1. 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 1

2. 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

3. Classifying nouns
common
proper - Ah Seng
abstract
collective 1

4. counting nouns       countable uncountable
can be counted individually
one orange 
one fruit  
can be made plural by themselves
oranges
fruits  
can stand alone in the singular
(without a determiner)
orange
fruit

5. BUT
some non-count nouns can be made countable by adding a measure term
e.g.
Would you like sugar in your tea?
Please give me two teaspoons (of sugar)
Did you have bread
for breakfast?
I ate two slices (of bread)

6. note some usages can make:
a countable noun uncountable, e.g. when we generalise: Experience is a good teacher.
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.

7. counting abstract nouns
abstract nouns are typically:
(Greenbaum & Quirk)
count when they refer to events, e.g. meeting; arrival; discovery.
non-count when they refer to activities, states and qualities, e.g. employment; happiness; sleep; swimming
But remember that they may be both!!!

8. forming the plural noun ending -o*, -ch, -sh, -ss, -x consonant + y
vowel + y
-fe
plural
+ -es
y i
+ -s
-fe -ves
e.g
tomatoes
churches
bosses
boxes
*kimonos
babies
keys
knives

9. singular and plural nouns
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)

10. gender
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

11. noun phrases HEAD a group of words organised around a noun
e.g.
those two little snakes
The noun is the Head word
HEAD

12. noun phrase structure pre-modifier HEAD post-modifier
determiners
Numeratives
those two little baby snakes that I have met
pre-modifier
HEAD
post-modifier
Classifiers
Describers
qualifier
(phrase or clause)

13. modifiers pre-modifiers:
determiners which indicate whether or not the noun is specific; a snake; the snake;
Modification gives us information about the Thing. The more describers and classifiers there are the clearer we express which Thing we mean. The most precise information is usually to be found in the post-modifier.
adjectives which count, describe or classify the noun, e.g. the two small dinner sets

14. pre-modifiers (cont...)
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
As we previously saw, Pointers are technically known as Deictics. What they do is determine whether or not the Head word (the Thing) is specific. So another term that is used to refer to these is Determiner. Notice that demonstrative and possessive determiners refer to i) proximity (this/that) or ii) person (1st/2nd/3rd person)

15. possessive determiners
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 -s
e.g. the teachers’ workshop

16. quantifiers how many things; or how much of a thing Countable things
both
other eggs
some/any
six
Uncountable things
much
a little
less water
some/any
six cups of

17. combining noun phrases
appositional noun phrases: two adjacent noun phrases both of which refer to the same thing,
e.g. my student, Ah Seng, wrote this text.

18. combining noun phrases
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.

19. common errors
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.
Articles are omitted, e.g.
Your request for appointment in salaries section has been rejected.

20. useful references
Rediscover Grammar by David Crystal London: Longman. (nd.) pp
A Students’ Grammar of the English Language by S. Greenbaum & R. Quirk.
London: Longman pp

21. jokingly... 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?”
any
“I’m sorry sir. …… our dogs go ‘Woof! Woof!’”
all

22. I’m afraid Alice will not be at school today. Who’s this calling?
Which determiner?
I’m afraid Alice will not be at school today.
Who’s this calling?
It’s …… mother
her
John and George, is this …. football?
Did it break anything sir?
No, not that I know of.
Then yes, sir, it’s …..
your
ours

23. I don’t have …… hair so I’d like to buy a wig.
Which determiner?
much
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.
some

24. You are a person of sophistication and discernment
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.

25. your energy and zest for living. a range of skin care
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

26. the charismatic, career-minded person pre-modifier Head
our high-tech laboratories
pre-modifier Head
state-of-the-art combinations of natural oils of plants and flowers and laboratory-tested ingredients

27. Snakes
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.

28. Snakes
Snakes
reptiles
cold blooded creatures.
the same group as lizards
a sub-group of their own.
a scaly skin and no legs.
their old skin

29. Female snakes
eggs.
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.