Countable vs Uncountable Nouns

 

How do we count milk, money, people, sugar, apples, etc? Today, we answer that question (and more) with our post on COUNTABLE and UNCOUNTABLE nouns. 

Subject-Verb-Agreement

Complete the sentences with the correct verb forms.

1/ Jiro and Sachiko ____ a large house in France.

a) have
b) has

2/ Sachiko, as well as Jiro, ____ a large house in France. 

a) have
b) has

Now, click on "Read More" and check your answers.

Noun, Verb, Adverb, Adjective: Parts Of Speech & Suffixes

We briefly covered parts of speech last year during our series on the TOEIC test. Today, we're going to go into more detail. We'll look at a few helpful infographics,  and do a few exercises to practice.

A, An, & The - A Review Of Articles

Time for a review of indefinite and definite articles (a, an, and the). Articles are on the most difficult parts of the English language to teach. An ESL learner can spend years learning how to use them. In this post we'll look at how and when to use articles. There will also be exercises to help you practice and there will be a video or two as well.

A & An: Review

"A" or "An"?

I thought this would be a good time to review "a" and "an" (indefinite articles which were covered here in October).  

First, we use a/an in the following situations:

In writing when we introduce something for the first time. (I was looking for a post office near my hotel in Paris. The clerk said, "Try the post office around the corner on Rue Belleville). 

When we're writing/talking about something in general, unspecified. (I'm looking for a coffee shopm Chen needs a new blazer for the party, There's a large river near here,  etc). 

We don't use a/an for countries, cities, famous/well-known places, people's names, plurals, etc.

(x) I went to a Spain last year. 

(correct) I went to Spain. 

A: Which Starbucks did you go to?

B: Oh, you know, a Starbucks on the corner of 6th Street and Columbia Avenue. (x)

      Oh, you know, the Starbucks on the corner of 6th Street and Columbia Avenue.(correct)

"a" and "an" have the same meaning but:

We use "an" for words that start with vowels (a,e,i,o,u) or have vowel sounds .

Example:  an eraser, an hour (vowel sound)

We "a" for words that start with consonants (b,c,d,f,g,h,j,k, etc)

Also, watch out for compound nouns: a bus stop, an Irish coffee, etc. The first letter of the first word tells whether to use "a" or "an".