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Countable and uncountable nouns: The Grammar Gameshow Episode 27

BBC Learning English

202K views 8 years ago

Warm-up Questions

When you hear “countable and uncountable nouns,” what examples come to mind?
Have you ever been confused about when to say “many” vs. “much”? What happened?
The title says “Gameshow.” How do you think a gameshow format might help you learn grammar?

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Countable and uncountable nouns: The Grammar Gameshow Episode 27

Segment 1: Countable vs. uncountable + alphabet battle (00:00 – 04:02)

Transcript will load here…

1. What is the basic difference between countable and uncountable nouns?

Countable nouns are always plural; uncountable nouns are always singular.
Countable nouns can be counted; uncountable nouns usually aren’t counted.
Countable nouns describe people; uncountable nouns describe things.

2. Which question word is used with uncountable nouns, according to the explanation?

How much
How often
How many

3. Why does Leslie say “fish” can be both countable and uncountable?

Because it is always plural in English
Because it changes meaning depending on whether you mean the animal or the food
Because it can only be used with numbers over ten

Countable and uncountable nouns: The Grammar Gameshow Episode 27

Segment 2: Counting uncountables + irregular plurals (fruit/fruits) (04:02 – 06:41)

Transcript will load here…

1. How can we count uncountable nouns, according to the show?

By using only “many” instead of “much”
By adding -s to the noun
By using a container expression (e.g., a ___ of ___)

2. Why can the sentence “There were at least 12 fruits on offer” be correct?

Because “fruits” can refer to different types within the same category
Because any uncountable noun becomes countable after a number
Because “fruit” is always countable in formal English

3. Which example of a container expression is given?

a bread of toast
a rice of bowl
a piece of cake

Countable and uncountable nouns: The Grammar Gameshow Episode 27

Segment 3: Special nouns (news, species, team, staff) + ending (06:41 – 10:58)

Transcript will load here…

1. Why is the noun “news” special in the sentence “The news was reported”?

It is plural and must take a plural verb
It is countable only in American English
It is uncountable and takes a singular verb even though it ends in -s

2. What is unusual about the noun “species”?

It must always be used with “a”
It has no plural form at all, so it can never be plural
Its singular and plural forms are the same

3. According to Leslie, which type of noun is “staff” in this context?

A regular plural noun formed with -s
An uncountable noun that always takes singular verb form
A collective noun that takes plural verb form

Countable and uncountable nouns: The Grammar Gameshow Episode 27

Transcript will load here…

1. Which pair is matched correctly for typical usage?

Countable nouns → how many; uncountable nouns → how much
Countable nouns → how often; uncountable nouns → how long
Countable nouns → how much; uncountable nouns → how many

2. What is the main purpose of using a container expression (like “a cup of…”) with an uncountable noun?

To make it plural without changing meaning
To change it into something that can be counted
To make the noun more formal

3. In the video’s explanation, why might “fruits” be used instead of “fruit”?

To show the speaker dislikes the food
To refer to different types within the same category
To show the food is cooked

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Countable and uncountable nouns: The Grammar Gameshow Episode 27

What are three nouns you often use in English that are uncountable? How do you measure or “count” them (e.g., a bottle of…, a piece of…)?
Can you think of nouns in English (or your language) that can be both countable and uncountable like “fish”? Give examples and explain the meaning change.
Do you usually treat collective nouns (team, family, government) as singular or plural in English? Why?
The video uses humor and a gameshow. Does that make grammar easier to remember for you? What would you change to make it even more helpful?