Categories: Nouns

Countable Nouns | Exercises and Answers

Countable nouns are things we can count. So, there are singular countable nouns and plural countable nouns. Let’s see the following examples.

Singular Nouns	Plural Nouns
cat umbrella job suggestion girl website car son boy sister brother	cats umbrellas jobs suggestions girls websites cars sons boys sisters brothers

Contents hide

1. Indefinite Articles Before Singular Countable Nouns

2. Singular Countable Nouns Cannot Be Used Without Article

3. Talking About Things In General Using Plural Countable Nouns

4. Talking About Specific Things Using Plural Countable Nouns

5. Countable Noun Exercises

8. Useful Video Links

Indefinite Articles Before Singular Countable Nouns

Before singular countable nouns you can use a/an. Let’s see the following examples.

a suggestion
a car
an hour
an umbrella
a headache
a book
an ant
an idol

See the following singular countable nouns in sentences.

That’s a good suggestion.
I’ve been waiting for you for an hour.
Bring an umbrella with you. It’s raining outside.
I’ve got a headache.
Have you got a lighter?
There’s a cat under the table.
Can you give me a ride?
I’m looking for a shirt.
My father is an engineer.
I’m reading a new novel this weekend.

Singular Countable Nouns Cannot Be Used Without Article

We cannot use singular countable nouns alone (without a/ the / my etc. ). Let’s see the following examples.

I’m looking for a job. ( not ‘I’m looking for job’ )
I have a car. ( not ‘I have car.’ )
Have you got a lighter, please ? ( not ‘Have you got lighter, please?’)

See singular and plural nouns here.

Talking About Things In General Using Plural Countable Nouns

We must use plural countable nouns without a, an, some etc. to say things in general. Let’s see the following examples.

I love mangoes.
Girls are more loving than boys.
Some people are more wicked than animals.

Talking About Specific Things Using Plural Countable Nouns

When we are talking about specific things, we usually use the, some, these, those, my, her, his, number ( two, three, four, etc.) before plural countable nouns. Let’s see the following examples.

I’ve downloaded some songs.
They are my classmates.
The cats belong to me. ( see definite article here. )
Do you like these cars?
We need five eggs.

Countable Noun Exercises

Exercise I

In this exercise you have to give a simple definition / description to the following words.

Example : a dog ? It is ……….

You write : A dog is an animal.

an eel? It is ………
Japan, Indonesia, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil? They are …………….
Tigers, lions, dogs, snakes ? They are …………….
John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan ? They were ……….
a kiwi? It is ……….
a walrus? It is …………
Krakatoa? It is ……….
Gothenburg? It is ………..
A, B, C, D, E ? They are …….
Indigo, cyan, beige, turquoise? They are ……….

Exercise II

Look at things around your house and use information about yourself to complete the following sentences.

There ………………….chairs…………….
You can also see ………………………. on the shelf.
I’ve got ……………………………….. in the living room.
There’s a ……………………………… in the kitchen.
There ……………………………. people in my family. They are my mother, ……, …….,………
I eat …………………………………….. every day.
My sister has got …………………………..
You can find some ……………………… in my brother’s bedroom.
There …………………………………………………..in my mother’s wardrobe.
My father always keeps ……………………………… on the shelf.

Answers

Exercise I

an eel? It is an animal.
Japan, Indonesia, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil? They are countries.
Tigers, lions, dogs, snakes ? They are animals.
John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan ? They were singers.
a kiwi? It is a fruit.
a walrus? It is an animal.
Krakatoa? It is a volcano.
Gothenburg? It is a city.
A, B, C, D, E ? They are alphabets.
Indigo, cyan, beige, turquoise? They are colors.

Exercise II

Different answers are possible.

There are some chairs in the living room.
You can also see some books on the shelf.
I’ve got a cd player in the living room.
There’s a fridge in the kitchen.
There are five people in my family. They are my mother, father, sister, brother and me.
I eat a lot of vegetables every day.
My sister has got two close friends.
You can find some books in my brother’s bedroom.
There are a lot of gowns in my mother’s wardrobe.
My father always keeps his shoes on the shelf.