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1. Using nouns to refer to groups--making Generalizations
When nouns are used in this way, we are referring to all the member of a group. We use no determiners. For example:
I like apple juice. I like apples. Apple juice is delicious. Apples are delicious.
In the examples above , we were not mentioning any specific apple. Instead we are making a generalization.
2.Regular Count Nouns
Count nouns that add -s or -es to the singular for are regular plural nouns. You may now look at the the Support level to check the rules for these plural endings.
If the word ends in a vowel plus -y (-ay, -ey, -iy, -oy, -uy), add an -s to the word: tray--trays, key--keys.
3. Irregular Count Nouns
Count nouns that have a special plural form are irregular plural nouns. Their plural is more difficult to guess. You will need to memorize or use their form in many contexts. For example: The goose is flying north. The geese are flying north.
Some irregular nouns are: man-men, person-people, foot-feet, tooth-teeth, mouse-mice, ox-oxen, wife-wives.
Some irregular nouns have the same singular and plural forms: A sheep is eating grass. Two sheep are eating grass. That species is beautiful. Those species are beautiful.
Some irregular nouns always take the plural form. For example: The police are on the way. The cattle are in the bar. the faculty are in meeting now. Some others are: jeans, pants, clothes, goods, glasses, shorts, scissors, etc.
4. Noncount Nouns
Noncount don't have plural forms. They're always singular. For example: A lot of information is needed. Pollution is a serious problem in New York.
Noncount nouns occur alone or with certain expressions of quantity such as a little, a great deal of, a lot of, etc.
5. Pronouns
Subject,
object and possessives
Pronouns are words used
in place of nouns. We use them instead of repeating noun phrases that refer to specific people or things
| subject
pronoun |
object
pronoun |
possessive
adjective |
possessive
pronoun |
| I |
me |
my |
mine |
| you |
you |
your |
yours |
| she |
her |
her |
hers |
| he |
him |
his |
his |
| it |
it |
its |
its |
| we |
us |
our |
ours |
| they |
them |
their |
theirs |
- Give it to me.
It's my bag. It's mine.
- Give it to her.
It's her bag. It's hers.
6. Possessive Pronouns
In English possessives agree with the possessor. (Allen's book=his book).Examples:
Jane's brother is married to John's sister. That is, her brother is married to his sister.
Possessive pronouns are not preceded by an article.
Examples:
a. These books are yours. They are your books.
b. This camera is mine. That camera is his.
c. These photographs are mine. Those are hers.
d. Is this their picnic? No, it is ours.
e. I think this is your passport. Yes, it is yours.
7. Reflexive pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are used in three main situations:
- When the subject and object are the same. For example: I cut myself. John shot himself.
- As the object of a preposition, referring to the subject. For example: I bought a present for myself. Ron is talking to himself.
- When you want to emphasize the subject. For example: I'll do it myself. They ate all the food themselves.
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS
| PERSON | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| SINGULAR: | myself | yourself | himself, herself, itself, oneself |
| PLURAL: | ourselves | yourselves | themselves |
Reflexive pronouns are often used to emphasize ( frequently in the form preposition+ reflexive pronoun). For example:
Mary can look after herself.
Let her speak for herself.
Misty told herself that she would never marry again.
Dan's old enough to dress himself.
8. Indefinite pronouns
These are made by combining every, any, some, no with one, body, and thing. Thus we can have the following
combinations: everybody, anyone, everything, something, no one, nobody,anybody, anything, etc.
They all refer to people or things. You can limit your generalization by using nearly or almost. For example: Almost Everybody that I know studies English. Nearly everything in the room is mine.
When these pronouns are the subject of a sentence, the verb is always singular. Example: Everybody likes Amanda.
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