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Grammar Basics: Unit 74 – The ~ (place name)

Posted on 2013/05/02
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Place names may or may not use “the”: Sometimes they use “the,” sometimes they do not.

Place names that Do NOT use “the”:

General place names – continents, countries, states, islands, cities, etc.:

Egypt is located in Africa. (not The Egypt…the Africa)
Paris is the capital of France. (not The Paris…the France)
We visited New York in April. (not the New York)
Iceland is an island in the North Atlantic. (not The Iceland)

Places in towns – streets, squares, buildings, airports, stations, universities, parks, etc.:

Mr. Smith’s shop is on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. (not the Michigan Avenue)
Jackie’s dream is to be at Times Square in New York for New Year’s Eve. (not the Times Square)
And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street was Dr. Seuss’s first children’s book. (not the Mulberry Street)
Does this train line go to O’Hare Airport? (not the O’Hare Airport)
James wants to go to Northwestern University. (not the Northwestern University)
We’re planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park. (not the Yellowstone National Park)

Note: We have the following exceptions to the above situations.
Place Names that DO use “the”:

Country names with republic / states / kingdom:

The new symphony conductor comes from the Czech Republic.
What is the capital of the United States of America?
The Kingdom of Norway became independent from Sweden in 1905.

Plural place names – the –s:

General MacArthur’s son was born in the Philippines.
Mother would like to visit the Hawaiian Islands someday.
Anne Frank and her family escaped to the Netherlands as the Nazis came to power in Germany.
The Matterhorn is one of the highest peaks in the Swiss Alps.

Oceans, rivers, seas, canals, channels:

The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic.
The Vikings crossed the North Sea, eventually making it to Greenland and Nova Scotia.
Agatha Christie’s book Death on the Nile was made into a movie in 1978.
The Suez Canal was opened in 1869.
Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to swim across the English Channel.

Names of hotels, restaurants, theaters, museums, monuments, etc.:

We stayed at the Breakers Hotel on our honeymoon.
Father took Mother out to eat at the Pepper Mill for Mother’s Day.
Have you ever been to a performance at the Lyric Opera?
Uncle Jack dropped the kids off at the Multiplex for a matinee show while he practiced at the driving range.
Are you coming along on next month’s excursion to the Art Institute?
When I was a child, we could climb the stairs of the Washington Monument.

Place names with the pattern “the … of …”:

My favorite museum is the Museum of Science and Industry.
The University of Wisconsin has a number of campuses throughout the state.
John and Mary visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa on their trip to Italy.
How long is the Great Wall of China?

Points of compass – the north, the south, the east, the west:

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

Exercise. Answer the geography questions, using names from the box. Use “the” if necessary.

Example:

______ is the capital of Denmark. (Copenhagen) ==> Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark.
______ are near Indonesia. (Philippines) ==> The Philippines are near Indonesia.

world map-scaled

(Click to enlarge)

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon Angola Atlantic
Canada Canary Islands China
Germany Gulf of Mexico Lima
Mediterranean Pacific Rhine
Rockies Rome United States

 

1. ______ are mountains in North America.
2. ______ is a river in Europe.
3. ______ is on the west coast of Florida.
4. ______ is the largest country in the Americas.
5. ______ lie off the coast of Africa.
6. ______ is a country in Europe.
7. ______ is a sea between Europe and Africa.
8. ______ is a large country in Asia.
9. ______ is Canada’s neighbor.
10. ______ is the capital of Italy.
11. ______ separates North America and Europe.
12. ______ is the capital of Peru.
13. ______ is a river in South America.
14. ______ is the largest ocean.
15. ______ is a country in Africa.

Exercise. Look at the following sentences. Insert “the” if it is needed. If “the” is not necessary, write “OK.”

Example:

The sun rises in ______ east and sets in ______ west. ==> The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
Mr. Smith’s shop is on ______ Main Street. ==> OK.

1. Can you tell me how to get to ______ Guggenheim Museum?
2. Do you know if ______ Showtime Theater is open on Christmas?
3. ______ National Theatre is also known as “Theatre of the Presidents.”
4. Mark Twain wrote a memoir called Life on ______ Mississippi.
5. Once a year, Aunt Karen went shopping on ______ Park Avenue.
6. ______ University of Chicago is not too far from ______ Museum of Science and Industry.
7. The twins had their picture taken in front of ______ Lincoln Memorial.
8. I think this train will take you to ______ Union Station.
9. France gave ______ Statue of Liberty to ______ United States in commemoration of America’s Declaration of Independence.
10. It took ______ United States a decade to complete ______ Panama Canal.
11. ______ St. Lawrence Seaway allows boats to travel from ______ Great Lakes to ______ Atlantic Ocean.
12. People visit ______ Central Park in ______ New York to relax and enjoy some green space.
13. There are over 1700 islands in ______ Florida Keys.
14. The Chicago White Sox no longer play in ______ Comiskey Park.
15. Many people were put into ______ Tower of London to await execution.
16. The stone statues on ______ Easter Island are over 500 years old.
17. ______ Erie Canal was officially opened in 1825.
18. ______ Princeton University was originally established to train men for Christian ministry.
19. ______ Andes are the longest continental mountain range in the world.
20. ______ Old Faithful is a popular attraction at ______ Yosemite National Park in ______ Wyoming.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 73 – I like ~, I hate ~

Posted on 2013/04/30
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There are some situations where we do NOT use “the”:

Do not use “the” for general ideas:

I like apples, but I don’t like pears. (not the apples…the pears)
Life is short, so eat dessert first. (not The life…the dessert)
Cats make good pets. (not The cats…the good pets)
Variety is the spice of life. (not The variety…the life)
Sweets are not good for you. (not The sweets)
Writing with chalk is messy. (not the chalk)
Boys have lots of energy. (not The boys…the energy)

Do not use “the” for games or sports:

Do you want to play tennis? (not the tennis)
Jack likes baseball and football. (not the baseball…the football)
My favorite sports are skiing and swimming. (not the skiing…the swimming)

Do not use “the” for languages or academic subjects:

Douglas does well in science, especially physics. (not the science…the physics)
I teach math, usually algebra and trigonometry. (not the math…the algebra…the trigonometry)
Uncle Paul speaks French and German, but not Spanish. (not the French…the German…the Spanish)

Note: Sometimes “the” might be needed in one context and not in another.

Look at the following examples:

  But:
I hate exams.

(exams in general – any exam)

 The exams I took on Monday were easy.

(specific exams – those on Monday)
I enjoy winter weather.

(weather in general – any weather in the winter season)

 Do you know what the weather is supposed to be like tomorrow?

(specific weather – tomorrow’s weather)
It used to be that Catholics didn’t eat meat on Fridays.

(meat in general – any meat)

 The meat was cooked to perfection.

(specific meat – the meat I ate)
I listen to music when I exercise.

(music in general – any music)

 The music is too loud – could you please turn it down?

(specific music – the music that is playing now)

Exercise. Look at the following sentences. Insert “the” if it is needed. If “the” is not necessary, write “OK.”

Example:

I hope we have ______ good weather for our picnic. ==> OK.
Did you feed ______ dogs last night? ==> Did you feed the dogs last night?

1. All’s fair in ______ love and ______ war.
2. By the time everyone was seated, ______ tea had grown cold.
3. Let me know when ______ water comes to a boil.
4. Mr. Brown encourages his children to study ______ music.
5. Jack has mastered ______ art of cake decorating.
6. Do you think ______ fish would make good pets?
7. I think ______ milk has turned sour.
8. Mary likes ______ sound of ______ rain on the roof.
9. Sometimes ______ life is not fair.
10. Father gave Mother ______ flowers for Valentine’s Day.
11. Some people think it’s wrong to wear ______ fur.
12. Sam spent three years studying ______ history of the northern fishing villages.
13. Older people are often uncomfortable using ______ computers.
14. How long have you been studying ______ English?
15. Wear a smock – working with ______ paint can be messy.
16. ______ sand is used to make ______ glass.
17. As soon as the oven is hot enough, put ______ bread in to bake.
18. Who introduced ______ silk to Europe?

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Grammar Basics: Unit 72 – Articles: go to work, go home, go to the movies

Posted on 2013/04/25
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We’re going to look at some set phrases. Some of these phrases need the definite article “the,” and others do not use “the.”

The following phrases do NOT use the definite article “the”:

(go) to work, (be) at work, start work, finish work:

Father went to work early because he had so much to do.  (not to the work)
What time do you finish work?  (not finish the work)

(go) to school, (be) at school, (be) in school, start school, finish school, etc.:

John is having trouble at school.  (not at the school)
What did you learn in school today?  (not in the school)
The twins enjoy school.  (not the school)

(go) to college, (be) in college:

Marcus is planning to go to college after he graduates from high school.  (not to the college)
Shirley studied biology in college.  (not in the college)

(go) to prison/jail, (be) in prison/jail:

The judge sentenced the thief to five years in prison.  (not in the prison)
Tom was arrested for driving under the influence, and had to spend the night in jail.  (not in the jail)

(go) to church, (be) in/at church:

Charles hasn’t gone to church in ages.  (not gone to the church)

(go) to bed, (be) in bed:

“Are the children all in bed?  For it’s now eight o’clock.”  (not in the bed)
Mother wasn’t feeling well, so she went to bed early.  (not went to the bed)

(go) home, (be) (at) home, etc.:

It’s late.  Let’s go home.  (not go to the home)
Janice likes to spend quiet evenings at home.  (not at the home)

The following phrases DO use the definite article “the”:

(go to) the bank / the post office / the hospital / the station / the airport:

I have to go to the bank and make a deposit.
James went to the post office and bought a roll of stamps.
Uncle Mark had appendicitis, and had to go to the hospital.
Father’s coming  home from his business trip, so Mother went to the station to pick him up.
We went to the airport early, and wound up waiting three hours for our flight.

(go to) the theater / the movies:

Jack and Jill go to the movies every Friday for date night.

(go to) the doctor, the dentist:

I have a horrible stomach ache.  Do you suppose I should go to the doctor?
Mary broke her tooth eating some nuts, and had to go to the dentist.

Exercise.  Look at the pictures and complete the following sentences.  Use “the” if necessary.

Example:

He’s in ______. ==> He’s in church.

He’s in ______. ==> He’s in church.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. She’s in ______.

1. She’s in ______.
2. They’re at ______.

2. They’re at ______.

3. He’s in ______.

3. He’s in ______.

4. She’s in ______.

4. She’s in ______.

5. He’s at ______.

5. He’s at ______.
6. He’s at ______.

6. He’s at ______.

 

Exercise.  Choose words from the list to complete the following sentences.  Use “the” if necessary.

Example:

Harry is studying chemistry in ______.  (college)  ==>  Harry is studying chemistry in college.

bank bed dentist doctor home
movies post office prison school work

1.    Before we went on vacation, Father went to ______ to pick up some traveler’s checks.
2.    Greg has to go to ______ for a sports physical.
3.    We’re going to have a company picnic at ______ this summer.
4.    Instead of a big birthday party, Joan wanted to go to ______ with a few good friends.
5.    Aren’t you going ______?  It’s nearly midnight.
6.    Jack has the flu, so Mother told him to stay in ______ and rest.
7.    You’ll have to go to ______ to mail that package.
8.    Martha had to go to ______ to pick up Jeremy.  The school nurse said he’s come down with the chicken pox.
9.    The punishment for that crime is five years in ______.
10.    It’s about time you went to ______ and had him take a look at that toothache.

Exercise.  Complete the sentences, using the verb “go.”  Use “the” if necessary.

Example:

If you want to study medicine, you ______.  ==>  If you want to study medicine, you go to college.

1.    If you don’t want to stay at a party, you ______.
2.    If you have appendicitis, you ______.
3.    If you need to take a flight, you ______.
4.    If you are sick, you ______.
5.    If you need to catch a train, you ______.
6.    If you want to see a film, you ______.
7.    If you want to worship, you ______.
8.    If you have a toothache, you ______.
9.    If you want to see a play, you ______.
10.    If you commit a crime, you ______.
11.    If you have a job, you ______.
12.    If you are tired, you ______.
13.    If you are a child, you ______.
14.    If you want to get an advanced degree, you ______.
15.    If you want to mail a letter, you ______.
16.    If you need some cash, you ______.

Exercise.  For the following sentences, write “the” where necessary.  If the sentence needs no correction, write “OK.”

Example:

John went to movies on Saturday.  ==> John went to the movies on Saturday.
Father served Mother with breakfast in bed.  ==>  OK.

1.    Jack and Jill were married in church.
2.    Grandmother took Grandfather to doctor for his blood test.
3.    The children are putting on a Thanksgiving play at school next week.
4.    Helen has to go to dentist for her six-month checkup.
5.    Could you take this parcel to post office for me?
6.    Which bus goes to airport?
7.    I’ll go to station and pick you up when your train comes in.  Just give me a call.
8.    Are you still in bed?  It’s nearly 10 a.m.
9.    I think I hear your mother calling you.  You’d better go home now.
10.    Uncle Steve broke his arm and had to go to hospital.
11.    Do you want to go out for a drink when you finish work?
12.    We went to theater for the opening of Julius’ new play.
13.    I didn’t know that Uncle Clyde spent time in prison.
14.    We go to bank every payday and get some cash.
15.    I don’t go to movies much anymore.
16.    George studied hard in college.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 71 – Articles: The

Posted on 2013/04/23
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The definite article “the” is used in a number of different situations:

We use “the” when it is clear which person, place, or thing is meant.

The telephone was invented in 1876.   (It is clear which invention we are talking about.)
We’d better get back to work – the boss is coming.  (There is only one boss.)
Pardon me, but do you have the time?  (= the time now)
Don’t forget to turn on the dishwasher before you leave for work.  (We have only one dishwasher.)

We use “the” in the phrase “the same ____”:

Helen and Marlene had the same kind of dress. (not had same kind of dress)
This is the same movie that the Watsons told us about.  (not is same movie)
Is this accounting course different than the one in the catalog? —No, they’re the same. (not they’re same)

We use “the” in the following phrases:
the sun / the moon / the world / the sky / the ocean / the sea / the country:

The sun is really a big star.
Wolves howl at the moon.
The sky was filled with colorful fireworks.
We’re going to vacation at the ocean this year.

the police:

By the time the police arrived, the suspect had already fled the scene.

the top / the bottom / the beginning / the end / the middle / the left / the right, etc.:

There is a box of biscuits on the top of the refrigerator.
Look at the question at the bottom of page 3.
Jack is standing on the left in that picture.

play the piano / the guitar / the violin / the clarinet, etc.:

Susannah is learning to play the guitar.
Mark is good at playing the trumpet.
I wish I had learned how to play the violin when I was younger.

the radio:

Keith listens to the radio when he drives to and from work.

Note:  There are certain situations where “the” is NOT used!

television / TV:  

Kids nowadays watch too much TV.  (not the too much TV)
But:  Turn off the TV if you’re not going to watch it.  (= the TV set)

breakfast / lunch / dinner:

Jack was too sick to eat breakfast.  (not the breakfast)
Let’s meet for lunch sometime.  (not the lunch)
Don’t eat a snack – it’ll be time for dinner soon.  (not the dinner)

Next / last + week / month / year / spring, etc. / Sunday, etc.:

We are going to have a test next week.  (not the next week)
Last summer Grandmother came to visit us.  (not the last summer)
Jim’s having a party next Saturday – are you going?  (not the next Saturday)

Exercise.  Write “the” where necessary.  If “the” is not needed, write “OK.”

Example:

How far is it to library?  ==>  How far is it to the library?
My birthday was last week.  ==>  OK.

1.    If you are involved in a serious car accident, you should call police.
2.    We didn’t have much snow last winter.
3.    Mary has been playing flute since she was in high school.
4.    Please turn down radio – it’s too loud for me.
5.    Mr. Jones took his secretaries out to lunch last week for Secretaries’ Day.
6.    Tom prefers to take subway to work.
7.    Mars is nearly 228 million km from sun.
8.    Mother is busy cooking dinner.
9.    I’m bored – there are no good programs on television.
10.    The students in the 10 o’clock class had same test as those in the 8 o’clock class.
11.    The Browns are going camping in mountains.
12.    Bill and Bob had complimentary tickets to last basketball game of the season.
13.    When you take a photograph, you should not put your subject in middle of the picture.
14.    Mark has to study for his English test next week.
15.    Jack and Jill have a farm out in country.

Exercise.  Complete the following sentences.  Use “the same” with one of the words in the box.

Example:

Steve and John are twins.  They were born on ______. (day)  ==>  Steve and John are twins.  They were born on the same day.

book movie sport time train

 

1.    Mr. Smith takes the 7:45 train into the city.  Mr. Brown takes the 7:45 train into the city.  They take ______.
2.    Susan is reading “Call of the Wild.”  Maggie is reading “Call of the Wild.”  Susan and Maggie are reading ______.
3.    I arrived at school at 8 o’clock.  James arrived at school at 8 o’clock.  We arrived at ______.
4.    Mack enjoys biking.  Sam enjoys biking.  Mack and Sam enjoy ______.
5.    I watched the movie “Casablanca.”  Edward watched the movie “Casablanca.”  We watched ______.

Exercise.  Look at the following pictures and complete the sentences, using “the” if necessary.

Example:

We have a cabin in ______. (forest) ==> We have a cabin in the forest.

We have a cabin in ______. (forest)
==> We have a cabin in the forest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

dinner flute library
ocean sun TV

 

1. She’s playing ______.

1. She’s playing ______.

2. They’re having ______.

2. They’re having ______.

3. They’re watching ______.

3. They’re watching ______.

4. ______ is setting.

4. ______ is setting.

5. He’s surfing in ______.

5. He’s surfing in ______.

6. She’s studying at ______.

6. She’s studying at ______.

 

Exercise.  Complete the following sentences.  Choose a word from the list, using “the” if necessary.

Example:

Father and Mother went out for ______ to celebrate their anniversary. (dinner)  ==>  Father and Mother went out for dinner to celebrate their anniversary.

beginning capital fifth floor last summer moon
name police radio time world

1.    In ______ of “The Wizard of Oz”, Dorothy runs away so Miss Gulch will not take Toto away.
2.    What is ______ of your puppy?
3.    Tell me about ______ you lost your dog.
4.    Mark listens to ______ when he exercises.
5.    Astronauts landed on ______ in 1969.
6.    Paris is ______ of France.
7.    The bank manager notified ______ of the attempted robbery.
8.    The doctor’s office is on ______.
9.    Tom joined the Navy so he could see ______.
10.    Our family reunion was in Texas ______.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 70 – Articles: A/An and The

Posted on 2013/04/18
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The words “a/an” and “the” are called articles.  They come before nouns.  If there are any adjectives describing the noun, the articles come before the adjectives:

Pattern: indefinite article:  a/an + (adjective/s) + N
or
definite article:  the + (adjective/s) + N

The trick is knowing when to use the indefinite article a/an, and when to use the definite article the.

Use the indefinite article a/an when you are speaking about one of many:

Examples:

Pick up a loaf of bread from the bakery on your way home. (There are several loaves of bread at the bakery, but we are only getting one.)
I have a bicycle.  (There are many bikes, and I have one.)
Uncle John got a new camera for his birthday.  (There were many cameras at the store.)
Do you know if there’s a gas station nearby?  (There are many gas stations.  Is there one near here?)
Michigan is a beautiful state.  (There are fifty states, but I’m talking about one of them.)
Mr. Smith is a teacher.  (There are many teachers, and Mr. Smith is one.)

Use the definite article the when you are speaking about only one thing, a specific thing:

Examples:

The bread was freshly baked.  (= the bread from the bakery)
I had to get a new tire for the bicycle.  (= for my bicycle)
The camera has a good lens.  (= Uncle John’s new camera)
The gas station is about five blocks from here.  (= the closest one)
The state of Michigan borders three great lakes.  (= a specific state)
Mr. Smith is the math teacher.  (There is only one math teacher.)

Note:  When we introduce a thing, we use “a.”  After it’s been introduced, we use “the”:

I ordered a soup and a salad for lunch.  (introducing “soup” and “salad”)
The soup was delicious, but the salad was not fresh. (we have already been introduced to “soup” and “salad”: “soup” and “salad” are specific – the ones I ordered.)

Note:  We also use “the” when it is clear which person or thing is being referred to.

The door, the floor, the ceiling, the light, etc. (of a room)
The kitchen, the bathroom, the basement, etc. (of a house)
The bank, the post office, the library, the train station, etc. (of a city)

 

Examples:

Please close the door.  (= the door of the room we are in)
Mother is in the basement washing clothes. (= the basement of the house we are in)
Do you know if the library is open today?  (= the library of our town)
If you don’t behave, you’ll get sent to the principal.  (= the principal of our school)

Exercise.  Write a/an or the.

Example:

Take ______ piece of paper and write your name at ______ top.  ==> Take a piece of paper and write your name at the top.

1.    For our vacation we took ______ plane to Florida and stayed at Disneyworld.   ______ hotel was very comfortable.
2.    You ought to exercise for ______ hour every day.
3.    I picked up ______ pair of cowboy boots and three books at a garage sale.  ______ boots were like brand new, but ______ books were practically antique.
4.    Mother forgot to bring ______ can opener on our camping trip, so we had to buy ______ new one.
5.    I put ______ bandage over ______ cut on my leg.
6.    ______ children always imagine that ______ monster hides under ______ bed at night.
7.    Do you have ______ pencil I could borrow?  ______ lead in mine broke.
8.    Jack is planning to take ______ course in accounting at ______ local college in ______ spring.
9.    ______ garbage truck had ______ flat tire.
10.    ______ strong wind blew down ______ old tree down ______ street in our neighborhood.

Exercise.  Complete the sentences.  Use a or the with one of the words below.

Example:

Father and Susan are flying ______ down on the beach. (kite) ==> Father and Susan are flying a kite down on the beach.

Father and Susan are flying ______ down on the beach. (kite) ==> Father and Susan are flying a kite down on the beach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

airport curtains lawn
newspaper question salad

 

1. Father is mowing ______.

1. Father is mowing ______.

2. Could you tell me how to get to ______?

2. Could you tell me how to get to ______?

3. Could you please close ______?

3. Could you please close ______?

4. Teacher, I have ______.

4. Teacher, I have ______.

5. Every morning I read ______ at breakfast.

5. Every morning I read ______ at breakfast.

6. We’d like to order ______, please.

6. We’d like to order ______, please.

 

Exercise.  Write a/an or the where necessary.

Example:

Could you please turn down radio?  ==> Could you please turn down the radio?

1.    We went to beach every day on vacation.
2.    I took train into city.
3.    Do you know how far museum is from library?
4.    New York is largest city in United States.
5.    What is largest country in world?
6.    Mother is in kitchen baking cake.
7.    I thought bed at hotel was uncomfortable.
8.    It is five-minute walk from train station to bus stop.
9.    We need to replace doorknob on front door.
10.    Do you remember name of author of that book?

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Grammar Basics: Unit 69 – Countable & Uncountable Nouns, Part 2

Posted on 2013/04/16
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“a/an” can be used in front of countable nouns:

Pattern:  a/an + singular countable noun:

Jack bought a pencil.
Eat an apple every day.

“some” can be used in front of: 1) plural countable nouns, and 2) uncountable nouns:

Pattern:  some + plural countable noun:

Jack bought some pencils.
Some apples in the barrel were rotten.

Pattern:  some + uncountable noun:

We drank some tea.
There is some rice in the rice cooker.

Note:  Sometimes a noun can be either countable or uncountable, depending on the situation.

A cake: We need to get a birthday cake for Jane.

A cake:
We need to get a birthday cake for Jane.

A chicken: Mother always roasts a chicken for Sunday dinner.

A chicken:
Mother always roasts a chicken for Sunday dinner.

Some cakes: Kathy practiced decorating some cakes.

Some cakes:
Kathy practiced decorating some cakes.

Some chickens: I think the supermarket has some roast chickens available in the deli.

Some chickens:
I think the supermarket has some roast chickens available in the deli.

Some cake / a piece of cake: Would you like some cake/a piece of cake?

Some cake / a piece of cake:
Would you like some cake/a piece of cake?

Some chicken / a piece of chicken: Have some chicken/a piece of chicken if you’re hungry.

Some chicken / a piece of chicken:
Have some chicken/a piece of chicken if you’re hungry.

 Note:  Some nouns are usually uncountable – we often use “some” with these:

advice bread furniture
hair information news
paper weather work

Examples:

Let me give you some advice. (not an advice)
If you want me to make you a sandwich, we’re going to need some bread. (not a bread)
My brother Jim brought some old furniture when he went away to college. (not furnitures)
I prefer short hair.  (not hairs)
I need to look up some information in the encyclopedia.  (not informations)
I hope you have some good news for me.  (not a good news)
Take out some paper and write your name at the top.
Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny – it’s about time we had some nice weather.  (not a nice weather)
Uncle Jack finally found some work, but it’s only part-time.  (not a work)

In this last example, we can also say “a job” instead of “work”:

Uncle Jack finally found a job, but it’s only part-time.

Exercise.  Use the pictures to write sentences using the phrase “I bought ______.”

Example:

==> I bought a tie, a belt, and some sunglasses.

==> I bought a tie, a belt, and some sunglasses.

 

 

 

1.

1.

2.

2.

3.

3.

4.

4.

Exercise.  Write sentences using the phrase “Would you like a ______?” or “Would you like some ______?”

Example:

==> Would you like some hors d’oeuvres?

==> Would you like some hors d’oeuvres?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.

1.

2.

2.

3.

3.

4.

4.

5.

5.

6.

6.

 

Exercise.  Complete the sentences, using “a/an” or “some.”

Example:

I sat under ______ tree and drank ______ lemonade. ==>  I sat under a tree and drank some lemonade.

1.    I’m really tired.  I need to get ______ sleep.
2.    Jack likes to have ______ crackers when he has tomato soup.
3.    Mother usually relaxes by reading ______ book or listening to ______ music.
4.    We didn’t do anything last night except watch ______ TV.
5.    Tom needs to find ______ work.  He hasn’t has ______ job for several months.
6.    Swimming and walking are great ways to get ______ exercise.
7.    The car needs ______ gas.  Is there ______ gas station nearby?
8.    The bride’s mother gave her ______ advice for the wedding.
9.    Sam ordered ______ cup of coffee and ______ pie.
10.    If you’re going to write ______ letter, you’ll need ______ stationery, ______ envelope, and ______ stamps.

Exercise.  Select the correct word or phrase to complete the sentence.

Example:

I need to get my (hair/hairs) cut.  ==> I need to get my hair cut.

1.    Give me two (breads/slices of bread), so I can make a sandwich.
2.     I don’t want to get lost.  Let’s ask the concierge for (an information/information/informations) about the art museum.
3.    We’re supposed to have (a nice weather/nice weather/nice weathers) for our picnic this weekend.
4.    Kevin is stubborn, and won’t ask for (an advice/advice/advices).
5.    Mother has been sad ever since she read Uncle Paul’s letter – I think it must have contained (a bad news/bad news).
6.    Joan and Dave finally got (a new furniture/ new furnitures/some new furniture) for their apartment.
7.    Steve is looking for (a job/a work).
8.    If you’re going to the store, can you get (a toothpaste/toothpastes/some toothpaste) for me?

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Grammar Basics: Unit 68 – Countable & Uncountable Nouns, Part 1

Posted on 2013/04/11
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All nouns are either countable or uncountable.

Countable nouns are nouns that are individual things.  They can be numbered one, two, three, etc.

Example:

One bird

One bird

Two chairs

Two chairs

Three cars

Three cars

Four trees

Four trees

etc.

Countable nouns can be singular or plural:

Singular:  a chair, the chair, my chair, his chair, etc.
Plural:  chairs, the chairs, my chairs, his chairs, some chairs, many chairs, etc.

Note:
The singular form can never be used alone – it always needs an article (a, an, the) or a possessive adjective (my, your, his, etc.).

Example:

We sat under a tree.  (not under tree)

Uncountable nouns are nouns that are not individual things.  They cannot be numbered one, two, three, etc.

Some uncountable nouns:

Water, milk, oil, etc. (any liquid)
Salt, sugar, flour, etc.
Money, music, bread, grass, work, rice, etc.

Uncountable nouns do not use “a/an.”  They do not use a plural form:

Bread, the bread, my bread, some bread, much bread, etc.

Example:

I’m going to eat some bread.  (not a bread)

We can use “a piece of ~,” “a glass of ~,” “a slice of ~,” etc.:

Would you like a piece of cake / a slice of cake?
I’m thirsty – could I please have a glass of water?
The recipe calls for a cup of milk.

Other examples:

a bottle of beer
a bowl of cereal
a piece of candy
a game of chess

Exercise.  Identify the following items, using the given nouns.  Use an appropriate phrase:  “It’s a ______.” or “It’s ______.”

Example:

 

 

==> It’s a cat.

==> It’s a cat.

==> It’s milk.

==> It’s milk.

 

apple bench bread frost
girl grass money pencil
rice salt water wheel

 

1.

1.

2.

2.

3.

3.

4.

4.

5.

5.

6.

6.

7.

7.

8.

8.

9.

9.

10.

10.

11.

11.

12.

12.

 

Exercise.  Correct the following sentences by adding “a/an” if needed.  If no article is needed, write “OK.”

Example:

I found wallet. ==>  I found a wallet.
Buy milk at the store.  ==>  OK.

1.    We rented car on our vacation.
2.    I want to listen to music.
3.    Tom needs money.
4.    The dog hid under chair.
5.    Vegetarians don’t eat meat.
6.    Do you like coffee?
7.    Could I borrow pen?
8.    There was big scratch on the piano.
9.    I need coin for the vending machine.
10.    The teacher dropped piece of chalk.
11.    Jack took test in school today.
12.    Do you have salt?
13.    I want cup of tea.
14.    We have grass in our back yard.
15.    Sally eats fish.
16.    The machine needs oil.

Exercise.  Describe the pictures, using the phrase “a ______ of ______” with a word from each box.

Example:

==> a glass of water

==> a glass of water

 

 

 

 

 

bag bottle bowl cup
ear glass jar piece
piece sack sheet slice

 

bread coffee corn honey
milk paper peas pie
popcorn soup wine wood

 

1.

1.

2.

2.

3.

3.

4.

4.

5.

5.

6.

6.

7.

7.

8.

8.

9.

9.

10.

10.

11.

11.

12.

12.

 

 

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Grammar Basics: Unit 67 – Singular and Plural

Posted on 2013/04/09
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When we talk about the singular form of a noun, we are talking about only one thing.  When we talk about the plural form of a noun, we are talking about two or more things.

Pattern – plural forms have different spellings:

Usually, a plural form is spelled by adding –s to the end of the noun:

 

One kitten

One kitten

  

Two kittens

Two kittens
 

 

One kite

One kite

  

 

Two kites

Two kites

 

Nouns that end in –s, –sh, –ch, or –x form the plural by adding –es:

One bus

One bus

Three buses

Three buses

One dish

One dish

Four dishes

Four dishes

One watch

One watch

Three watches

Three watches

One fox

One fox

Two foxes

Two foxes

 

Nouns that end in –y (following a consonant) form the plural by changing the y to i and adding –es:  –ies:

 

One baby

One baby

  

Two babies

Two babies

 

Nouns that end in –y (following a vowel:  a, e, i, o, or u) do not change the –y to –ies.  They just add –s:

 

One boy

One boy

  

Three boys

Three boys

 

Nouns that end in –f or –fe change the –f to –ves:

 

One leaf

One leaf

  

Several leaves

Several leaves
 

One knife

One knife

  

Several knives

Several knives

 

And nouns that end in –o form the plural by adding –es:

 

One potato

One potato

  

Many potatoes

Many potatoes

 

There are also nouns which have irregular plural forms.

One child Many children
One man Many men
One ox Many oxen
One woman Many women
One louse Many lice
One mouse Many mice

 

One foot Many feet
One goose Many geese
One tooth Many teeth

Quite a number of irregular plural forms are a result of the influence of Latin on English:

One alumnus Many alumni
One cactus Many cacti
One focus Many foci (focuses)
One fungus Many fungi (funguses)
One nucleus Many nuclei
One radius Many radii
One stimulus Many stimuli
One appendix Many appendices
One index Many indices (indexes)
One matrix Many matrices (matrixes)

 

One antenna Many antennae (antennas)
One formula Many formulae (formulas)
One nebula Many nebulae
One vertebra Many vertebrae
One vita Many vitae

 

One bacterium Many bacteria
One curriculum Many curricula
One datum Many data
One medium Many media
One memorandum Many memoranda
One stratum Many strata
One criterion Many criteria
One phenomenon Many phenomena
One genus Many genera
One corpus Many corpora

Some irregular plural forms are a result of the influence of Greek on English:

One axis Many axes
One analysis Many analyses
One basis Many bases
One crisis Many crises
One diagnosis Many diagnoses
One ellipsis Many ellipses
One hypothesis Many hypotheses
One oasis Many oases
One paralysis Many paralyses
One parenthesis Many parentheses
One synthesis Many syntheses
One synopsis Many synopses
One thesis Many theses

Even French influence can be seen in a few irregular plural forms:

One beau Many beaux
One bureau Many bureaux (bureaus)
One tableau Many tableaux (tableaus)

Some nouns do not change at all.  Their plural form is the same as their singular form:

One deer Many deer
One fish Many fish
One means Many means
One offspring Many offspring
One series Many series
One sheep Many sheep

Certain words always have a plural construction and use a plural verb, even though they are a single thing:

scissors:  Careful – those scissors are sharp.
(eye/sun)glasses:  I don’t know where my sunglasses are.
pants:  Steve’s pants were wrinkled.
jeans:  These jeans were on sale.
shorts:  Have you seen my gym shorts?  I thought I put them in the dirty laundry.
pajamas:  Jesse’s pajamas are full of holes.

We often use the phrase “a pair of ~”:

Have you seem my good pair of scissors?
Jack needs to get a new pair of glasses.
There’s a clean pair of pants in the drawer.
That pair of jeans doesn’t fit Tom any more.
This pair of shorts has a hole in the pocket.
Don’t forget to pack a pair of pajamas.

Certain words have plural construction because they refer to a group of persons/animals (collective nouns):

clergy: The clergy are highly respected.
people:  People are so busy that they don’t have time to relax.
police:  You’ll have to take a different route home – the police have blocked Main Street.

Note:  When we use “couple” or “pair” to refer to people, we use plural construction:

couple:  The elderly couple have been married for over 70 years.
pair:  James and John go everywhere together.  The pair are never apart.

Note:  The collective noun “number” uses plural construction in the phrase “a number of ____,” and singular construction in the phrase “the number of ____”:
number:

A number of women are expecting babies this summer.

but

The number of students getting As in trigonometry is small.

In American English, some collective nouns are often treated as singular, whereas in British English they are treated as plural:

audience class committee
corporation crew crowd
enemy faculty family
flock government group
herd jury panel
staff team

 

Exercises.  Write the plural of the following words.

Example:

cat ==> cats

1.    cow
2.    tomato
3.    wish
4.    child
5.    thief
6.    box
7.    kitty
8.    tooth
9.    church
10.    dress
11.    bay
12.    man
13.    apple
14.    story
15.    wife

Exercises.  Use the pictures to complete the sentences.

Example:

There are a lot of ________ in the pasture. ==> There are a lot of sheep in the pasture.

There are a lot of ________ in the pasture. ==> There are a lot of sheep in the pasture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Do you like ________ ?

1. Do you like ________ ?

  

2. I had two ________ for breakfast.

2. I had two ________ for breakfast.
 

3. I have lost my ________ somewhere.

3. I have lost my ________ somewhere.

 

  

4. How many ________ do you have?

4. How many ________ do you have?

 

Exercises.  Rewrite any sentences that have incorrect plural forms.  If no correction is needed, write “OK.”

Example:

Take these boxs and put them in the car. ==> Take these boxes and put them in the car.
All the benches in the park were freshly painted.  ==>  OK

1.    Jack washed the dishs after dinner.
2.    The department store has a fine selection of watches.
3.    I have to return these bookes to the library.
4.    Whenever the sun is very bright, Father has to wear a sunglasses.
5.    All children like to get toyes for Christmas.
6.    Your backpack is so heavy.  What do you have in there – rocks?
7.    Grandfather had a flock of gooses on his farm.
8.    Have you seen “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”?
9.    Mother bought me a new jeans.
10.    Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.
11.    Would you like tomatos in your salad?
12.    I don’t care for peas.
13.    We need new batteries for the radio.
14.    Neon is one of the so-called “noble gasses.”
15.    The horse had injured one of its hoofs.

Exercises.  Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.

Example:

The people (is/are) tired and hungry.  ==> The people are tired and hungry.

1.    The police (is/are) asking everyone to stay off the roads due to the bad snowstorm.
2.    (Was/Were) there many people at the amusement park today?
3.    Have you seen my sunglasses?  I don’t know where I left (it/them).
4.    People usually (doesn’t/don’t) realize the importance of checking the air pressure in car tires.
5.    Once a month the local clergy (meets/meet) to have a prayer breakfast.
6.    My shorts (has/have) a hole in the pocket.
7.    Mother has (a/some) scissors in her sewing kit.
8.    (Has/Have) the police caught the bank robber yet?
9.    The couple (is/are) having their first baby next month.
10.    Most people (is/are) confused by the new rules.

 

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Grammar Basics: Unit 66 – Indefinite Articles: a, an

Posted on 2013/04/04
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We use the indefinite article a (or an) when we are referring to one thing or one person:

Pattern:  a / an (adjective) N

a is used before words that start with a consonant sound:

I have a dog.  (not I have dog)
Pikes Peak is a mountain in Colorado.  (not Pikes Peak is mountain in Colorado)
What a lovely day!  (not What lovely day)
I saw a child at the playground.  (not I saw child at the playground)

an is used before words that start with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u):

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.  (not Apple day keeps the doctor away)
I ate an egg for breakfast.  (not I ate egg for breakfast)
We saw an orangutan at the zoo.  (not We saw orangutan at the zoo)
Mr. Jones is an important man.  (“man” does not begin with a vowel sound, but “important” does, so we use “an” here.)

Note:  We use “an hour” rather than “a hour” because “hour” starts with a vowel sound – the “h” is silent:

I worked on homework problems for an hour.

Note:  Certain words that begin with “u” may use “a” because they start with a consonant sound (/ju/):

I studied at a university after I graduated from high school.  (starting sound is /ju/)
We lived in a European country.  (starting sound is /ju/)
A computer is a useful tool.  (starting sound is /ju/)

But:

Do you have an umbrella? (starting sound is not /ju/, but /˄/)

We also use “a/an” when we are talking about what a person or thing is, a person’s job, occupation, etc.:

Stavanger is a European city.
A cow is a farm animal.
Jack is a tall boy.
Mr. Smith is a doctor.
My father is a banker.
Sally wants to be a musician when she grows up.
I am a student.  Actually, I am an English student.

 

Exercises.  Complete the phrases, using a or an.

Example:

______ old hat ==> an old hat

1.    ______ interesting book
2.    ______ new car
3.    ______ bank
4.    ______ office
5.    ______ exciting movie
6.    ______ TV show
7.    ______ unusual picture
8.    ______ crazy idea
9.    ______ big cookie
10.    ______ new restaurant

 

Exercises.  Complete the sentences, using a/an and with a word from the list.

Example:

A cat is ______. (mammal)  ==>  A cat is a mammal.

book drink instrument picture plant
dessert insect mountain planet river

1.    Mars is ______.
2.    A trumpet is ______.
3.    Cake is ______.
4.    A dictionary is ______.
5.    The Nile is ______.
6.    The Matterhorn is ______.
7.    A tree is ______.
8.    A bee is ______.
9.    A photograph is ______.
10.    Milk is ______.

 

Exercises.  Make a sentence that tells what each person’s job is.

Example:

He’s ______.

He’s ______.

 

 

==>  He’s a dentist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. He’s ______. 2. She’s ______.

1. He’s ______.
2. She’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. He’s ______.

3. He’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. He’s ______.

4. He’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. He’s ______.

5. He’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. He’s ______. 7. He’s ______.

6. He’s ______.
7. He’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. He’s ______.

8. He’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. She’s ______.

9. She’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. She’s ______.

10. She’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercises.  Write sentences, using words or phrases from each set.  Use a or an.

Example:

(Mr. and Mrs. Jones are going to have) + (baby).  ==>  Mr. and Mrs. Jones are going to have a baby.

 

Can you play Is that Mrs. Brown is The cat caught We flew on
I’m going to take Let’s order The boy scout lit The chicken laid We went out to see

 

airplane exciting book instrument movie shower
egg fire mouse pizza teacher

1.    _________________________________________________________.
2.    _________________________________________________________.
3.    _________________________________________________________.
4.    _________________________________________________________.
5.    _________________________________________________________.
6.    _________________________________________________________.
7.    _________________________________________________________.
8.    _________________________________________________________.
9.    _________________________________________________________.
10.    _________________________________________________________.

 

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Grammar Basics: Unit 65 – Possessive s: ’s

Posted on 2013/04/02
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To show that someone owns something, or has something, we use “ ’s”.

Pattern:  N’s N:

My brother’s car is red.
I spoke to James’s teacher last week.
Mr. Smith’s house burned down.
The man’s horse ran away.

Sometimes we don’t need a noun after the ’s, if we can tell what the noun should be:

My classes are more difficult than Mary’s.  (= Mary’s classes)
Whose book is this?  Is it yours?  —No, it’s my sister’s.  (= my sister’s book)
We went to John’s for lunch.  (= John’s house)

Note:
If there is more than one owner (where the plural form already ends in s), we use s’ instead of ’s:

My friend’s vacation was cut short by bad weather.  (friend’s ==> one friend)
My friends’ vacation was cut short by bad weather.  (friends’ ==> more than one friend)
His father’s car was wrecked.  (father’s ==> only one parent)
His parents’ car was wrecked.  (parents’ ==> both parents, not just one)

Note:
’s is usually used for persons.  For things, we often use of ______:

Peanut butter always sticks to the roof of my mouth.
Tom sat in the back of the room.
Put the cups on the top shelf of the cupboard.
The cover of the book is blue.

Exercises.  Write sentences about the people in the family.

Row 1 (L to R): Jack, Mary, Sarah, Peter Row 2 (L to R): James, Susan, Paulette, Mark

Row 1 (L to R): Jack, Mary, Sarah, Peter
Row 2 (L to R): James, Susan, Paulette, Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack and Mary are married.  Their son is James.  James is married to Susan.

Sarah and Peter are married. Their son is Mark, and their daughter is Paulette.

Jack and Peter are brothers.

Example:

(Jack / husband) ==> Jack is Mary’s husband.

1.    (Mary / mother)
2.    (James / cousin)
3.    (Jack / uncle)
4.    (Susan / daughter-in-law)
5.    (Peter / brother)
6.    (Mary / sister-in-law)
7.    (James / nephew)
8.    (Paulette / niece)
9.    (Sarah / aunt)
10.    (Peter / father)
11.    (Paulette / sister)
12.    Jack is Sarah’s brother-in-law.
13.    Jack is Susan’s father-in-law.
14.    Paulette is Peter’s daughter.
15.    James is Jack’s son.
16.    Sarah is Peter’s wife.

Exercise.  Answer the questions by looking at the pictures.

Example:

(Timmy) Whose umbrella is that?

(Timmy)
Whose umbrella is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whose umbrella is that?  ==> It’s Timmy’s.

 

 

 

(Marcy) 1. Whose ball is that?

(Marcy)
1. Whose ball is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Jane) 2. Whose car is that?

(Jane)
2. Whose car is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Steve) 3. Whose bicycle is that?

(Steve)
3. Whose bicycle is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Edwin) 4. Whose horse is that?

(Edwin)
4. Whose horse is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Rob) 5. Whose tent is that?

(Rob)
5. Whose tent is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Nancy) 6. Whose camera is that?

(Nancy)
6. Whose camera is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise.   Look at the following sentences and correct the underlined portion if need be.   If the sentence needs no correction, write “OK.”

Example:

The squirrel crawled on the roof of the house.  ==> OK
I rode in the car of my brother.  ==> my brother’s car

1.    I put the book of Jack on the table.
2.    The fifth grade class gave a retirement present to the principal of the school.
3.    The keys of Mr. Smith are hanging on the key rack.
4.    The coach displayed the trophy of the team in the school lobby.
5.    We took a rest in the shade of the tree.
6.    Grandmother threw out the shoes of my sister.
7.    The dog likes to sleep at the foot of the bed.
8.    Mrs. Johnson always sits at the front of the bus.
9.    Ride the subway until you get to the end of the line, and then get off.
10.    The cat was hiding under the bed of the twins.
11.    Let’s have a party in the middle of the month.
12.    Someone stole the trumpet of Mark.
13.    I can’t remember the name of the movie.
14.    The car of  my dad had a flat tire.
15.    The nose of my uncle was sunburned.
16.    The floor of the cabin was made of rough planks of wood.

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