Instructions
Some nouns in English are countable – we can use them in singular and plural forms. Some are uncountable – they only have one form.
We often use a/an with singular countable nouns and some with plurals. We can also use some with uncountable nouns.
What are examples of countable nouns?
Here are a few:
I've got a steak, some red chilli peppers, some potatoes…
OK, well, I've got a lemon, an apple … and some chicken breasts.
I'd like a blue pen, please.
OK, so for things you can count, like one pen, two pens … Why did you say a pen, not one pen?
We often use a/an before singular countable nouns. Before words that start with a vowel sound, we use an, and before words that start with a consonant sound, we use a.
So is one wrong? As in Would you like one drink?
It sounds as if you're saying one (not two). If you're offering someone a drink, you'd say Would you like a drink?
But someone who works in a café might say, So that's one coffee and two lemonades.
So it's usually a or an for singular countable nouns and a number or some for plurals. How many is some?
It can be any number more than one.
I got some new jeans at the weekend. (a pair of new jeans)
Some teachers left at the end of the year. (we don't know how many)
Is some or a number always used with plurals?
No, have a look at these examples
I'm frightened of dogs. (dogs in general)
Strawberries have a lot of vitamin C. (strawberries in general)
What about uncountable nouns?
These are nouns that don't have a plural form.
I've got some garlic and some butter.
I'm looking for information about early rock and roll.
I haven't got enough paper.
You have to get permission from the head teacher.
Do you want some cake?
So, I can use some with uncountables too?
Yes, we use some with both countables and uncountables.
How do I know whether a noun is countable or uncountable?
A dictionary will tell you. Usually dictionaries use symbols [C] for countable and [U] for uncountable.
Just a minute. You said cake was uncountable. What about I made a cake this morning?
Yes that's correct, but there's a difference in meaning.
I made a cake this morning. (a whole cake – countable)
Do you want some cake? (a piece of cake – uncountable)
A box of chocolates. (individual chocolates – countable)
I'd like some chocolate too. (a piece or pieces of chocolate from a bar of chocolate – uncountable)
I thought coffee and lemonade were uncountable too.
Yes, they are usually.
I love coffee with hot milk. (uncountable)
Can you get some coffee? (uncountable)
I'll have a coffee, please. (a cup of coffee, countable)
Wow, so it's more complicated than I thought.
No, they're not really very difficult.
OK, they're easy. It's a piece of cake!
Yes, simple! A piece of cake!
Worksheets and downloads
Transcript
Discussion
The expression a piece of cake means something is really easy. Is speaking English a piece of cake for you?
Comments
I think with this exercise we were can more vocabulary.
at the start of the learn english it could be taugh you coudnt say piece of cake but if you study to hard day by day getting english so you can say piece of cake.
I think that for me is a kind o piece of cake, because i've learned english since I was a child. But it wasn't a piece of cake always.
Do you want an apple?
I have an apple tree.
Speaking English may be a kind of a piece of cake, but writing English is never be a piece of cake for me particularly when it comes to countable and uncoountable nouns. We don't usually care about how many things we have in our language!
(;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`)
by the way i'm new here so i hope you'll help me to improve my english
Hi fazashah! Welcome to LearnEnglish Teens! I'm sure you will improve your English with our site. By reading, listening, doing the exercises and leaving comments you're doing exactly the right thing to take your English to the next level. Good luck and enjoy! Joanna (LearnEnglish Teens team)
not now but i hope it will soon
So, can I say: "Pieces of cake" for something that is hard?Just a stupid question...
Hi kingdragon123. It's not a stupid question – but we don't say that, I'm afraid. We can describe something difficult by saying 'it's tough as nails', 'it's a hard nut to crack', 'it's a tough one' or 'it's a toughie' (although the first two of these are a bit old-fashioned).
What do you think is a piece of cake? And what is tough for you? :)
Jonathan (LearnEnglish Teens Team)
Hi Jonathan,
Thank you for the replya, I've got another question.
I'm wondering if 'toughy' is acceptable instead of 'toughie'?
Do you pronounce the two words differently??
ken
Hi Ken,
Either spelling is acceptable but the pronunciation would stay the same. Remember you can always use an online dictionary to check spelling.
Best wishes, Jo (LearnEnglish Teens team)
Speaking English isn't easy for me.It's not a piece of cake.
The English for me are like four pieces of cake makes me more difficult grammar, in pronunciation is much better when I am alone but when I am in front of someone I am afraid and I go wrong, in the vocabulary I have a midpoint are like two pieces of Cake, but I hope to continue learning that is why I am here and I hope one day my English will be a piece of cake, that is to say very easy.
Dear Sir
Regarding my last question eg pencil and baggage ... Is it alright to say 'a piece of baggage on the table'
Best regards
Srilal
Hi Srilal,
Yes, exactly. If you really needed to specify that it was only one item, you could say 'a piece of baggage'. If not, we would probably just say, 'my baggage is on the table', or something like that. You can use 'some' for uncountable nouns and it doesn't necessarily mean more than one:
eg. I've got some good news for you! (= one piece of information)
Best wishes, Joanna (LearnEnglish Teens team)
Dear Sir
Please help me to make this clear. Eg. There is a pencil on the table. If I want to say 'baggage' instead of 'a pencil' how can I say it? If I say some baggage that means more than one but I want to say only one but I can't use one or a before baggage.
Please help.
Thank you.
Best regards
Srilal
I suppose that English is sometimes like a piece of cake.
Currently I'm trying to swallow the piece of cake ;D
Hello! Can you explain me why we use "some" in questions not "any", for example, in sentences like "Do you want some cake?", "Would you like some coffe?" or "Can I borrow some money?". Whereas by rule we might use ‘any’ for questions. Thanks in advance!
Hi clp920. It depends on the function of the question. If it is to offer something or request something, use some. This is the case in your examples. Using some encourages the person to say 'yes' in reply.
Using any in the same question is possible too, but it seems like you expect the person to reply 'no'.
If the question is just to ask about some other thing, not to offer or request it, use any.
I hope that helps to understand these tricky words!
Jonathan (LearnEnglish Teens Team)
Wow. now it is really become much more clear, like a piece of cake! Thank you so much
I think it is a piece of cake as long as you know grammar and conventions. There are exceptions too though.
yeah if I had a good knowledge of vocabulary it'd be piece of cake
Sorry but i can not watch this video.
It plays normally until the 15th second. It's weird :))
Please fix. I have F5 the page already.
Hi,
I've just checked the video and it's working fine. Please check your internet connection. If you continue to have problems please send more details. You can use the Contact us link at the bottom of the page: http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/contact
Best wishes, Jo (LearnEnglish Teens Team)
Never be a piece of cake!
It's hard to find reasons exactly why a piece of cake = easy?? a whole cake= difficult??
not really :D
not yet :D
No, speaking English isn't a piece of cake for me yet.
The expression A PIECE OF CAKE means something really easy. I think speaking English is not a piece of cake. We have been studying English in schools since early childhood and I myself doing my best to get fluency in speaking English but still couldn't get success. Keeping all these facts in mind, I can't say that English language is a piece of cake.
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