Countability and plural nouns

1. Countability and Group wordsCountability and Group words
Asun Sánchez &
Ana Mena
pieceof
a bit of
items of
anarticleof
group
crowd
Unit 5 - C1
flock
gang
herd
pack
set
shoal
swarm
team

2. They have singular and
plural form.
You can use numbers
with them.
You can use the article
a / an with their singular
form.
They only have one
form.
They are followed by
a singular verb.
You can’t use either
numbers or the
article a /an with
them.
UNCOUNTABLE
NOUNS

3. Advice, information, accommodation, homework,
knowledge,
money, water, time, health, paper, iron, weather, traffic,
equipment, work…..
A few uncountable nouns end in –s, but they
follow the
normal rules for uncountable nouns and have a
singular
verb:
News, billiards, politics, ….

4. 1. Uncountable nouns: Pieces
To talk about a limited quantity of something we can use a piece of or a bit of
before an uncountable noun. Bit (informal) suggests a small quantity.
a piece/bit of… cake, bread, news, information, etc…
some pieces/bits of… paper, wood, etc…
Other words are used before particular nouns. Some common examples are:
a bar of chocolate, soap
a blade of grass
a block of ice
a drop of water, oil, vinegar
a grain of salt, sand, rice, thruth
an item of information, news, clothing,
furniture
a loaf of bread
a slice of bread, cake, meat
a lump of sugar, coal
a speck of dust
a sheet of paper, metal, plastic

5. 2. Not a… of…
Some words for small pieces can be used in a negative structure meaning “no …
at all”.
There is not a grain of thruth in what he says.
There hasn’t been a breath of air all day.
We haven’t got a scrap (of food) to eat.
He came downstairs without a stitch of clothing on.
3. Pairs
Pair is used for many things that normally go in twos, and with plural nouns to
refer to some two-part objects.
a pair of shoes, socks, earrings
a pair of glasses, binoculars
a pair of trousers, jeans, pyjamas
a pair of scissors, pliers

6. There are some nouns which only have a plural form
and take a plural verb:
Your clothes are great!
More plural nouns: goods, jeans, trousers, means, ….

7. 4. Plural nouns: Collections
Special words are used before certain plural nouns to talk about groups or
collections.
a bunch of flowers
a crowd of people
a flock of sheep, birds
a herd of cattle, goats
a pack of cards
Set is used before many uncountable and plural nouns referring to groups
which contain a fixed number of things.
a set of cutlery, napkins, dishes, tyres, spanners
source: Practical English Usage, M. Swan, Oxford

8. Group nouns can be followed by either a singular or plural
verb:
I think the government is/ are wrong.
It depends on whether we think of the group as a whole
(singular verb), or its individual
members (plural verb):
The audience was very disappointed after the play.
The team were given a medal after winning the match.
More group nouns:
army, class, company, crew, crowd, data, media, family, group,
press, public, staff,..
Remember! People, police and cattle are always PLURAL.