C English Encounters

Nouns can be 1. Count Nouns 2. Mass Nouns

Count Nouns can be counted. There are many graves here. grave graves

Rule 1: Count Nouns usually form the plural by adding s. Examples: boys, stores, computers

Some Count Nouns form the plural by adding es. Rule 2: If the Count Noun ends in ch, sh, s, x, or z, add es to form the plural.

Examples of forming es plurals for Count Nouns: SingularPlural churchchurches glassglasses crashcrashes buzzbuzzes foxfoxes

Rule 3: Some Count Nouns that end in o form the plural by adding es. SingularPlural Potatopotatoes volcanovolcanoes

Exception to Rule 3: Nouns ending in o that pertain to music add s. SingularPlural solosolos sopranosopranos

SingularPlural partyparties flyflies Rule 4: Some Count Nouns that end in a consonant plus y form the plural by dropping the y and adding ies.

Rule 5: Some Count Nouns that end in f or fe form the plural by dropping the f or fe and adding ves.

Examples of Rule 5: SingularPlural halfhalves loafloaves knifeknives wifewives lifelives

Exception to Rule 5: roof, roofs

Rule 6: Some Count Nouns have irregular plurals. SingularPlural manmenmen womanwomen footfeet personpeople toothteeth

Rule 7: Some Count Nouns do not change in the plural. SingularPlural deer fish (sometimes) fish sheep

Mass Nouns cannot be counted. Examples: 1. Materials: cotton, silk 2. Metals: gold, silver 3. Food: bread, butter, rice 4. Qualities: honesty, adolescence

Mass Nouns cannot be counted. Examples: 5. Languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish; Bengla, Farsi 6.Most Gerunds: looking, listening, swimming, walking 7.Infinitives: to work, to read, etc.

Language: English is a difficult language to learn. Gerund: Walking is good exercise. Infinitive: I love to read. Metal: My favorite metal is gold. Food: Do you like rice? Quality: Honesty is the best policy. Material: This skirt is made of cotton.

To measure mass nouns use of after a measurement: Examples: a pound of rice an ounce of honesty a bag of gold thirty minutes of walking

Nouns and Pronouns have cases. Case refers to the relationship of nouns and pronouns to other words in the sentence.

There are three noun and pronoun cases: 1.Subjective Case 2.Objective Case 3.Possessive Case

Examples of Noun Cases: Subjective Case: The student works at a grocery store.

Examples of Noun Cases: Objective Case: Kroger hired the student.

Examples of Noun Cases: Possessive Case: Singular The student’s first job was at Kroger.

Examples of Noun Cases: Possessive Case: Plural: If the plural ends in s, add an apostrophe (’). Example: The students’ grades were good.

Examples of Noun Cases: Possessive Case: Plural: If the plural does not end in s, add an apostrophe s. The children’s toys are here. We saw seven different deer’s tracks.