Unit 10
Word work: countable and uncountable nouns
We can count some things. Nouns like rock, crater, spring are countable nouns. Some things we cannot count. Nouns like mud, dust, water are uncountable nouns.
1 Write each noun in the box below in the correct column.
WB 5 p14
weather
garden ocean
information visitor
mountain work
advice
flower
money
food
music
volcano air
city
beach
lava
river
electricity
coffee
Countable nouns
Uncountable nouns
garden
weather
2 Identify five countable and five uncountable nouns in this paragraph. A volcano is an opening in Earth’s crust. When a volcano erupts, gas and magma (molten rock) from deep within the Earth work their way up to the surface. This material may flow slowly out of a crack in the ground, or it may explode suddenly into the air. Lava flows out of the volcano and burns everything in its path. A volcanic eruption can cause major damage to the surrounding area. It may bury whole communities in volcanic mud.
Uncountable nouns are singular. They must be used with singular verbs. When a volcano erupts, mud sometimes covers towns and villages. Mud is an uncountable noun. It is used with a singular verb: covers .
3 Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets. Not all the sentences contain uncountable nouns. 1 The information I found on the internet was (was / were) useful. 2 The damage done to the houses by the storm _____ (is / are) considerable. 3 The effects of a volcanic eruption _____ (is / are) felt for a long time. 4 The advice the librarian gave Dwayne _____ (was / were) helpful. 5 The water in the springs sometimes _____ (reaches / reach) boiling point. 6 Sometimes the beaches in volcanic areas _____ (has / have) black sand. 7 The climate in the Caribbean _____ (has / have) changed in recent years. 8 The lava produced by a volcanic eruption _____ (flow / flows) rapidly down the sides of the volcano.
• Word work : Students can test whether a noun is countable or not by seeing if it has a plural form, e.g. advices , gardens .
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