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Countable nouns with a/an and some

Countable nouns can be singular or plural:

A dog => dogs

A child/=> some children

The evening => the evenings

This party =>these parties

An umbrella =>two umbrellas

Before singular countable nouns you can use a/an:

• Goodbye! Have a nice evening.

• Do you need an umbrella?

You cannot use singular countable nouns alone (without a/the/my etc.):

• She never wears a hat. (Not 'She never wears hat')

• Be careful of the dog. (Not 'Be careful of dog')

• What a beautiful day!

• I’ve got a headache.

We use a/an... to say what kind of thing or person something/somebody is:

• A dog is an animal.

• I'm an optimist.

• Tim's father is a doctor.

• Are you a good driver?

• Jill is a really nice person.

• What a lovely dress!

We say that somebody has a long nose / a nice face / a strong heart etc.:

• Jack has got a long nose, (not 'the long nose')

In sentences like these, we use plural nouns alone (not with 'some'):

• Dogs are animals.

• Most of my friends are students.

• Jill's parents are really nice people.

• What awful shoes!

• Jack has got blue eyes, (not 'the blue eyes')

Remember to use a/an when you say what somebody's job is:

• Sandra is a nurse, (not 'Sandra is nurse')

• Would you like to be an English teacher?

You can use some with plural countable nouns. We use some in two ways:

i) Some = a number of / a few of / a pair of:

• I've seen some good films recently, (not 'I've seen good films')

• Some friends of mine are coming to stay at the weekend.

• I need some new sunglasses. (= a new pair of sunglasses)
Do not use some when you are talking about things in general

• I love bananas, (not 'some bananas')

• My aunt is a writer. She writes books, (not 'some books')

Sometimes you can make sentences with or without some (with no difference in meaning):

• There are (some) eggs in the fridge if you're hungry.

ii) Some = some but not all

• Some children learn very quickly, (but not all children)

• Some police officers in Britain carry guns, but most of them don't.

Put in a/an or some where necessary. If no word is necessary, leave the space empty (-).

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1. I’ve seen good films recently.

2. What's wrong with you? Have you got headache?

3. I know a lot of people. Most of them are students.

4. When I was child, I used to be very shy.

5. Would you like to be actor?

6. Do you collect stamps?

7. What beautiful garden!

8. birds, for example the penguin, cannot fly.

9. I've been walking for three hours. I've got sore feet.

10. I don't feel very well this morning. I've got sore throat.

11. Those are nice shoes. Where did you get them?

12. Sandra has got big nose.

13. Do you enjoy going to concerts?

14. When we got to the city centre, shops were still open but most of them were closed.

15. I don't believe him. He's a liar. He's always telling lies.

16. Jane is teacher. Her parents were teachers too.

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