bright new one.
Female snakes lay eggs. When the baby snakes hatch out of the eggs they are small, sticky and have a bright scaly skin. They look just like a tiny version of the mother. Baby snakes have to look after themselves and find their own food.
Some snakes kill animals such as frogs, fish, rabbits, rats and mice. They can kill these animals in two ways. Firstly by squeezing them, to death and secondly by injecting them with poison.
Snakes
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Snakes reptiles cold blooded creatures. the same group as lizards a sub-group of their own.Snakes a scaly skin and no legs. their old skin
Snakes
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Female snakeseggs. the baby snakes the eggs a bright scaly skin. a tiny version of the mother. Baby snakes their own food.Some snakes animals frogs, fish, rabbits, rats and mice. these animals poison.