Count--Non-count

Side by Side Count--Non-count video

SxS Count-Non count Food 2 Video

University of Victoria Explanation and Exercise

Side by Side -- much vs. many -- a little vs. a few

Using too much or too many

I can't count song -- cute and useful

Countable nouns are things you can count.  There's a man.  There are some children.  There are three books.

Non count verbs are usually difficult to count -- liquids (water, milk, tea, beer), small grains (sand, sugar, salt) gloppy things (pudding, ice cream, yogurt) or groups containing different things (furniture, money, fruit.)
Non count verbs use the singular verb, but never have "a" as an article.  (A=1)

There's some coffee.  There is some sugar.  There isn't any fruit.

Illogical Count Rules:

--Rice is non-count, but beans are count -- even if the beans are really small.
--Fruit is non-count, but vegetables are count.  There is some fruit in the bowl.  There are some vegetables in the bowl.  Individual pieces of fruit are count -- 3 apples, 2 bananas, two bunches of grapes.
--Stars are count, but money is non-count.  
--Alive chickens and fish are count, but they are non-count as meat.  (Which is why fish counted as non-count to University of Victoria, but count in the I can't count song.)  There are three fish in the aquarium.  There is some fish in the oven
-- A whole cake, pizza, or watermelon is count.  I made a cake.  We ordered five pizzas.  He brought a watermelon to the party.  Once you cut them, use "pieces of" with singular and plural or treat them as non-count.  I ate three pieces of cake.  There's some cake left on the plate.  There's some pizza in the kitchen.

sort the count nouns game

Count/non-count sorting games

Use a or an when you count 1

ESL Games-- Practice Count

Use many for things you can count.  Use much for non-count.

much or many?

Ski trip questions -- practice how much snow/how many trails...

Grammar Aquarium Quiz

Quiz -- Be careful with the ads -- scroll down

Listening Comprehension Exercise

Anteater Game

Food Partitives

A, An, or The

A or An = 1  When I use a or an for one, I probably don't know or care which one.  I don't think you know which one anyway.  Use for non-specific nouns. Use a or an with one of many.
Examples: Please hand me a napkin.  Can I have a piece of pizza?  Please give her a pencil.  Get a chair.  Have an apple.  I'll be done in just a minute.
Never use a or an with plural (more that 1) or non-count nouns.

The= I think you know which one(s).  Can be used with plural nouns and non-count nouns. Don't use anything when the plural or non-count noun is a big idea. (Practice makes your English improve.  Religion makes her happy.  March has nice weather in Virginia.
The students need more practice.  (What students?  The ones in my class.)  There's the girl with the orange hat. (What girl?  The girl who is wearing the only orange hat in the class.  You know which one because you can see the orange hat.)  Did you finish the homework?  (What homework?  The homework that the teacher told you to do for today.  I think you know, but if you don't know, check the blog!!   What blog?  The blog for our class:  www.lieasyesol.blogspot.com)

The must be used when there's only one because if there's only one, you know which one.
Please lock the door.  Look at the clock.

The should be used when you describe which one.
We say "a student" to describe any one student in the class, but "the student" with the NIKE cap to describe a particular student.
A desk=any desk.  The teacher's desk=a specific desk---and you know which.

The should be used after the first mention because now you know which one(s).  
Please give me a sponge.  Would you please wet the sponge before you give it to me?
(What sponge?  The sponge that you are going to give me.)

www.Englishclub.com explanation -- only for a/an/the before count singular nouns
Englishclub Example:
This little story should help you understand the difference between the and a, an:

A man and a woman were walking on Oxford Street. The woman saw a dress that she liked in a shop. She asked the man if he could buy the dress for her. He said: "Do you think the shop will accept a check? I don't have a credit card

Advanced Explanation -- Scroll down for some good examples

Practice

a vs. the
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/articles-a-the2.html
Englishcurrent.com practice

For a vs. an Use "an" before a vowel sound.  Be careful.  Sometimes the sound is more important than reality.  If "hon" sounds like "awww," use an.  If "u" sounds like "yooo," use a

a or an practice
a or an 2
Woodward English a vs. an

Thoughtco.com: A, an, or the

Put a, an, or the in the article-- Breaking News English --  Grown Children Moving Out Makes Parents Happy

Plurals

Note:  Despite the claim that they have the same plural form, 

milk and food don't have plural forms because they are non-count nouns

Funbrain Plural Form Game

Plural means you can count more than one.  Most English nouns become plural by adding s or es.

One coat -- 2+ coats
One student -- 2+ students

If the original ends in a consonant that sounds like an s -- ss or x or sh or ch, we add "es" rather than just s.

One tax --2+ taxes
One coach -- 2+ coaches
One watch -- 2+ watches
One hairbrush -- 2+ hairbrushes
One kiss--2+ kisses

Quiz after a huge list of examples
Practice Typing Plurals
Basic Irregular Plural Quiz
Billionaire Game with Irregular Plurals -- Don't use with Internet Explorer
Can you type the plural form?

Is typing hard for you?  Practice on Free typing program -- be careful not to click on the ads

Grammar I hope you understand before you go to High Intermediate

Parts of speech

Present Continuous

Simple Present

Simple Past

future with "will"

Future with "going to"

pronouns

Count -- non-count

Prepositions of Time

Adjective Order