Notice: Did you know you can get an instant definition of any word on this page, just by double-clicking on it?

Try it now! Double-click any word on page to see the definition!

Grammar Talks 2-04 | Beginner | Singular vs Plural Nouns with Articles

House and Things

Aimee and Todd talk about all the stuff they have in their homes.
image

Aimee: So, Todd, do you like your house?

Todd: I do. It's a nice house, but it's an old house. It's very old.

Aimee: How many rooms are in your house?

Todd: My house has four rooms, a living room, a sleeping room, a study room, and a kitchen.

Aimee: That sounds big. How about bathrooms? How many bathrooms do you have?

Todd: I have two bathrooms or toilets, and then I have one washing room to take a shower.

Aimee: Oh, nice. Do you have a TV?

Todd: I do have a TV in the living room, and I have a big couch and a nice table, and I have cable TV.

Aimee: Wow.

Todd: I have cable, but I don't watch TV much.

Aimee: Oh, well, what about your kitchen. Do you have a kitchen?

Todd: I do. I have a very small kitchen. My kitchen has one stove, a small stove, a table, and a refrigerator, and a microwave. I can cook, but it's not easy.

Aimee: Oh, how many chairs do you have in the kitchen.

Todd: We only have two chairs. It's very, very small.

Aimee: Do you have a kettle?

Todd: I do have a kettle. Do you want coffee?

Aimee: No. It's an important, important kitchen appliance.

Todd: It is. It is. I like that kettle. I think, in American English, we say "Coffee pot."

Aimee: Really?

Todd: Yeah. Do we say, "Kettle?" Maybe. I don't know. I don't know American English. I need to learn.

Aimee: For me, a kettle is something you use to boil water, so you could be making tea or coffee.

Todd: True.

Aimee: It doesn't matter.

Todd: Maybe we do say kettle. We say kettle. Sorry.

Aimee: How about books, Todd? Do you have many books?

Todd: No. I have a rule. I only keep two books.

Aimee: What?

Todd: Yeah. If I want a new book, I must get rid of a book.

Aimee: Wow.

Todd: Only two. Never three. I don't like having three, four-

Aimee: hat is so strict.

Todd: It is. It is very strict. My rule, strange rule.

Aimee: How about clothes? Do you have a lot of clothes?

Todd: No. I am a minimalist. That means I have few items of clothing. I think I have maybe five shirts and three pairs of pants-

Aimee: Wow.

Todd: And two pairs of shoes.

Aimee: Wow. It sounds great.

Todd: It is, kind of, but I'm 47. I'm old, so it's okay. I can wear the same clothes every day. It's okay.

Aimee: In your house, do you have a patio?

Todd: I do, but it's really old, and it's not safe. It can fall. It's old, so I don't use it, but I have a small area to go outside, a small garden. It's nice.

Aimee: Sounds nice. Sounds like a great house.

Todd: It is, it is. Old, but nice.

Singular vs Plural Nouns with Articles

Point 1: We use plural nouns when we talk about more than one item. We add an (s) to the noun.
  1. I have many books.
  2. I don't have a history book.
  3. I have a cat and two dogs.
Point 2: We use the article a and an before a singular noun for an item that is not specific to the listener.
  1. I have an old computer.
  2. She has a nice house.
  3. I have a big kitchen.
  4. I don't have an umbrella.
Point 3: Once the listener knows about the item, we use the article the instead of a or an in future references.
  1. To make an omelet, crack an egg. Then whisk the egg.
  2. Then get a pan. Cook the egg in the pan.
  3. Then get a plate. Put the egg on the plate.
  4. Then get a fork. Use the fork to eat the omelet.
Point 4: When we talk about items in general, use the plural form, often without the article the.
  1. Books are important.
  2. Do you like apples?
  3. Everybody needs friends.
  4. I don't like watching movies.
Point 5: We use the article the before plural nouns when we refer to a specific group of items.
  1. I bought the books you asked for.
  2. The streets in my town are very clean.
  3. I love the cookies my mother makes.
  4. The students in my class like to play games.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

Bình luận (0)

Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Michael Gough
Learning English Everyday