SOME EASY NOUNS   iron plug bulb The following are ‘countable nouns’. Countable nouns have a singular and a plural form. Some words like ’arms’, when arms means ammunition’ exist only in the plural form. Words that have an irregular plural are printed in bold. ache aches               acid acids acre acres                adze adzes ally allies                 alto altos apex apexes             area areas -       arms                 aura auras axis axes                   bale bales ball balls                 band bands bank banks              bard bards barn barns               base bases bash bashes             bass basses bath baths                bead heads beak beaks               beam beams   bear bears                beet beets bell bells                  belt belts berg (ice) bergs         bias biases body bodies              bogy bogies bolt bolts                 bomb bombs bond bonds               bone bones buck buck/s               bump bumps bung bungs               bunk bunks buoy buoys               burn burns bush bushes             bust busts butt butts                buzz buzzes byte bytes               café cafés cage cages              calf calves cane canes              card cards care cares               cart carts case cases              cave caves cell cells                 chin chins chip chips                chop chops clan clans                clap claps claw claws               clay clays clef clefs                 clip clips clod clods                clot clots club clubs                cock cocks code codes              coil coils coma comas            comb combs coop coops              coot coots cord cords               core cores crux cruces -cruxes   crow crows cure cures               cusp cusps dais daises             dame dames damp damp             dart darts dash dashes            date dates dice dices                diet diets deal deals               debt debts deck decks              deer deer dent dents              dial dials disc discs                dish dishes disk disks (CDs)       dock docks dodo dodos/oes     doer doers doll dolls                 dose doses dose doses              dove doves draw draws (lottery)        dray drays drip drips                 drop drops drug drugs               dump dumps dune dunes              duty duties earl earls                 east echo eddy eddies               edge edges exam exams             exit exits face faces                fair fairs fare fares                 farm farms faun fauns                fear fears feat feats                 feed feeds fete fetes                 file files fill fills                     film films find finds                  fire fires fish fish / es             flag flags flex flexes                 floe (ice) floes flow flows                 flue flues flux fluxes                 foil foils fold folds                   font fonts foot feet                   ford fords form forms                 fort forts foul fouls                   fowl fowls fray frays                   fret frets frog frogs                   fuel fuels fume fumes                fund funds gaff gaffs                   gain gains gala galas                  game games gash gashes               gate gates gene genes                 girl girls glen glens                   gnat gnats goad goads                  goal goals goat goats                   gold gold gong gongs                      half halves halo halos / es               hart hart/s hash hashes                 haul hauls heir heirs                     herb herbs herd herds                   hero heroes hide hides                   hike hikes hill hills                      hilt hilts hind hinds                   hint hints hive hives                   hoax hoaxes hobo hoboes                 hole holes home homes               honk honks hoof hooves                hook hooks hope hopes                 host hosts howl howls                  huff huffs hulk hulks                   hump humps ibis ibis / es                  idol idols -   jowls (pl)               kilo kilos lady ladies                 lash lashes leaf leaves                levy levies life lives                    lily lilies loss losses lynx lynx/es                - Magi (pl) mass masses             minx minxes opus opuses / opera      quay quays quiz quizzes                 roof roofs reef reefs                   safe safes solo solos/soli taxi taxis/taxies         - tears (usually) turf turfs                        tyre tyres veto vetoes                   wife wives wine wine                     wish wishes wolf wolves                  woof woofs   Note the following also:- beau beaux / s  bureau bureaux / s chateau chateaux  crisis crises formula formulae  index indices mother-in-law mothers-in-law  passer-by passers-by radius radii  stimulus stimuli COUNTABLE & UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS The nouns that are listed below are mainly homonyms. As each word can have two or more different meanings. Each word in the list can therefore be a countable noun and an uncountable noun depending on which meaning is intended. UNCOUNTABLE COUNTABLE beer alcoholic drink cans, bottles of beer cork outer part of tree bottle stoppers evil morally bad behaviour bad or evil things fire shots fired from a gun flames that burn gain increased levels advantage from effort gall anger or hate swelling on a tree gear set of clothes/equipment vehicle machinery gilt thin shiny material stocks or shares grub food small white worms heat warmth part of a race home country where one lives apartment, house horn substance of a horn antlers etc hose hosiery hosepipe hurt feeling of unhappiness recollection of feelings husk outer part of grain left over waste junk unwanted objects Chinese sailing boat lace fine cloth string used in shoes lamb meat of young sheep young sheep ruin loss of money crumbling buildings rush hurry type of plant sale process of selling products sold seed fine seed of a type bigger seeds / variety sham pretence pillow covers size bigness/smallness clothes in different sizes skin outer layer variety of different skins snow frozen water periods when snow falls soap detergent variety of soaps song sounds made by birds musical rendition spin disguised talk act of turning spit watery liquid piece of narrow land stay time of being somewhere strong wire / plastic etc stir feeling action stud animal breeding pointed piece of metal tack manner of approach small nails tape length of magnetic tape cassettes thaw warm weather after snow improved relations vice criminal activities bad habits wash clothes to be washed thin layer of colour weed mass of floating plants unwanted plants whip long piece of rope chocolate & egg dish will determination legal document wind moving air different winds wire thin metal thread variety of wires land area of ground country lawn fine cloth areas covered with lawn life state of being alive the way one lives loss the death of someone business losses love feeling of care someone/ something loved mace spice ornamental stick meat flesh of an animal variety of flesh mind ability to think thoughts of many persons mink small animal coat or jacket mint herb sweets / money mint myth fanciful belief story navy military force very dark blue colour need situation of need requirements for living pace speed of occurrence steps in walking peel skin of fruit covering of variety of fruits pick outcome of choice garden tool pine pale wood of pine pine trees pink pale red colour garden plants port Portuguese wine places for ships to be loaded rank lines level in an organisation reed thin piece of wood grass like plant rest relaxing time musical pause road prepared surface for cars many different roads rock many surface of the earth pieces of hard material rope thick strong string many different ropes rose pink colour flowers   UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS Generally uncountable nouns name things that cannot be counted: air, dirt, cold, dust, energy, furniture, hail, haze, love, luck, mist, muck, pulp, rain, snow, soil, soot, water. acne aloe beef bias bile bind bran cant (talk) cash clay coke (coal) dope dung dusk dust envy felt flux fuss fuzz glee gold golf gore gout grit grog hail hair hake harm hate haze hell help hemp jade judo jute kelp lard lava lint loot love luck lust mail main mash mess milk mire muck mush noon peat pith pity polo pulp purl rice rote rust salt silt soil soot sort time trim veld volk west whit wine wool Learners should also look at abstract nouns. Examples are: ambition, beauty, belief, calm, care, childhood, comfort, hate, hope, humour, idea, laughter, liberty, love, omen, peace, pride, skill, sleep, speed, success, thought, trust. Certain verbs can be turned into abstract nouns: believe belief consider consideration decide decision deny denial enjoy enjoyment laugh laughter pray prayer sadden sadness satisfy satisfaction think thought The following words have the appearance of plurals but are in fact singular nouns: economics; five thousand rands; gymnastics; mathematics; news; pants; scissors - audience; band; crowd; jury; kind Economics is the study of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Ten thousand rands is all I need to start my business. Gymnastics is her life. The news is very encouraging and pleasing. The scissors is very sharp. The pants needs ironing. This kind of music appeals to me. The jury is out. Our team has excelled. The audience is very warm and receptive. HOW TO USE THE NOUN ‘KIND*’. Vehicles of this kind are all over. They come in two kinds: manual and automatic. What kind of car are you looking for? This car is expensive. It has all kinds of accessories. Do you have that kind of money? Finally, look at the selected passage on the opposite page. This has been adapted from Balloon Journey to Kazeh by Jules Verne. Cathay Books. 1983. Note how nouns have been used to create and keep our interest in the balloon journey. After reading this passage write about your journey by train, bus, car, ship or aeroplane. NOUNS IN ACTION The landscape was remarkable for its extreme fertility. Narrow paths were hidden under a vaulting of foliage. The balloon passed over fields of ripe tobacco, maize and barley. Here and there stretched vast fields of rice with straight stems and purplish flowers. Sheep and goats could be seen penned in large enclosures raised on piles to protect them from the leopards. A luxuriant vegetation covered this rich soil. In many villages the sight of the balloon roused fresh clamour and bewilderment. Every now and again they caught sight of a caravan resting in a kraal were they were safe from wild beasts and marauding tribes. As they floated along the glare of the sun on the red earth became unbearable. Later the sky was covered with thick clouds and then the rain began to pour down on the travellers. It was a sort of intermittent torrent. Nothing was to be seen in the pestilent mist except a very occasional hut. At length they reached the last undulations. The three ranges were separated by immense plains. The lofty ridges took the form of rounded cones between which the earth was strewn with stray boulders and rocks. Various water-courses made their way eastward to join the Kingani, amid huge clumps of sycamores, tamarinds, calabash-trees and palmyras. On the other side of Rubehos, were the crests and ravines of the wilderness. Lower still stretched yellow plains strewn here and there with saline plants and thorny shrubs. A few thickets later this vegetation gave place to vast forests which made it hard for us to find a suitable landing.. EASY COMPOUND NOUNS airbase aircrew airdrop airfare airlift airline airlock airmail airport air-raid air time anthill Art Deco art form bar-code bay leaf beehive bus-top car park catwalk day-trip earmuff egg-flip eyeball eyebath eyewash fan belt fan club fan mail fig-leaf gas lamp gas mask gum tree gymslip (tunic) hemline hen-coop hip-bone hot line hot seat ice-cube ice floe ice-pick ice-rink oatcake sea bird seafood sea lion seaport sea sand seaside sea view seaweed tea bags teacups tea lady teapot tearoom tea tray war-game war hero   Note: Compound nouns are very common. New combinations arise almost daily. They usually have two parts. The first part provides information on the object or person, the second part identifies the object or person (cane-mill, feed-pipe, bank-book-, book-shop etc). Compound nouns are formed in three different ways:- the open form, such as:- cuff link, duck pond, book club, golf club, fish cake the hyphenated form, such as:- baby-dolls, bolt-rope, book-debt, book-worm, boot-lace, boot-rack, cash-book, puff-ball, root-crop, salt-mine, stem-leaf, talk-show, tea-time, wire-rims, wind-bell, year-book. the closed form such as:- bookcase, buckskin, cockcrow, database, doorpost, fireside, firetrap, fishcake, folklore, footpath, hosepipe, jailbird, woodland Most noun + noun compound words have the main stress on the first word: e.g. door post. Other compound words: noun + verb backache footsore headache headhunt hoodwink rainfall snowfall stargaze adjective + noun barefoot berg wind blue moon bluebird busy-body calf-love cold snap forehead fourfold hard-copy hardware junk-mail lifelong meantime sickroom sidewalk adjective or adverb + verb backdate forebode hardbake hardboot hardwire forecast foreshow overdraw override overthrow sideline sidestep EXERCISE   With the use of a good dictionary decide whether the following compound words are in the open, hyphenated or closed forms. acid rain acid test area code army camp atom bomb baby boom ball gown bank loan bank rate base line bass drum bell buoy bird call blow lamp boat load body blow bona fide bone idle bone meal boot sale bran mash brat pack brim full bull horn bull ring bush baby calf love call note camp fire case work coal mine cock crow cock spur cock crow cole slaw corn cobs data base date line door jamb door knob door mats door nail door post dove cote drum beat dumb bell dust bins dust bowl farm hand fire ball fire boat fire bugs fire side fire trap fire wood fire fish fish bowl fish cake flag pole flag ship flat mate folk tale foot ball foot hill foot hold foot mark foot note foot path foot rest foot slog foot step gang land hand bags hand ball hand cuff hell hole hell fire home land horn bill horn pipe life buoy life raft news reel neap tide rain bows rain coat rain drop rain fall sand bags sand bank sand bars sand shoe sand worm sign post snow ball snow drop star fish tail coat taxi rank team mate term time text book time slot time zone toll gate trap door tuck shop type face vena cava vine yard vent hole vent plug ward robe week days wind bags wine cash wire mesh wolf pack wood pile word play work mate year book yoke mate zero hour zero rate zoom lens NOUNS IN CATEGORIES Find the meaning of each of the following nouns and then use several words from each category to write a paragraph. For example, write a paragraph using the following nouns: addict, bandit, briber, despot or banker, broker, bursar, purser. ONE BECOMES AN/A … addict angler artist author bandit banker barman bishop brewer briber broker bursar butler censor consul cooper critic curate despot editor glazer lawyer mentor patron pedant pedlar porter purser ranger sailor salvor tailor ONE BUILDS A … canopy cellar chalet chapel corral duplex facade gabion gables garret groyne hostel ONE CAN BE ACCUSED OF bigamy deceit greed heresy infamy lunacy malice piracy popery purism schism sleaze truancy ONE CONDUCTS AN/A … affair caucus census course debate enquiry lesson parade parley prayer recital ritual sermon summit survey ONE CONSUMES … butter caviar celery cereal cheese cutlet éclair fennel fillet legume pickle pillau polony radish relish ONE CREATES AN/A … bungle burden bustle empire frieze furore hubbub mirage mayhem mishap muddle puppet quorum splash ONE ENGAGES IN eulogy frolic gamble giggle grudge guffaw junket karate kidnap lament ONE ENJOYS A … ballad ballet comedy picnic holiday recess repast repose stroll ONE FEARS combat crisis famine fettle fiasco frenzy fumble goblin gorgon hassle hatred hazard horror miasma plight rigour terror GOES TO/ INTO church cinema casino circus clinic crèche closet huddle puddle ravine ONE JOINS convoy escort exodus junket patrol rabble ONE HATES apathy arrest deceit duress egoism humbug idiocy insult jargon penury piracy plague ONE KNOWS THE FOLLOWING ANIMALS chicken pigeons plover ponies poodles porker pullet python quagga rabbit rodent ONE OBSERVES curfew custom dictum ethics ONE MUST OVERCOME anxiety hurdle pathos pother sadness sorrow trials ONE OPERATES camera dynamo engine plough   ONE SEEKS asylum avenue career caress credit cuddle elixir mettle praise profit purity relief safety ONE SOLVES problem enigma mystery paradox puzzle riddle teaser ONE SUFFERS FROM asthma bunion cavity eczema lesion phlegm pimple ONE USES bamboo calico callow canvas carafe carton carver casket catkin chisel coupon crutch fabric fleece gusset pillow potion rattan ONE WANTS access accord action advice effort energy esteem gaiety honour humour levity regard repute status ONE WEARS AN/A/SOME blazer brogue brooch buckle bikini collar corset cravat emblem girdle jewels kaftan kimono sandals sarong ONE WRITES AN/A … ballad cheque cantos chorus ballet column comedy dulcet digest eponym eulogy howler melody memoir parody poetry report resume review COLLOCATIONS Study the following collocations: bail out on bail; release somebody on bail; grant somebody bail; refuse somebody bail; post bail; hold somebody without bail fate suffer a fate; seal/decide/settle somebody's fate; meet the same/a similar fate; leave/abandon somebody to their fate; resign yourself to your fate film watch/see a film; appear/star in a film; show/screen a film; make/shoot a film fire start a fire; set fire to something; set something on fire be on fire; put out a fire; fight a fire hair brush/comb your hair; do your hair; have/get your hair cut/done; curl/ colour your hair lose your hair; run your fingers through your/somebody's hair; ruffle/tousle somebody's head turn your head; shake your head; nod your head; raise your head; bow/bend/lower your head; hang your head; cock your head; scratch your head hint give somebody a hint; drop a hint; take a hint; give a broad/strong/heavy hint; give a subtle/vague/gentle hint hold get a tight/firm hold on something; tighten your hold on something; loosen/release your hold on something; have/keep hold of something; get/take hold of something; catch/grab/seize hold of something; lose your hold on something. hope entertain a hope that something will happen; have hopes of doing something; be full of hope; give/offer hope to somebody lose/give up/abandon hope of something; live in hope; not hold out any/much hope . [Use: The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English] Write down as many collocations as can be formed with the following words. hope idea jail lack life list loan loss luck mark meal mood nose pace page pain post seat skin view WORD GAMES A compound word chain begins with a compound word such as wild west from which the first player takes the second word and makes a new compound word like West Wind. The third player makes a compound word with wind like windmill. The fourth player uses mill to make millstone. The game continues in this fashion for as long as time and continuity allows. Play this game on the computer at the following URL: http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/words/activities/compoundnouns02.html A second game would involve teams having to guess whether a compound word is OPEN; HYPHENATED OR CLOSED. Use any dictionary that is commonly available to learners to check whether the responses are valid compound nouns.

 

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