Determiners & Nouns- All About Nouns Part 2

 See part 1 here.

A

A is an indefinite article, for example, a drink (it is any drink, not a specific one). A is used for countable nouns. 

The

The is a definite article, it refers to a certain thing, for example, the shop (not any shop, you mean a specific one). The can be used for both countable and uncountable nouns. For example, the car, the traffic.

Some

Some can also be used for countable and uncountable nouns. For example, some cars, some traffic.

This

This is a demonstrative pronoun that can be used with countable and uncountable nouns. For example, this car, this traffic. If it is a plural countable noun, these is used. Example- these cars. 

Each/every

This can only be used for countable nouns. Example- each car, every car NOT each traffic, every traffic.

Much/many

Much is used for uncountable nouns and many is used for countable nouns. Example, there is not much traffic, there are many cars.

A little

This is only used for uncountable nouns. Example- there is a little traffic.

A few

A few is for countable nouns. Example- there are a few cars.

Summary

Determiners we only use with uncountable nouns: a little, much

Determiners we only use with countable nouns: a, many, a few, each, every, these

Determiners we can use for countable nouns and uncountable nouns- the, this, some

All About Nouns Part 1

 Nouns are used for

• People
• Places
• Things
• Qualities
• Concepts such as topics
• Feelings such as cold or hot

Nouns can be categorised in different ways:

Proper nouns or common nouns

Proper nouns use capital letters, these include countries, people, places, names of companies.
All other nouns are common nouns, these are every day objects such as chair, coffee, cup.

Concrete nouns or abstract nouns

Concrete nouns are things you can feel or touch such as a bed, the floor, your house.
Abstract nouns are ideas such as feelings and topics.

Note that nouns can come under multiple categories so for example, a bed is a common noun and a concrete noun.

Countable nouns or uncountable nouns

Uncountable nouns (sometimes called mass nouns or non-count nouns) are things that you cannot count such as the air, sand or water. 

Groups of certain things are uncountable for example money remains singular even if you are talking about having a lot of it, such as coins. Other examples of uncountable group nouns are traffic and sheep. (If you cannot add an 's' at the end, it is uncountable)

Countable or count nouns are things you can count such as vehicles, furniture or t-shirts.

Again nouns can come under different types and depending on the content in which it is used. 

Thought is an abstract noun that is also uncountable when it is used as 'I was deep in thought' but if it used as 'I had three thoughts', it is an abstract, countable noun.

T-shirts is a concrete, countable noun but clothing is a concrete, uncountable noun.

Note that in different languages, there are different definitions, so some nouns may be uncountable in English but in another language it is a countable noun (for example, when in another language, they add an 'a' before nouns that in English you would not).