Present Simple "to be" - Subject Pronouns

1. Presentation - Dialogues

1.
Hi, Sylvia! How are you?

I'm fine, thanks. How are you?

I'm very well!

-----

2.
Hi, my name's Tyler.

Nice to meet you, Tyler. My name's Sylvia.

It's nice to meet you too. Sylvia.

-----

3.
Hi, Tyler! How are you?

Oh, I'm OK. How about you?

I'm great, thanks.

-----

4.
What's your name?

My name is Tyler Saunders. What's your name?

My name's Sylvia. It's nice to meet you, Tyler.

Nice to meet you too. Where are you from?

I'm from China.

--------

Key Vocabulary

I
you
name
meet
thank

what
where
how
be
China

Grammar

1. Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns tell which person or thing we are speaking about.
The personal pronouns in English are:
Singular

You

He

She

It

Plural

We

You

They

2. Verb "to be"

The verb "be" means to exist.

It is a linking verb, it links a subject and a thing connected with that subject.
The present simple forms of "to be" are as follow:

Singular

I am

You are

He is

She is

It is

Plural

We are

You are

They are

3. First Sentences

English is a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) language - meaning that sentences are made with the
subject first, then the verb, and finally the object. Using the above grammar we can now make
basic English sentences, for example:
- I am a teacher
- She is happy
- They are students

Languages like French and Chinese are also SVO languages, but other languages are different.
For example, Japanese, Korean and Persian are Subject-Object-Verb languages, so you wouldn't
say "She is happy", you'd say "She happy is"!
Grammar

1. Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns tell which person or thing we are speaking about.

The personal pronouns in English are:

Singular

You

He

She

It

Plural

We

You

They

2. Verb "to be"

The verb "be" means to exist.

It is a linking verb, it links a subject and a thing connected with that subject.
The present simple forms of "to be" are as follow:

Singular

I am

You are

He is

She is

It is

Plural

We are

You are

They are

3. First Sentences

English is a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) language - meaning that sentences are made with the
subject first, then the verb, and finally the object. Using the above grammar we can now make
basic English sentences, for example:
- I am a teacher
- She is happy
- They are students
Languages like French and Chinese are also SVO languages, but other languages are different.
For example, Japanese, Korean and Persian are Subject-Object-Verb languages, so you wouldn't
say "She is happy", you'd say "She happy is"!

Present Simple "to be": Negatives and Questions

1. Presentation - Dialogues

1.
Sylvia, are you a teacher?

No, I'm not. I'm a doctor.

That's great!
-----

2.
So Tyler, what do you do?

I'm a businessman. How about you?

I'm a singer.

Wow, that's great!

-----

3.
What does your friend look like, Sylvia?

Oh, he's tall, handsome, and he has brown hair.

Is he kind?

Yes, he's very kind. He's really nice!

-----

4.
Hi, my name is Tyler. I'm tall, I'm funny, and I'm really happy. I'm a teacher and web designer.
My friend's name is Sylvia, she's very cute, tall, and kind. She's a teacher, too. She's also really
smart. It's nice to meet you!

--------

Key Vocabulary

teacher
doctor
great
do
businessman
singer
friend
look like
tall
handsome

hair
brown
kind
funny
happy
web designer
cute
smart
really

1. Present Simple Negatives - Verb "to be"

Present Simple negatives and questions using the verb "to be"are formed differently from other
questions. To make negatives you simply insert "not" before the verb "to be".

- Statement: You are a doctor.

- Negative: You are not a doctor.
- Statement: They are cats.
- Negative: They are not cats.

Here is the negative form of the verb "to be" in the Simple Present:

Singular

I am not

You are not

He is not

She is not

It is not

Plural

We are not

You are not

They are not

2. Present Simple Questions

To make questions you simply invert the subject and the verb.

- Statement: You are a doctor.

- Question: Are you a doctor?
- Statement: They are cats.
- Question: Are they cats?

Simple Present Question verbs are as follows:

Singular

Am I (a teacher) ?

Are you ...?

Is he ...?

Is she ...?
Is it ...?

Plural

Are we ...?

Are you ...?

Are they ...?

3. Short Answers

We can often answer these questions with a short answer using the verb "to be". For example:
- Are you a teacher?
- Yes, I am / No, I am not.

- Is he a student?
- Yes, he is. / No, he is not.

Note that in spoken English we usually use contractions with the negative form. For example:
- No, I am not = No, I'm not.
These contractions will be studied in a later Unit.

1. Present Simple Negatives - Verb "to be"

Present Simple negatives and questions using the verb "to be"are formed differently from other
questions. To make negatives you simply insert "not" before the verb "to be".

- Statement: You are a doctor.

- Negative: You are not a doctor.
- Statement: They are cats.
- Negative: They are not cats.

Here is the negative form of the verb "to be" in the Simple Present:

Singular

I am not

You are not

He is not

She is not

It is not

Plural

We are not

You are not

They are not

2. Present Simple Questions

To make questions you simply invert the subject and the verb.

- Statement: You are a doctor.

- Question: Are you a doctor?
- Statement: They are cats.
- Question: Are they cats?

Simple Present Question verbs are as follows:

Singular

Am I (a teacher) ?

Are you ...?

Is he ...?

Is she ...?

Is it ...?

Plural

Are we ...?

Are you ...?

Are they ...?

3. Short Answers

We can often answer these questions with a short answer using the verb "to be". For example:
- Are you a teacher?
- Yes, I am / No, I am not.

- Is he a student?
- Yes, he is. / No, he is not.

Note that in spoken English we usually use contractions with the negative form. For example:
- No, I am not = No, I'm not.
These contractions will be studied in a later Unit.

Present Simple

1. Presentation - Dialogues

1.
Hi, let me tell you about my daily routine. First, I get up at 8.00, then I brush my teeth, have a
shower, and eat breakfast. I go to work at 8.50, and I start work at 9.30. Then I have lunch at
1.00, and finish work at 5.30. I go to bed at 11.00. That's my day!
-----

2.
Hi! My name is Sylvia. I come from Korea. I'm 24 years old, I'm tall and I have black hair. I like
music and movies. I also like reading books. I play sports and I study English. I'm really happy
to meet you!
-----

3.
Tyler, do you have a hobby?

Sure, I read books.

Oh, I like books as well. Do you watch TV?

Yes, I watch TV every day. I like drama and comedy programs.

I like the news. And I go to the gym as well.

Me too! Let's go together.

That sounds great!

--------

Key Vocabulary

daily routine
first
get up
brush
have
shower
eat
breakfast
go
work
start
lunch
finish
bed
day
come
come from
Korea

black
music
movies
also
read
play
sports
study
hobby
book
watch
TV
drama
comedy
news
gym
let's
together

1. Present Simple

The Simple Present is used to make statements about the present time. It is used in the
following ways.

- Permanent facts: These sentences give facts which are always true.
It is cold in winter. - The sun shines. - Fish live in water.

- Present facts: These sentences are true now.

I work at home. - She plays the piano.
"I work at home" doesn't mean I am working right now, but it does mean that in my present
condition I work at home.

- Habitual actions: I get up at 8.00. - They come here every day.

These actions are repeated regularly, so they are considered a present reality and are expressed
in the Simple Present.
Here is the verb "to give in the Simple Present:

Singular

I give

You give

He gives

She gives

It gives

Plural

We give

You give

They give

2. Spelling Rules for the Present Simple

If you look above you'll see the spelling doesn't change, except for the third person singular
(He, She, It) which adds an "s" to the verb. For example "I eat - He eats".

Sometimes other spelling rules also apply to He, She and It. All the following verbs add "es"
instead of "s":

The short forms for the negative verb "to be" are as follows:

Verb Endings

Verbs ending in -o add -es

Verbs ending in -s add -es

Verbs ending in -x add -es

Verbs ending in -ch add -es

Verbs ending in -sh add -es

-----

Verbs ending in a consonant and -y often change the -y to -ies:

Verbs such as "buy" have no consonant before the "y", so you simply add -s
as usual.

Spelling Examples

do - does, go - goes

pass - passes, kiss - kisses

fix - fixes, mix - mixes

match - matches, catch - catches

push - pushes, rush - rushes

try - tries, cry - cries

buy - buys, pay - pays.

Click below for exercises on the Present Simple.

1. Present Simple

The Simple Present is used to make statements about the present time. It is used in the
following ways.

- Permanent facts: These sentences give facts which are always true.
It is cold in winter. - The sun shines. - Fish live in water.

- Present facts: These sentences are true now.

I work at home. - She plays the piano.
"I work at home" doesn't mean I am working right now, but it does mean that in my present
condition I work at home.

- Habitual actions: I get up at 8.00. - They come here every day.

These actions are repeated regularly, so they are considered a present reality and are expressed
in the Simple Present.

Here is the verb "to give in the Simple Present:

Singular

I give

You give

He gives

She gives

It gives

Plural

We give

You give

They give

2. Spelling Rules for the Present Simple

If you look above you'll see the spelling doesn't change, except for the third person singular
(He, She, It) which adds an "s" to the verb. For example "I eat - He eats".

Sometimes other spelling rules also apply to He, She and It. All the following verbs add "es"
instead of "s":

The short forms for the negative verb "to be" are as follows:

Verb Endings

Verbs ending in -o add -es

Verbs ending in -s add -es

Verbs ending in -x add -es

Verbs ending in -ch add -es

Verbs ending in -sh add -es

-----

Verbs ending in a consonant and -y often change the -y to -ies:

Verbs such as "buy" have no consonant before the "y", so you simply add -s
as usual.

Spelling Examples

do - does, go - goes

pass - passes, kiss - kisses

fix - fixes, mix - mixes

match - matches, catch - catches

push - pushes, rush - rushes

try - tries, cry - cries

buy - buys, pay - pays.

Click below for exercises on the Present Simple.

Present Simple: Negatives and Questions

1.
Hi, how are you today?

Fine, thanks.

Do you have English class?

Yes, I have English class. It's very interesting.

Your English is good. Do you understand the teacher?

Well, yes, I understand. English is difficult, but I learn quickly.

Well done!
-----

2.
Tyler, do you have a brother?

Yes, I have one brother. He's 23.

Do you have a sister?

No, I don't have a sister. How about you?

I have two sisters. They are 17 and 20.
-----

3.
What do you eat for breakfast?

I eat sausages, bacon, and fried eggs.

Oh, that's not very healthy. I have fruit juice and cereal.

That's really good. For lunch I eat french fries and a burger. Do you eat fast food?

No, I eat chicken and rice for lunch. It's delicious.

Wow, you're very healthy. Do you like sports?

Yes, I play tennis and soccer. Do you play sports?

Not really. I stay home and watch TV. I like movies.

Oh, me too. Let's watch a movie together!

--------

Key Vocabulary

have
very
interesting
yes
your
good
understand
teacher
difficult
learn
quickly
brother
one
two
eat
breakfast
sausages
bacon

fried
eggs
healthy
fruit juice
cereal
lunch
french fries
burger
fast food
sports
tennis
soccer
play
stay home
watch TV
like
movies
together

1. Simple Present Negatives

Simple Present negatives and questions are used in the same situations as Simple Present
statements: for permanent facts, present fact, and habitual actions.

- Permanent facts: I do not speak Japanese. - Fish do not live in water.

- Present facts: I do not work at home. - She does not play the piano.

- Habitual actions: I do not get up at 8.00. - They do not come here every day.

To make a negative sentence we put do or does after the subject. Because of this, the verb that
follows do/does + not is always in the bare infinitive form.
For example:
"I do not like pizza." is correct, but
"I do not likes pizza is incorrect" - you don't need to add an "s" to the verb "like".
Do and does come from the verb "to do", which is often used as an auxiliary verb in English.

Here is the negative form of the verb "to give" in the Simple Present:

Singular

I do not give

You do not give

He does not give

She does not give

It does not give

Plural

We do not give

You do not give

They do not give

2. Simple Present Questions

To make a Simple Present Questions you put do or does before the subject. For example: -
Statement: I speak Japanese.
- Questions: Do I speak Japanese?
- Statement: She likes pizza.
- Questions: Does she like pizza?
As with negatives, the verb after do or does (and the subject) is always in the bare infinitive
form. It is the auxiliary verb "to do", do or does, which changes.

Simple Present Question verbs are as follows:

Singular

Do I like (pizza) ?

Do you like ...?

Does he like ...?

Does she like ...?

Does it like ...?

Plural
Do we like ...?

Do you like ...?

Do they like ...?

Negative questions are also possible but are used for several more advanced ways. We'll deal
with them later!

1. Simple Present Negatives

Simple Present negatives and questions are used in the same situations as Simple Present
statements: for permanent facts, present fact, and habitual actions.

- Permanent facts: I do not speak Japanese. - Fish do not live in water.

- Present facts: I do not work at home. - She does not play the piano.

- Habitual actions: I do not get up at 8.00. - They do not come here every day.

To make a negative sentence we put do or does after the subject. Because of this, the verb that
follows do/does + not is always in the bare infinitive form.
For example:
"I do not like pizza." is correct, but
"I do not likes pizza is incorrect" - you don't need to add an "s" to the verb "like".
Do and does come from the verb "to do", which is often used as an auxiliary verb in English.

Here is the negative form of the verb "to give" in the Simple Present:

Singular

I do not give

You do not give

He does not give

She does not give

It does not give

Plural

We do not give

You do not give

They do not give

2. Simple Present Questions

To make a Simple Present Questions you put do or does before the subject. For example: -
Statement: I speak Japanese.
- Questions: Do I speak Japanese?
- Statement: She likes pizza.
- Questions: Does she like pizza?
As with negatives, the verb after do or does (and the subject) is always in the bare infinitive
form. It is the auxiliary verb "to do", do or does, which changes.

Simple Present Question verbs are as follows:

Singular

Do I like (pizza) ?
Do you like ...?

Does he like ...?

Does she like ...?

Does it like ...?

Plural

Do we like ...?

Do you like ...?

Do they like ...?

Negative questions are also possible but are used for several more advanced ways. We'll deal
with them later!

Contractions

1.
I am hungry.

Me too, I'm really hungry! Let's get some food!

-----

2.
They are doctors.

No they're not, they're teachers.

Oh, you're right!

-----

3.
Hi Sylvia, how's it going?

Oh, I'm OK, but I'm so tired. I don't want to study.

Me too, these days we're very busy. Let's study tomorrow. I want to go to the movies!

Oh, I don't want to miss class. Let's study!

You're right, let's go to class. Then we aren't busy, we're free!

That's great!

--------

Key Vocabulary

hungry
let's
get
some
food
doctor
right
OK
so
tired

want
study
too
these days
tomorrow
miss
class
busy
free

1. Contractions

Many verbs have short forms which are used particularly in spoken English. For example: "I am
happy today" = "I'm happy today". The short forms of the verb "to be" are as follows:

Singular

I am = I'm

You are = You're

He is = He's

She is = She's

It is = It's

Plural

We are = We're

You are= You're

They are = They're

Be careful not to confuse it's with its. It's means "it is", but its is a possessive form we'll study
later.

2. Negative Contractions - Simple Present Verb "to be"

There are two main short forms for the negative of the verb "to be": "You are" becomes "You're
not" or "you aren't". For example:

- She is not happy = She isn't happy = She's not happy.

- We are not singers = We aren't singers = We're not singers

The short forms for the negative verb "to be" are as follows:

Singular

I am not = I'm not = I amn't*

You are not = You're not = You aren't

He is not = He's not = He isn't

She is not = She's not = She isn't

It is not = It's not = It isn't

Plural
We are = We're not = We aren't

You are= You're not = You aren't

They are = They're not = They aren't

* "I am" Negative Contraction

You can say "I am not", and you can say "I'm not", but you can't say "I amn't".

3. Negative Contractions - Simple Present

Simple Present negatives contract in two ways: "do not" becomes "don't" and "does not"
becomes "doesn't". For example:

- Statement: I do not like pizza = I don't like pizza.

- Questions: He does not drive a car = He doesn't drive a car.

And just in case you need it, here's a table of Simple Present contractions.

Singular

I do not = I don't

You do not = You don't

He does not = He doesn't

She does not = She doesn't

It does not = It doesn't

Plural

We do not = We don't

You do not = You don't

They do not = They don't

Now give some exercises a try!

1. Contractions

Many verbs have short forms which are used particularly in spoken English. For example: "I am
happy today" = "I'm happy today". The short forms of the verb "to be" are as follows:

Singular

I am = I'm

You are = You're

He is = He's

She is = She's

It is = It's

Plural
We are = We're

You are= You're

They are = They're

Be careful not to confuse it's with its. It's means "it is", but its is a possessive form we'll study
later.

2. Negative Contractions - Simple Present Verb "to be"

There are two main short forms for the negative of the verb "to be": "You are" becomes "You're
not" or "you aren't". For example:

- She is not happy = She isn't happy = She's not happy.

- We are not singers = We aren't singers = We're not singers

The short forms for the negative verb "to be" are as follows:

Singular

I am not = I'm not = I amn't*

You are not = You're not = You aren't

He is not = He's not = He isn't

She is not = She's not = She isn't

It is not = It's not = It isn't

Plural

We are = We're not = We aren't

You are= You're not = You aren't

They are = They're not = They aren't

* "I am" Negative Contraction

You can say "I am not", and you can say "I'm not", but you can't say "I amn't".

3. Negative Contractions - Simple Present

Simple Present negatives contract in two ways: "do not" becomes "don't" and "does not"
becomes "doesn't". For example:

- Statement: I do not like pizza = I don't like pizza.

- Questions: He does not drive a car = He doesn't drive a car.

And just in case you need it, here's a table of Simple Present contractions.

Singular

I do not = I don't

You do not = You don't

He does not = He doesn't

She does not = She doesn't

It does not = It doesn't

Plural

We do not = We don't

You do not = You don't

They do not = They don't

Now give some exercises a try!

Prepositions of Place

1.
Excuse me, where is the post office?

Go straight, and it's next to the bank.

Thankyou!
-----

2.
What's your address?

I live at 34, East 39th Street, New York.

And what's your zip code?

My zipcode is NY 10061-2134

Thankyou
-----

3.
Hi Sylvia, where's the fruit juice?

It's in the refridgerator!

No, it's not. It's not there.

Oh, sorry, it's in the cupboard next to the soda.

Thanks. And where is the cereal?

Um, on the shelf, I think.

Great! Let's have some breakfast!

4.
Where do you work?

I work in a bank, I'm a secretary. How about you?

I'm a shop assistant. I work at the local store.

Where's that?
It's the yellow building on Green Street, next to the clothes store.

--------

Key Vocabulary

excuse me
where
post office
go straight
next to
bank
address
street
zip code
thankyou
where
refridgerator
there

cupboard
soda
shelf
work
bank
secretary
shop assistant
local store
yellow
building
clothes store

1. Prepositions of Place
Prepositions show relationships between things. For example: "The lamp is on the table"
contains the preposition "on". This word shows the spatial relationship between the lamp, and
the table.

The most common prepositions of place are: in, on, under, next to, in front of, behind

In, on, under, in front of, and behind are clear from the pictures above. Example sentences are:
- The dog is in the box.
- The cat is under the table
- The man is next to the building.

At however is a more abstract concept - it is used to refer to a point in space, usually a point on
a line. See below for more explanation.

2. In, On, At

In is used to show somethng that surrounds or encloses us. For example:

- I sleep in my bedroom.
- The desk is in the room.

In is also used for geographical areas such as cities and countries, for example: "I live in
London" or "I live in England".

On is used to show something that is on a surface. For example:

- I sleep on my bed.
- The paper is on the desk.

On is also used for street names, for example: "I live on Orchard Road".
At is used to show something that is at a particular point, often as part of a line. For example:

- He is at the bus stop.

The bus stop is one point in a line of bus stops.
- John is at the bank.
John is at a particular place or point, the bank. The bank is part of his journey and also part of a
street, both of which can be seen as lines.

At is also used for complete addresses, for example: "I live at 22 Orchard Road, London,
England."

-----

So why do we live "on a street" but "in a city"? And how can you know for sure when to use in,
on, or at? It depends on the perspective of the speaker, and what is considered acceptable in
English. These are questions that all English learners encounter and they cannot be completely
answered through rote memorization or lists of rules. As your exposure to English grows you will
gain enough experience to be able to decide for yourself which is correct. Simply keep trying to
understand, and eventually you will.

Now give some exercises a try!

Question Words

1.
Tyler, what's your telephone number?

It's 724-0458.

Do you have a mobile phone?

Sure, it's 018 234 8679. Do you have a mobile?

I don't have a mobile phone. I have an email address though.

Oh, OK. What's your email address?

It's sylvia@1-language.com.

Excellent, thanks!
-----

2.
Hey Tyler, what's the time?

Er, it's 12.18.

Tyler, when's your doctor's appointment?

It's at 12.30.

Tyler?

Yes?

You're late!

What?... Oh no!
-----
3.
So firstly, what's your name?

It's Sylvia Waters.

How do you spell that?

S-Y-L-V-I-A W-A-T-E-R-S

Thank you. And where do you live?

19 Rosewood Street, Toronto.

And what's your postal code?

It's M1C 2P3.

OK, thanks for your time, Hyun Ju.

OK, bye!

--------

Key Vocabulary

telephone number
mobile phone
email address
excellent
you're welcome
time
doctor's

appointment
late
name
spell
that
live
postal code

1. Question Words

Question words are used to ask what we are talking about.

Questions using question words follow this order: Question word - Auxiliary verb - Subject.
Here are some question words and example sentences:

Question Word

What

Where

Who

Whose
Why

When

Which

How

Usage

To ask about the nature of things and substances.

To ask about location.

To ask about identity

Top ask about posession

To ask about reason and purpose

To ask about time

To ask about a set of choices.

How has several usages, including asking about process and method.

Example

What color do you like?

What time is it?

Where are you?

Who is he?

Whose pen is this?

Why are you happy?

When do you get up?

Which one do you want?

How do you make coffee?

To make a question with question words in the Simple Present, you simply make a normal
question, and then put a question word in front. For example:

With the verb "to be":

- Statement: His name is Tyler.
- Question: Is his name Tyler?
- With a Question Word: What is his name?

With other verbs:

- Statement: I like flowers.
- Question: Do you like flowers?
- With a Question Word: Why do you like flowers?

-----

Now try these exercises, using the correct question word and the correct auxiliary verb.
Object Pronouns

1.
Do you know Andy?

Sure, he's in my class, I study with him. Why?

Oh, nothing. I want him to help me, that's all.

I have his 'phone number. Call him!

Ok, thanks!
-----

2.
Hey Tyler, do you like lemons?

Yea, I really like them.

And do you like rice?

Sure, I like it.

And how about chicken?

Yep, I like that too. Why do you ask me?

I want to make lemon chicken for dinner.

Sounds great!
-----

3.
What's that?

Oh, it's a photo of my family. Look, she's my Mum.

Oh yea, I know her. Who's he?

He's my brother, everybody likes him. Look, that's my father.

Wow, he looks like you. And look at the big dog!

Yea, he's really big. He looks like you!

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Key Vocabulary

know
with
why
him
nothing
help
me
his
phone number
call
lemon
them
rice

sure
it
chicken
ask
dinner
photo
family
look
my
everybody
father
looks like
dog

1. Object Pronouns

Subjects are what a sentence is about. For example:

- I like rice.
In this sentence I is the subject - I is what the sentence is about.

Objects are what is affected by the action of the subject. For example:
- I want a table.
- I am reading a book.

Object pronouns are used instead of object nouns, usually because we already know what the
object is.
- My friend's name is Hyun Ju. I really like her.
- I like this book. I read it every day.

The Subject and Object Pronouns are as follows:

Singular

I - Me

You - You

He - Him

She - Her

It - It

Plural

We - Us

You - You

They - Them

Subject pronouns are not normally used on their own in short answers. We use object pronouns,
for example:
- Who want some candy? Me! / Not me!
- Who wants some candy? I / Not I! This is very unusual.

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Click below for exercises using object pronouns.

Countable / Uncountable Nouns

1.

I have a brother and two sisters. I love my family. (Correct)

I have brother and two sisters. I love my a family. (Incorrect)

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2.
She has a cheese sandwich, an apple, and some milk for lunch. (Correct)

She has some cheese sandwich, a apple, and a milk for lunch. (Incorrect)
-----

3.
My house is in London. It has a living-room and two bedrooms. In the morning I study English,
and in the afternoon I work in a store. (Correct)

My house is in a London. (Incorrect)

In the morning I study an English, and in the afternoon I work in store. (Incorrect)

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Key Vocabulary

love
cheese
sandwich
apple
milk
lunch
house

in
London
living room
bedroom
morning
afternoon
store

1. Countable Nouns
All nouns are countable or uncountable. Countable nouns have the following properties.

- They can be counted, for example 1 apple, 2 apples, ...etc.

- They can be made plural.
- They can take the indefinate article a/an.

2. Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns have the following properties.

- They usually can't be counted, for example 1 money, 2 money, ...etc.

- They usually can't be made plural.
- They usually don't take the indefinate article a/an.

Some is often used for plural nouns. For example:

- I have some apples.
- I have some food.
This is covered later in more detail.

Here are some common countable and uncountable nouns.

Countable

apple
tree
person
dog
kilo
liter

Uncountable

time
rice
beef
money
information
help

Countable nouns often refer to individual things, and physical things. For example: a person, a
tree, a kilo.

Uncountable nouns often refer to non-individual things, and abstract things. For example rice is
not an individual thing, it's seen as group of hundreds of small grains. Love and sadness are
abstract, not physical things.

3. Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Some nouns can be countable and uncountable, depending on how they are used. For example:

- Countable : A glass of milk. Here glass refers to one container made of glass.
- Uncountable : You can see through glass. Here glass doesn't refer to one thing, it refers to
glass as a substance.

- Countable: He has many papers. Here papers refers to some of individual do*****ents.
- Uncountable: Paper is made from wood. Here paper is not an individual thing, but a general
substance.

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Whether something is countable or uncountable takes time to learn and can only be achieved
through longterm exposure to English. Also, what may seem logical in your own language may
seem completely illogical in English! Learning a language involves learning another culture's
point of view, and as always, the guidelines above should be used to help your own
understanding rather than as hard and fast grammar rules. Good luck!

Articles
1.

I play soccer and basketball. I like to study English but I don't like math. (Correct)

I play a soccer and a basketball. I like to study a English but I don't like a math. (Incorrect)
-----

2.
My bedroom has a door and a window. (Correct)

My bedroom has the door and the window. (Incorrect)

Please open the door. (Correct)

Please open door. (Incorrect)

-----

3.
Where do you live?

I live in Chicago.
(I live in a Chicago - Incorrect)

And what do you do?

I'm a vet. I help animals.

( I help an animals - Incorrect)

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Key Vocabulary

soccer
basketball
math
bedroom
door
window
please

open
live
Chicago
vet
help
animal

1. Articles

Articles are a kind of adjective, they show how particular or how general a noun is.

There are three kinds of article: the, a/an, and having no article, zero article.

2. A/An - Indefinite Article

A is used for indefinite things. For example:

- I have a book. I don't have a specific book, just any book in general.
- She lives in a house. Again, the house is just a general house, not a particular house.

A is also used only for singular countable nouns. For example:

- A book, a chair, a person, a building, etc.

An has the same meanng as a.
A is used in front of words starting with a consonant sound, such as b, c, d, g, p.
An is used in front of words that start with a vowel sound such as a, e, i, o, or u. For example:

- a bear, a fox, a newspaper.

- an apple, an egg, an umbrella.

An can also be used before words starting with "h".

Sometimes this is optional, for example: a hotel, or "an hotel". Here the "h" sound in hotel is
pronounced.
Occasionally this is not optional, for example: an honor, not a honor. The "h" sound in honor is
not pronounced, so this word actually starts with the vowel sound "o". As a result, we need to
use an.

2. The - Definite Article

The is used for particular, definite things. For example:

The is used for something already mentioned.particular, definite thing. For example:

The is used for a particular, definite thing. For example:

3. Zero Article

Zero article is generally for when something is seen as neither definite or indefinite, it simply
exists.

Zero article is used in front of plural countable nouns. For example:

I like eggs. I like an eggs.
Flowers are beautiful. A flowers are beautiful.

Zero article is used in front of singular uncountable nouns. For example:

I like milk. I like a milk.
Soccer is fun. The soccer is fun.

Zero article is used in front of proper nouns. For example:

My name is Jeremy. My name is a Jeremy.
I live in London. I live in a London.

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These are guidelines not rules, and usage of all articles depends entirely on the current context
and perspective of the speaker. Articles take a long time to master, especially if your native
language does not have articles such as in Korean or Japanese. Try to understand what things
are definite and what things are not from an English perspective, and as you experience more
English your confidence and ability with articles will grow. Good luck!