Dublin Business English Language Centre

countable / uncountable nouns

2011-05-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

Countable/Uncountable nouns.

What is an uncountable noun?
It’s a noun that one can’t count or unitize example, sugar / coffee / fruit whereas a countable noun can be counted example, a pen / a car. Uncountable nouns are always singular e.g. fruit is good for you.

So you can count cars, example there are 10 cars in the parking lot but you can’t count sugar. Countable nouns can be singular or plural.

We use the indefinite article a before single countable nouns but we can’t use it before uncountable nouns.

I have a pen √
I have a sugar ×
Instead we must use the determiner some.

Positive sentences use ‘some’
I have some sugar in the cupboard.

Negative / interrogative sentences use any in both countable plural and uncountable nouns.

I don’t have any sugar - uncountable

Do you have any brothers and sisters in your family? – countable plural

We can only use the indefinite article a or an before countable singular nouns.

I have a friend who lives in China.

If we are requesting or offering something we use ‘some’ in questions.

Would you like some more coffee?
Could I have some more milk please?

I have a spare pen if you need it.
If you want to measure uncountable nouns you must use a expression like, a bottle of / a cup of /3 bottles of etc.

I’d like a cup of coffee please.
I’d like 2 cups of coffee please.

Something / somebody/someone and anything / anybody / anyone

The same rules as above apply.

I know someone who speaks French - positive sentence
Would you like something to eat? – request
She doesn’t know anyone who speaks Russian here
Do you know anything about our teacher?

A lot/ much / many

We use much + uncountable noun – in negatives / question sentences

I don’t have much time to spend with you
How much money do you have?
How much time do you have?
Sorry, I don’t have any time or not much.

Whereas we use a lot in positive sentences in both plural nouns and uncountable nouns.

I have a lot of money in the bank
I have a lot of friends in Dublin

Many: We use many with plural countable nouns in negative / question sentences.

Do you have many friends in Dublin?
I don’t have many friends in Dublin
I’ve got many friends in Dublin

A lot can be used with all types of sentences

Do you have a lot of friends in Dublin?
I don’t have a lot of friends in Dublin
I’ve got a lot of friends in Dublin

A little is used with uncountable nouns
I drank a little wine with my dinner.

A few is used with countable plural nouns

I read a few books during my holidays….

articles

2011-05-13T14:21:00.001-07:00

Articles:

1.

You use the indefinite article a/ an as we saw above with countable singular nouns.

I have a pen.
I’d love an orange.

2.

Describing jobs:

He’s a doctor.
She is a student

3.

When we talk about something for the first time..

I have a brother who lives in Cork.

4.

When we describe something / someone

He is a nice guy
Cork is a very beautiful city
She is beautiful ×
She is a beautiful girl √

Definite articles (the)

1.

when something is unique – only one exists

The moon /The sun
The president of Ireland

2.

When you talk about something that was already mentioned before.

I saw a man in Grafton street playing and singing today.
The man was dressed like Clown and he was giving sweets to the kids.

3.

When it is clear which thing or person we mean.

Turn off the tv and the lights please before you go to bed.
Can you close the door please – (you know which door )

4.

Certain geographic places

The liffey, the Amazon etc.
The andes, the Philippines
The Hilton

5.

Describing a group of people,

The rich / the poor
The French / the irish…

6.

Superlatives

the most expensive/ the smallest / the cheapest etc

7.

Musical instruments

I play the guitar

No articles:

1.

abstract nouns / uncountable nouns and plural nouns used in a general sense.

Love makes the world go around
Money is a necessary evil
People only think of themselves
Cars are very expensive to run

2.

most geographic names / street names

I went to France last week.
I adore Paris.

3.

certain places / institutions / names of people / shops / days of the week / months of the year

I went to Hospital last night

determiners a/ an / some / much / any / many / much / a few / a little

2011-05-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

2011-04-18T06:39:00.000-07:00

Help with Articles:
Vey important for good writing so well worth the effort.

1.

You use the indefinite article a/ an as we saw above with countable singular nouns.

I have a pen.
I’d love an orange.

2.

Describing jobs:

He’s a doctor.
She is a student

3.

When we talk about something for the first time..

I have a brother who lives in Cork.

4.

When we describe something / someone

He is a nice guy
Cork is a very beautiful city
She is beautiful ×
She is a beautiful girl √

Definite articles (the)

1.

when something is unique – only one exists

The moon /The sun
The president of Ireland

2.

When you talk about something that was already mentioned before.

I saw a man in Grafton street playing and singing today.
The man was dressed like Clown and he was giving sweets to the kids.

3.

When it is clear which thing or person we mean.

Turn off the tv and the lights please before you go to bed.
Can you close the door please – (you know which door )

4.

Certain geographic places

The liffey, the Amazon etc.
The andes, the Philippines
The Hilton

5.

Describing a group of people,

The rich / the poor
The French / the irish…

6.

Superlatives

the most expensive/ the smallest / the cheapest etc

7.

Musical instruments

I play the guitar

No articles:

1.

abstract nouns / uncountable nouns and plural nouns used in a general sense.

Love makes the world go around
Money is a necessary evil
People only think of themselves
Cars are very expensive to run

2.

most geographic names / street names

I went to France last week.
I adore Paris.

3.

certain places / institutions / names of people / shops / days of the week / months of the year

I went to Hospital last night

countable / uncountable nouns

2011-03-30T05:20:00.000-07:00

What is an uncountable noun?
It’s a noun that one can’t count or unitize example, sugar / coffee whereas a countable noun can be counted example, a pen / a car.
Uncountable nouns are always singular.

So you can count cars, example there are 10 cars in the parking lot but you can’t count sugar. Countable nouns can be singular or plural.

We use the indefinite article a before countable nouns but we can’t use it before uncountable nouns.

I have a pen √
I have a sugar ×

Instead we must use the determiner some or any before uncountable nouns.

Positive sentences use ‘ some’
I have some sugar
Negative / interrogative sentences use any

I don’t have any sugar
Do you have any brothers and sisters in your family?

If we are requesting or offering something we use ‘some’ in questions.

Would you like some more coffee?
Could I have some more milk please?

We can also use some / any before plural countable nouns but we can only use the indefinite article a before countable singular nouns.

I have some pens here.
I don’t have any pens to lend you.
I have a spare pen if you need it.
If you want to measure uncountable nouns you must use a expression like, a bottle of / a cup of /3 bottles of etc.

I’d like a cup of coffee please.
I’d like 2 cups of coffee please.

Something / somebody/someone and anything / anybody / anyone

The same rules as above apply.

I know someone who speaks French - positive sentence
Would you like something to eat? – request
She doesn’t know anyone who speaks Russian here
Do you know anything about our teacher?

A lot/ much / many

We use much + uncountable noun – in negatives / question sentences

I don’t have much time to spend with you
How much money do you have?

Whereas we use a lot in positive sentences both plural nouns and uncountable nouns.

I have a lot of money in the bank
I have a lot of friends in Dublin

Many: We use many with plural nouns

Do you have many friends in Dublin?
I don’t have many friends in Dublin
I’ve got many friends in Dublin

A lot can be used with all types of sentences

Do you have a lot of friends in Dublin
I don’t have a lot of friends in Dublin
I’ve got a lot of friends in Dublin

A little is used with uncountable nouns
I drank a little wine with my dinner.

A few is used with countable nouns

I read a few books during my holidays….

past continuous

2011-03-07T11:54:00.001-08:00

Past Continuous?

Positive Structure:

Was /were + (verb + ing)

I was watching tv last night at 8pm
You were watching ….
He/she was watching tv…
We were watching tv…
You were watching tv…
They were watching tv….

Negative:

I wasn’t watching…
You weren’t watching ..
He / she wasn’t watching tv
We weren’t watching tv
You weren’t watching
They weren’t watching tv…

Question?

Was I watching tv last night at 8pm
Were you watching tv…
Was he / she watching tv…
Were we atching tv…
Were you watching tv..
Were they watching tv?

Uses:

We use it 2 describe a continuous action in the past as opposed to a single action in the past (past simple).

Example:

Last night I was reading a book at 10pm
Last night I read a book about Gorillas.

We also use the past continuous when we contrast a short action (past simple) with a longer continuous action (past continuous) in the same sentence.

Examples:

While I was studying, the doorbell ran or
The doorbell rang while I was studying.

The while clause is always continuous so we use the past continuous here. It contrasts with the shorter action – doorbell ringing – past simple.

past simple tense

2011-03-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

Past Simple:

Again we have positive, negative and interrogative sentences.

Positive Sentences:

We have regular and irregular verbs:
Regular verbs end in /ed/ or /d/
Example:
Yesterday I played football
Yesterday I decided to do my homework!

Irregular verbs:
Lots - so please check the handout outlining the irregular verbs.

Example:

Yesterday, I ate a hamburger.

Uses:

The past simple is any action or state in the past with no connection to now. We usually know an action is in the past simple by recognizing the following finished time adverbs: yesterday, last month, 10 minutes ago, in 1999, when I was a young boy/ girl etc.

Negative Sentences:

We use the auxiliary verb didn’t + infinitive

Example:

Yesterday, I didn’t do my homework √
Yesterday I didn’t go to school √

Careful:
Yesterday, I didn’t did my homework ×
Yesterday, I didn’t went to school ×

Interrogative Sentences:

Did + Infinitive?

Example:
Did you do your homework last night?
Did you go to school yesterday?

Point:

Did he played golf yesterday? ×
Did he play golf yesterday? √

More complex interrogative sentences:

What did you do last night?
Where did you go last weekend?
Why did you hurt me last night?
How many pints did you drink last night?
How much money did you spend last night?

Exception:

To be

The verb to be is the exception to the norm as we don’t use the auxiliary verbs did / didn’t + infinitive like the regular / irregular verbs mentioned above.

I was at home last night
You were right about the match
He / She /It was upset yesterday
We were wrong
You were great
They were delicious

Negative:

I wasn’t
You weren’t
He / She /It wasn’t
We weren’t
You weren’t
They weren’t

Interrogative:

Was I ?
Were you?
Was he / she / it?
Were we / you / they?

More complex questions:

Why were you sad last night?
Where were you last night when I called?
How was the match?
How much was it?
How many were in the stadium?

present continuous tense

2011-02-24T01:11:00.000-08:00

Present Continuous tense

I am watching tv
You are watching tv
He /she is watching tv
It is snowing
We are watching tv
You are watching tv
They are watching tv

Here we have the positive structure - subject plus verb plus object (svo).
The present continuous used the verb (to be) as an auxiliary verb / helping verb.
So sentence structure or syntax is:

Subject + auxiliary verb + main verb plus object.
I am watching television

Point: we normally use the short form of the verb to be when we speak e.g.

I am watching television becomes I’m watching television
You are watching tv becomes you’re watching tv and so on…

Negative:

Here we have the long form followed by the 2 short forms..

I am not watching tv / I’m not watching tv
You are not watching tv / you’re not watching tv / you aren’t watching tv
He/she is not watching tv / she’s not watching tv / she isn’t watching tv
It is not snowing / it’s not snowing / it isn’t snowing
We are not watching tv / we’re not watching tv / we aren’t watching tv
You are not watching tv / you’re not watching / you aren’t watching
They are not watching tv / they’re not watching / they aren’t watching

Point:

1. We can use the short form of the auxiliary verb to be for example
she’s not watching or she isn’t watching tv instead of the long form above.
2. Verbs used in the continuous tenses are action / dynamic verbs as opposed to state verbs mentioned in present simple earlier.

Interrogative / question form:

Am I watching tv?
Are you watching tv?
Is he / she watching tv?
Is it snowing?
Are we watching tv?
Are you watching tv?
Are they watching tv?

Point:

No short form here..

Adding interrogative pronouns helps form more complex answers rather than simply ye s/ no answers.

Example

What are you watching?
Why are you crying?
Who are you talking to?
Where are you going?
When are you leaving?
How many books are you buying?
How much cheese are you eating?

Uses?

1. Action at moment of speaking e.g. I am making a phone call
2. Action happening around now – temporary period of time e.g.
I am studying English in Dublin
3. Future arrangement – fixed appointments e.g. I am meeting a client next Friday at 12 noon.
4. Trends / movements e.g. interest rates are rising / falling

Exercise:

Some of the sentences below are incorrect while others are correct.

1. Everyday I get up at 7am
2. Every weekend he go to mass at 10.30 am
3. How often do you go to the cinema?
4. Does he lives in Dublin
5. How much is it costing?
6. I am meet john tonight at 8 pm
7. Do you knowing Mr. Murphy?
8. He isn’t always on time
9. Frank doesn’t smokes anymore
10. What do you do?

present simple tense

2011-02-24T01:09:00.000-08:00

Dublin Business English Language Centre

Grammar summary:

I will be looking at the following grammar elements over the next while and I hope you all learn something.

Any feedback / comments welcome…

Present Simple:

Example: I like Ice Cream
You like ice cream
He/she/ likes ice cream / it tastes nice
We like ice cream
You like cream
They like ice cream

Here we have a simple positive sentence in a SVO structure i.e. Subject, Verb and Object.

Point 1.

Only the 3rd person singular (he, she and it ) change verb ending to s i.e. verb + s.

Negative sentences:
To form a negative sentence in present simple we need to introduce the concept of an auxiliary verb or helping verb. Here we use don’t / doesn’t plus main verb.

I don’t like Ice Cream
You don’t like ice cream
He/she/it doesn’t like ice cream
We don’t like ice cream
You don’t like cream
They don’t like ice cream

So it translates into

Pronoun + auxiliary verb +main verb + noun
I don’t like ice Cream
He doesn’t like ice cream

Point 2.

Be careful not to put an s after 3rd person
He doesn’t likes ice cream
He doesn’t like ice cream

Interrogative sentences:

Once again we need an auxiliary word – we use do / does plus verb to form questions example

Do is used with all persons except 3rd person pronouns which use does + verb.

Example:

Do I like Ireland?
Do you like U2?
Does he / she like Guinness?
Does it taste nice?
Do we/you / they live in Dublin?

So sentence structure is:

Do/does plus subject pronoun + main verb plus noun/object pronoun

Do you like rock music?
Does he like Lady gaga / does he like her?

Point 3.

Be careful not to put an s after 3rd person
Does he likes ice cream
Does he like ice cream

Main uses:

1. Facts: I like ice cream

2. Routines: Everyday I get up at 7.30/ I always go to bed at 11p.

3. Time-tables: the bus leaves at 6pm tomorrow/ the flight arrives at 2pm tomorrow evening/ the meeting starts at 9am on Friday.

4. State verbs: these are non action verbs like verbs of feeling and emotion example like, love, hate, want, sense, desire and feel and are always used in present simple even when referring to now.

2010-03-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

So here's a question for you that you may want to try and send to me.

''Your company employs an office cleaning service to clean its offices every evening.
Your company is dissatisfied with the service and you have been asked to write a letter to the office cleaning service''.

Write your letter to the office cleaning service
*explaining why you are writing
*describing ways in which the cleaning service is unsatisfactory
*saying what effect this has on clients visiting the office
*outlining what action you intend to take if the service does not improve

I'll give you a model answer and some tips in future bulletins...

BEC writing exams

2010-03-26T05:21:00.000-07:00

In the BEC higher test , you have to answer to writing questions. Part 1 is a report on graph like a bar chart, a Pie Chart or describing a line graph. Mostly you describe what happened in the past but a few charts need you to forecast so you need specialist vocabulary here. We will discuss the vocabulary for these soon.

In part 2, you have a choice of either a letter, a report or a proposal and they should be around 200-250 words.

Examples of a letter we will look at soon will be a letter of Complaint or Apology.

Reports and proposals will be discussed separately.

2010-01-15T05:22:00.000-08:00

The TOEIC ( Test of English for International Communication ) test measures the everyday English Language skills of people working in an International Business Environment. With over 4 million takers per year, the TOEIC test is the world’s leading test of English language proficiency in a workplace setting. The Dublin Business English Language Centre are specialists in preparing students for the TOEIC test. It is also a very useful exam to do before attempting the more demandng BEC exams.

Corporations from small businesses to multinationals rely on the TOEIC test to

Recruit, promote and place employees
Select participants for technical training conducted in English
Implement a common standard of measurement across multiple corporate sites
Document progress in English-language training programmes

English language programmes use the TOEIC test to

Place students at the appropriate language learning level
Demonstrate learning progress
Evaluate programme effectiveness.

Individuals use the TOEIC test score results to:

Apply for new positions
Obtain credentials at the completion of training
Track personal improvement in English

The exam take place every month and costs around €120 to do.

2010-01-14T08:43:00.001-08:00

The Business English Cambridge exams are well known as a reliable indicator of a student's level of business English. They encompass the 4 skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening and we offer tuition at both Vantage ( upper Intermdiate ) and Advanced level here at the Dublin Business English Language Centre in Donnybrook, Dublin4. Classes for Individuals have just started and check the website for further details at www.dublinbusinessenglish.com