Other nouns:boyhood,kingdom, lunacy, mouthful, sexism.

And note - ing forms used as nouns: I've given your shirt an ironing. [>2.2A, 165]

Write:Give the nouns derived from verbs, adjectives or other nouns. Use these endings: -age, -hood, -ation -ion, -ful, -ence, -ency, -ness, -al, -(er)y, -ment, -ety, -ism, -ity, -ing,

1 I decided this. It was my decision. 2 Don't be so anxious. Control your... 3 Ann's a socialist. She believes in... 4 We all want to be happy. We all seek... 5 We all agree. We're all in… 6 Who discovered this? Who made this...? 7 We'll all arrive. We'll be met on... 8 I was a child then. That was in my... 9 She is absent. Can you explain her...? 10 I'll post this. What's the...? 11 Try again. Have another... 12 Be more efficient. Improve your … 13 Don't be so curious. Control your... 14 Address this envelope. I'll give you the... 15 I refused their offer. My... is final. 16 I warned you. I gave you enough... 17 Put it in your mouth. Take one... 18 Can you explain it? Is there an... 19 They tried him. I was at the... 20 Don't argue. I don't want an...

 

2.1C Nouns and verbs with the same spelling but different stress [> LEG 2.3.1, App 3.1]

1 With some words, when the stress is on the first syllable,the word is a noun. When the stress is on the second syllable, it is a verb. The meanings are related:

noun: We have finished Book 1. We have made good 'progress. verb: We are now ready to pro'gress to Book 2.

The meanings can also be quite different:

noun: My son's 'conduct at school hasn't been very good. verb: Mahler used to con'duct the Vienna Philharmonic.

Write:Underline the syllable that you would stress when speaking. 1 I need a per mitto work in this country. 2 I can't permit you to park here. 3 Will they increase my salary next year? 4 I'm looking for an increase in salary. 5 Joy objects to your proposal. 6 Don't treat me as if I were an object. 7 We've had complaints about your conduct. 8 I'll conduct you to your seat. 9 This is the entrance to the building. 10 Gloria will entrance you. 11 Do you want to buy this record? 12 Let me record your voice. 13 I've brought you a present. 14 Please present my compliments to him. 15 I must protest at your proposal. 16 The proposal didn't go without protest. 17 I've got an Australian accent. 18 Please accent every syllable. 19 Our exports have increased this year. 20 We export everything we make. 21 I'll escort you to your new office. 22 You'll need an escort. 23 Our imports have increased. 24 We import too much.

 

2.1.D Write: Refer to the words in brackets and put in the right nouns. COMPUTER TANTRUMS A clever computer built at Imperial College, London, often suffers from (bore)1 .... The computer was built to find out about human (communicate2²... The computer acquired a simple vocabulary in the same way as babies do: through (babble)3...It is common (know4... that when babies babble, it is a (prepare5 ⁵... for speech. When babies make sounds like real words, they are encouraged to remember them. With (encourage)6... from their parents, babies quickly build up their vocabulary. In the same way, the clever computer learnt to use real words. For example, it learnt to identify a black cat. It was then shown a white cat to test how good it was at (recognize)7... It refused to co-operate because the (solve)8... to the problem was too easy. At first this (refuse9... puzzled scientists, but then they decided the computer was having a tantrum. 'It just sits there and goes on strike,' a (science)10... said. These clever computers must also be taught good (behave11) ¹ …

2.2 Compound nouns2.2A Nouns formed with gerund ('-ing') + noun: 'dancing-shoes' [> LEG 2.7, 2.11 n.3, 6.3.1, 16.39.3]

1 When a noun has two or more parts (e.g. classroom), we call it a compound noun. We can make compound nouns with the -ing form: e.g. dancing-shoes [compare > 16.5].

2 The –ing form can sometimes be an adjective: Can you see that 'dancing 'couple? (= couple that is dancing). When the –ing form is an adjective, we stress both words and never use a hyphen.

3 The –ing form can be the first part of a compound noun: I need a pair of dancing-shoes. (= shoes used for dancing; not 'shoes that are dancing') When the -ing form is a noun, we stress the first word only and a hyphen is optional.

Write:Put a tick if the second word is part of a compound noun.

1 You need a pair of running shoes. V 2 We sat beside a running stream. 3 Put it in the frying pan. 4 I like the smell of frying sausages. 5 This water is near boiling point. 6 I need some boiling water. 7 Where are my walking shoes? 8 Vera is a walking dictionary.

 

2.2B Apostrophe s ('s) or compound noun? [>leg 2.10.1,2.44,2.47-48]

1 We use apostrophe s ('s) and s apostrophe (s’) with people and some living things to show possession: Gus's car, the girls' shoes, a dog's bark [> 2.8].

2 When we want to show possession with things, we can use of: the leg of the table. However, we often prefer to use a compound noun instead of: the table-leg.

3 We can say the voice of a man or a man's voice. (Not "a man voice") We can say the leg of a table or a table-leg. (Not *a table's leg*)

Write:Supply a phrase with 's or a compound noun in place of the phrases in italics.

1 Where's the key of the car?.. the car key. 2 Where's the surgery of the doctor?... 3 It's the idea of the committee... 4 Don't damage the nib of the pen... 5 It's the keyboard of the computer... 6 I've cleaned the top of the desk... 7 It was in the reign of King John... 8 Do you like the poetry of Eliott... 9 It's the responsibility of no one… 10 Look at the handle of the suitcase... 11 Polish the knob of the front door... 12 The journey of Scott is historic... 13 Who stole the bicycle of the postman?... 14 Put out the stub of that cigarette …15 We've got a new table in the kitchen... 16 Don't pull the tail of the horse!... 17 Please clean the switches of the lights…18 I spoke to the secretary of the boss... 19 This is the new policy of the party… 20 The cover of the book is torn... 21 He's the son of Mr Jones …22 The gate of the factory was shut...23 Please open the door of the garage... 24 I've lost the photos of the children... 25 The phone in the office is out of order... 26 The critic of the film was wrong... 27 She's a teacher of dancing… 28 Who's the mother of the twins?... 29 That's the wife of my brother…30 І need a new lamp for reading… 31 The surface of the road is slippery…32 He is the secretary of the President.....

 

2.2C Compound nouns which tell us about materials and substances [> LEG 2.10.5, 6.13]

1 Names of materials and substances (leather, gold) are like adjectives when we use them to form compound nouns: a watch made of gold - a gold watch. (Not *golden*) These words behave like adjectives in this one way, but they remain nouns because they do not have comparative or superlative forms and we cannot put very in front of them. We stress both words in spoken English: I can't afford a'gold'watch. [ > 6.48-D]

2 Two important exceptions are wood and wool, which have adjectival forms: a table made of wood > a wooden table', a dress made of wool > a woollen dress.

3 There are adjectival forms for words like gold: glass/glassy, gold/golden, leather/leathery, silver/silvery, silk/silky/silken, steel/steely, stone/stony. We use them to mean 'like': a golden sunset (= a sunset like gold).

Write:Make compound nouns or use adjectival forms. 1 a raincoat made of plastic = plastic raincoat 2 a shirt made of silk... 3 hair like silk... 4 a table-top made of glass... 5 eyes like glass... 6 a wallet made of leather... 7 a spoon made of stainless steel... 8 nerves like steel... 9 a pullover made of wool… 10 a blouse made of cotton... 11 a teapot made of silver... 12 a voice like silver...13 a wall made of stone…14 silence like stone...15 a tile made of ceramic...16 a nail brush made of nylon 17 a tongue like leather...18 a spoon made of wood...

 

2.2DWrite:Refer to the words in brackets and put in the right compounds. GREEK BIRDMAN. You probably remember the story of Daedalus, who made (wings of feathers)1 feather wings for himself and his son, Icarus, to escape Minos, King of Crete. A young Greek, Kanellos Kanellopoulos, recently repeated this journey in (a machine-that flies2)...called 'Daedalus'. His (path of flight)3... was from Crete to Santorini, a distance of 119 kilometres. Kanellos, (a cyclist who is a champion)4..., didn't use wax and feathers, but (power from pedals)5.... to drive his machine. He was in the (seat of the pilot)6 … for 3 hours and 5 minutes. His (machine made of carbon fibre)7...weighed 31 kilos and its wings measured 34 metres. Icarus, in the old story, flew too close to the sun. The wax that held his wings melted, so he crashed into the sea. Kanellos, however, kept 3 to 4 metres above the water and had a good (wind from the south)8... He broke the record for human-powered flight previously set up by Bryan Allen, who 'cycled' 35.8 km across the English Channel.

 

2.3A Countable and uncountable nouns compared [> leg 2.14]

1 If a noun is countable: A) we can use a / an in front of it: I bought abook. (Not *I bought book. *)

B) it has a plural and can be used in questions with How many?: How many books...?

С) we can use a number in front of it: one book, two books.

2 if a noun is uncountable:

a) we do not normally use a / an in front of it: I bought some bread. (Not "a bread")

b) it does not normally have a plural and can be used in questions with How much?: How much bread...? (Not *How many breads?*)

с) we cannot normally use a number in front of it. [compare > 2.3C]

3 We need to know whether nouns are countable or uncountable in English to be able to use a / an, some, any, much, many, a few, a little, etc. correctly. Compare: It was a marvellous experience,(countable = something that happened) We need someone with experience,(uncountable = skill and knowledge)

Write: Underline the noun in each sentence and write 'C' or 'U' to show whether the noun is countable or uncountable.

1 This is an excellent painting. С 2 I don't like milk._ 3 How many photos did he take?_ 4 Add a little more oil._ 5 His drawings really interest me.__ 6 Hope keeps me going._ 7 He hasn't a hope. __ 8 How much flour did you buy?_ 9 Where are my two new shirts? _ 10 We've got plenty of coal.__

 

2.3B Nouns which can be either countable or uncountable: 'an egg/egg' [> LEG 2.16.1, 2.16.2]

1 Some nouns are countable when they refer to single items, but they are uncountable when they refer to substances:

countable (a single item) - uncountable (substance/ material) He ate a whole chicken! Would you like some chicken? I had a boiled egg for breakfast.There's egg on your tie. Copper = мідь; coppers = мідяки; tin=; a tin =

2 Some nouns are uncountable when they refer to a material, but they are countable when they refer to an object made from that material: countable ('thing') uncountable ('material') I broke a glass this morning. Glass is made from sand and lime (вапняк). I picked up a stone. We used stone to build our walls.

Write: Underline the noun in each sentence and write 'C' or 'U' to show whether the noun is being used as a countable or as an uncountable. 1 Add more onion. U 2 Would you like some fish?__3 І eat two eggs every day._4 Too much cake isn't good for you.5 They've built a new motorway._6 Would you like an ice?__7 I need two clean glasses. __8 Don't throw stones.__9 A lot of paper is wasted._10 We bought a new iron yesterday.__

2.3C Normally uncountable nouns used as countables (1): 'a coffee - (some) coffee' [> LEG 2.16.3]

1 Words for drinks like coffee are normally uncountable. This means: - we use no article: Coffee is important to the economy of Brazil. - or we use some/any. Is there any coffee? I'd like some coffee, please.

2 However, when we are ordering coffee, etc., we normally treat it as countable: I'd like a coffee, please. Two coffees, please. One coffee and a glass of milk, please.

Write: Use I'd like..., please to ask for drinks in each situation:

1 You have come down to breakfast. There is a choice between tea and coffee. I’d like (some) tea, please. I’d like (some) coffee, please. 2 You are ordering drinks. You want coffee for yourself. Your two friends want tea. 3 You are ordering drinks for three people: beer, lemonade, tomato juice. 4 You are ordering drinks. Two want coffee. Three want tea. One wants milk.

 

2.3D Normally uncountable nouns used as countables (2): 'oil/a light oil' [> LEG 2.16.3]

1 Words like oil and plastic for substances and materials are normally uncountable [> 3.5A]: Oil is produced in the North Sea.

2 We often use a / an with nouns like this when we are describing them with an adjective: The North Sea produces a light oil which is highly prized in the oil industry.

Write: Rewrite these sentences using the nouns as countables. 1The North Sea produces oil. (light). The North Sea produces a light oil. 2 This region produces wine, (excellent/top-quality) 3 This factory produces cloth, (traditional) 4 This box is made of wood, (rare)…

 

2.3E Write: Put in a, some, or /-/ OOOPS! 1...-... wine is not cheap and2... good wine can cost a lot of money these days. So spare3... thought for Mr Sokolin,4... New York wine merchant, who recently lost5... bottle of wine worth £305,000 (or about £50,000 6... glass!). It was7... 1784 Chateau Margaux which had once belonged to Thomas Jefferson, the third president of America. Mr Sokolin took the bottle to8... wine tasting and put it on9... table. The bottle was made of10... dark glass and a waiter didn't notice it. He hit it with11…tray, making12…large hole in it. Most of the wine was lost, but Mr Sokolin was able to taste13… of it. He said it was 'not very good', but the loss of the bottle was described as14… terrible tragedy'.

 

2.4 Countable and uncountable nouns (2)2.4A Singular equivalents of uncountable nouns: 'bread/a loaf [> leg 2.16.6]

1 A word like bread is uncountable. If we want 'one item', we use a different word: I'd like some bread,please. > I'd like a loaf (of bread), please.

2 Sometimes we have to say exactly what we want. We cannot say *a clothing*, so we ask for a coat, a shirt, etc. In the same way, we cannot say *a luggage*, *an accommodation*. We have to say what we want: e.g. a suitcase, a room.

Write:Put in any suitable word which means 'one item'. 1 Are you giving away all this clothing/all these clothes? - No, I'm giving away a coat. 2 There's a lot of laughter from next door. I just heard a very loud… 3 My luggage is getting old and worn. I really need a new… 4 There are a lot of people looking for work. I need a… myself. 5 I'm looking for accommodation. I'd like a… for the night.

 

2.4B Nouns not normally countable in English: 'information^’ [> LEG 2.14.1-2, 2.17, 2.30, App4]

1 A number of nouns, like information, are countable in many languages, but they are uncountable in English. This means we cannot:

- use a / an in front of them: I'd like some information,please. (Not *an information*)

Give them a plural: I'd like some information,please. (Not "(some) informations*) Other examples: advice, clothing, flu, furniture, hair, homework, housework, jewellery, lightning, luggage, meat, money, news, permission, progress, rubbish, scenery, shopping, soap, spaghetti, thunder, toast, traffic, weather.

2 News is plural in form, but takes a singular verb: The news is bad. (Not *the news are") Hair (that grows on the head) is singular: My hair is long. (Not *my hairs are*) We use hairs only for individual strands of hair. There are three hairs on my nose.

Write 1: Tick the words which normally have plurals in English. 1 advice__ 2 diamond v 3 meat_4 answer_ 5 jewellery_ 6 carrot_ 7 penny_ 8 story_ 9 scenery_ 10 money_ 11 news_ 12 shirt_

Write 2: Put in some, any, a, the, a lot of or '-'.

1 I’d like some information, please. 2 The tree was struck by… lightning. 3 Is there… toast, please? 4 There's… slice of toast left. 5 What's… weather like today? 6 Can I have… potatoes, please? 7 I need… new clothing. 8 I'm tired. I've just done... shopping. 9 I've done... housework. 10 I've just received … letter from John. 11 Can you give me... description of it? 12 I'd like... tomatoes, please. 13 Would you like... spaghetti? 14 There was... traffic this morning. 15 John's gone to bed with.... flu. 16 Have you made... progress with Chinese? 17 I've got... permission to park here. 18 Our teacher has given us... homework 19 There's... rubbish in our garden. 20 I'm going to plant.... tree in the garden.

 

2.4C Partitives: 'a piece of, etc. [> leg 2.18, App 5]

1 We use partitives to refer to:

- one item: a loaf of bread - a part of a whole: a slice of bread

- a collection of items: a packet of biscuits

2 The most common partitives are a piece of and (in everyday speech) a bit of. Can I have a piece of bread/a bit of bread/two pieces of bread, please?

3 There are partitives which go with some words but not with others. So we can say a slice of bread, a slice of cake, a slice of meat (but not *a slice of soap'). Partitives can be 'containers' (a tin of soup) or can refer to small amounts (a drop of rain).

Write: Match A and B: A: 1 I'd like some ice - a cube of ice 2 Have you got any chocolate?...3 Can I have some bread, please?... 4 We need some paper... 5 Buy me some soap, please... 6 Buy me some milk, please.... 7 We need some jam... 8 Have you got any matches?... 9 I've made some tea... 10 Buy some toothpaste... 11 Add a little water... 12 Add a little salt... 13 I've drunk a little tea... 14 Add a little soda... 15 I can see a little smoke...

В: a wisp of... a cube of... a splash of… a box of... a sip of... a tube of... a drop of... a bar of... a slice of... a pinch of… a sheet of… a jar of... a bar of.... a bottle of… a pot of...