Countable/Uncountable Nouns: A, Some, Any Exercises
Countable nouns are names of things that can be counted .
Eg: 20 Tables , 4 cookers, 3 people (plural of person)
Rule: You can only use singular verbs with singular countable nouns and plural verbs are only used with plural countable nouns.
Uncountable nouns are names of things that can not be counted. They are words that do not have a plural form and are used to express quantities that come as a whole or in one piece. However, they can be used with quantifiers which are words that come before nouns to show the amount of something .
Eg: 1 water = 1 glass of water
rices = a bag of rice
airs = lots of air
Rule: You can only use singular verbs with uncountable nouns
Some is used to show that there is more than two of something. It can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
I have some money.
I saw some birds.
Any is used to show the negative amount of something which only works if we use not in the the sentence.
I don’t (do not ) have any money. I don’t have some money.
I didn’t (did not) see any birds. I didn’t see some birds.
Any is also used when we ask questions.
Do you have any money ? Have you bought any sugar?
Do we need any strawberries? Have you got any potatoes?
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Test your knowledge with the following exercises
1. Circle the uncountable nouns:
house car sugar coffee potato bread newspaper book glass salt butter sandwich time chocolate
cheese apple cup pencil petrol shoe water watch oil pen ham egg information pen
money table milk wine film tea toast juice class meat advice holiday orange tuna
2. Denise is instructing Martina how to bake a cake.
a) Fill in the gaps with some or any:
Martina: Denise! Do we have _____ eggs?
Denise: Yes, there are ____________ in the cupboard. You’ll need six of them to mix with ________ self raising flour and _______ sugar. You’ll need _____ butter and flavouring too.
Martina: Have we got ____________ sugar?
Denise: Yes, there’s ____________ lower draw under the microwave.
Martina: Did you say that i’ll need ___________ butter?
Denise: Yes, of course.
Martina: But I don’t have ______ .
Denise: You haven’t got _______?
Martina: No none at all.
Denise: Do you want me to go to the shop to buy __________?
Martina: No, it’s ok . I give up on baking cakes for today.
jb) Answer/complete these questions:
1. Do we use some or any in positive sentences? ______________
2. Do we use some or any in negative sentences? ______________
3. Do we usually use some or any in questions? ________________
4. But we use ______________ in questions when we expect the answer “Yes” or when the question is an offer.
3. Fill in the gaps with some or any:
Tom: Let’s go for a picnic in the park.
Sarah: OK. We’ll make _________ sandwiches. What do we need? Tom: We haven’t got ___________ bread. Can you buy ________?
Sarah: Yes, sure. What about butter?
Tom: We’ve got __________. I’ll buy _________cheese.
Sarah: OK, and is there __________ orange juice in the fridge? Tom: No, I’ll get __________.
Sarah: Good. Do we need ___________ apples or cherries?
Tom: Just ___________ apples.
Sarah: Oh dear! I haven’t got ___________ money to buy the bread! Tom: Don’t worry. I’ll lend you _____________.
4. Cross out a/an if it is wrong and substitute it with some. If it is correct, put a tick ()
Can you give me an ____________ information, please?
I bought a ____________ suitcase yesterday.
We need a ____________money for the cinema.
He’s eating a ____________ bread.
I’d like a _____________ advice about my future.
We stopped at the filling station to get a ___________ petrol.
I really need a _____________ holiday.
Can you give me a ___________water, please? I’m thirsty.
Can you pass me a ____________ newspaper?
Do you want an ___________ apple?j
5. Make these sentences negative. Use not…any
We’ve got some books about cinema.
Mary gave me some money yesterday.
Susan needs some help with her homework.
I bought some apples in the supermarket.
She’s got some sausages in the fridge.
There’s some milk in the cupboard.
He wrote some letters to his friends.
There are some apples left.
I’m really thirsty. I need ____________ water, please.
I went to the library, but I couldn’t find __________ books about art.
Can you give me ___________ coffee, please?
She sent _____________ postcards to her friends, but she didn’t make _____________ phone calls when she was in Britain.
It’s very cold, so there are ____________ children playing in the street.
I bought __________ coffee, but I didn’t buy ____________ tea.
Have you got ______________ chocolate biscuits? I’m sorry, there are ____________ biscuits left.
“Mary, I’m afraid there’s __________ juice in the fridge.
They ate ____________apples, but they didn’t eat ___________ oranges.
A. “Do you want _____________ cheese? It’s delicious”. B. “Ok, give me ____________.”
I’m sorry, but I’ve got __________ time to help you.
He prepared ____________fruit for dessert.
I wanted to invite you, but I’ve got __________ money.
Is there _____________ oil in the kitchen?
We need _____________ coins for the car park. Have you got ___________, Peter?
7. Complete the sentences with how many, how much, a lot of, enough, too many, too much, not much, not many.
A. _______________ sugar is there? B. There is ____________ to make the cake, Mary.
I have got _____________money to buy a ticket for the concert.
I’ve got some rice, but _______________.
A. Have they got ____________ time to practise sport? B. Yes, but______________.
A. _______________ exercises do you have to do, Charles? B. I______________, I think.
Don’t buy any potatoes, we’ve got ________________ potatoes left.
Peter has got some friends, but ________________.
_______________ people are there in the classroom?
Are there ________________ people to play a football match?
________________ eggs do you need to make the omelette?
There were __________________people at the party, it was fantastic.
A. ________________ chocolate do you eat? B. I think I eat _____________,but I’m afraid I’m a chocoholic.
She ate _________________ chocolates, so she’s got a stomach ache.