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THE NOUN PHRASE

The noun phrase is a group of words that ends with a noun. It can contain determiners (the, a, this, etc.), adjectives, adverbs, and nouns. It CANNOT begin with a preposition. Remember that both subjects and complements are generally noun phrases.

COUNT AND NON-COUNT NOUNS

A count noun is one that can be counted.

book - one book, two books, three books,...

student - one student, two students, three students,...

person - one person, two people, three people,...

A non-count noun is one that cannot be counted.

milk - you cannot say: one milk, two milks,...

It is possible, however, to count some non-count nouns if the substance is placed in a countable container.

glass of milk -one glass of milk, two glasses of milk,...

Some determiners can be used only with count or non-count nouns, while others can be used with either. Memorize the words in the following chart.

It is very important to know if a noun is count or non-count. Be sure that you know the plurals of irregular count nouns. The following list contains some irregular count nouns that you should know.

The following list contains some non-count nouns that you should know.

*NOTE: Although advertising is a non-count noun, advertisement is a count noun. If you wish to speak of one particular advertisement, you must use this word.

There are too many advertisements during television shows.
There is too much advertising during television shows.

Some non-count nouns, such as food, meat, money, and sand, may be used as count nouns in order to indicate different types.

This is one of the foods that my doctor has forbidden me to eat. (indicates a particular type of food)

He studies meats. (for example, beef, pork, lamb, etc.)

The word time can be either countable or non-countable depending on the context. When it means an occasion, it is countable. When it means a number of hours, days, years, etc., it is non-countable.

We have spent too much time on this homework. (non-count)
She has been late for class six times this semester. (count)

To decide if a noun that you are not sure of is countable or non-countable, decide if you can say: one ______ or a______. For example, you can say "one book," so it is a count noun. You cannot say "one money," so it is not a count noun. Also, of course, by the very nature of non-count nouns, a non-count noun can never be plural. Remember that, while some of the nouns in the list of non-count nouns appear to be plural because they end in -s, they are actually not plural.

Exercise Count and Non-Count Nouns

Identify the following nouns as count nouns or non-count nouns according to their usual meaning.

Exercise: Determiners

Choose the correct determiners in the following sentences.

1. He doesn't have (many/much) money.

2. I would like (a few/a little) salt on my vegetables.

3. She bought (that/those) cards last night.

4. There are (less/fewer) students in this room than in the next-room.

5. There is (too much/too many) bad news on television tonight.

6. I do not want (these/this) water.

7. This is (too many/too much) information to learn.

8. A (few/little) people left early.

9. Would you like (less/fewer) coffee than this?

10. This jacket costs (too much/too many).

A AND AN

A or an can precede only singular count nouns; they mean one. They can be used in a general statement or to introduce a subject which has not been previously mentioned.

A baseball is round, (general—means all baseballs)
I saw a boy in the street. (We don't know which boy.)

An is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. A is used before words that begin with a consonant sound.

Some words can be confusing because the spelling does not indicate the pronunciation.

a house (begins with a consonant sound)
an hour (begins with a vowel sound)
a university (begins with a consonant sound)
an umbrella (begins with a vowel sound)

The following words begin with a consonant sound and thus must always be preceded by a.

The following words begin with a vowel sound and thus must always be preceded by an.

The initial sound of the word that immediately follows the indefinite article will determine whether it should be a or an.

THE

The is used to indicate something that we already know about or something that is common knowledge.

The boy in the corner is my (The speaker and the listener friend, know which boy.)
The earth is round. (There is only one earth.)

With non-count nouns, one uses the article the if speaking in specific terms, but uses no article if speaking in general.

Sugar is sweet, (general—all sugar).

The sugar on the table is from (specific—the sugar that is on Cuba. the table)

Normally, plural count nouns, when they mean everything within a certain class, are not preceded by the.

Oranges are green until they ripen, (all oranges)
Athletes should follow a well-balanced diet. (all athletes)

Normally a proper noun is not preceded by an article unless there are several people or things with the same name and the speaker is specifying one of them.

There are three Susan Parkers in the telephone directory.
The Susan Parker that I know lives on First Avenue.

Normally words such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, school, church, home, college, and work do not use any article unless to restrict the meaning.

We ate breakfast at eight o'clock this morning.
We went to school yesterday.

Use the following generalizations as a guide for the use of the article the.

Exercise: Articles

In the following sentences supply the articles (a, an, or the) if they are necessary. If no article is necessary, leave the space blank.

1. Jason's father bought him ___ bicycle that he had wanted for his birthday..

2. ___ Statue of Liberty was a gift of friendship from ___ France to ___ United States.

3. Rita is studying ___ English and ——— math this semester.

4. __ judge asked __ witness to tell ___ truth.

5. Please give me —— cup of —— coffee with __ cream and ___ sugar.

6. ___ big books on ___ table are for my history class.

7. No one in ___ Spanish class knew ___ correct answer to ___ Mrs. Perez's question.

8. My ___ car is four years old, and it still runs well.

9. When you go to ___ store, please buy ___ bottle of ___ chocolate milk and ___ dozen oranges.

10. There are only ___ few seats left for ___ tonight's musical at ___ university.

11. John and Marcy went to ___ school yesterday and then studied in __ library before returning home.

12. ___ Lake Erie is one of ___ five Great Lakes in ___ North . America.

13. On our trip to ___ Spain, we crossed ___ Atlantic Ocean.

14. __ Mount Rushmore is the site of__ magnificent tribute to___four great American presidents.

15. What did you eat for __ breakfast this morning?

16. Louie played ___ basketball and ___ baseball at ___ Boys' Club this year.

17. Rita plays ___ violin and her sister plays ___guitar.

18. While we were in ___ Alaska, we saw ___ Eskimo village.

19. Phil can't go to ___ movies tonight because he has to write___ essay.

20. David attended __ Princeton University.

21. Harry has been admitted to ——— School of Medicine at ___ midwestem university.

22. Mel's grandmother is in ___ hospital, so we went to visit her___ last night.

23. ___ political science class is taking ___ trip to ___ United Arab Emirates in ___ spring.

24. ___ Queen Elizabeth II is ___ monarch of ___ Great Britain.

25. ___ Declaration of Independence was drawn up in 1776.

26. Scientists sent ___ expedition to ___ Mars during ___ 1990s.

27. Last night there was ___ bird singing outside my house.

28. ___ chair that you are sitting in is broken.

29. ——— Civil War was fought in ___ United States between 1861 and 1865.

30. ___ Florida State University is smaller than ___ University of Florida.