memory
countable – a specific memory of a past event
uncountable — the ability to remember
13. beauty
countable — a beautiful woman
uncountable — the quality that makes someone or something attractive
14. business
countable — a company
uncountable — the activity of making, buying or selling things
15. danger
countable – a person or thing that can harm or kill
uncountable — the possibility of something very bad happening
16. failure
countable — a person or thing that is not successful
uncountable — lack of success
17. freedom
countable — the right to do what you want to do
uncountable — the state of being free
18. gossip
countable — a person who likes telling and hearing gossip
uncountable — untrue stories about other people’s private lives
19. jam
сountable — many vehicles stuck together in traffic, or a difficult situation
uncountable – sweet food that’s made from fruit
20. land
countable — a country or region
uncountable – the earth’s surface
21. nature
countable – the basic character of a person or an animal
uncountable – all living things and their habitats
22. noise
countable — a particular sound
uncountable — loud or unpleasant sound
23. toast
countable — the act of drinking to someone’s happiness
uncountable — sliced bread browned in a toaster
24. youth
countable — a young man
uncountable — the time in someone’s life when they’re young
EXERCISE 3
Complete the sentences using the noun in bold in the form of a countable (in plural or with the article a) or an uncountable noun:
1 experience
a Kudjo had never had such ***** before he got to the hidden lab.
b Kudjo had no ***** in communicating with scientists, needless to say, with insane ones.
2 danger
a Frankly speaking, he was smelling ***** there, but he couldn’t turn back.
b If only he had known that real ***** was next to him!
3 light
a There was no ***** underground, which was going to make the walk scarier.
b Fortunately, the lynx had little *****, which was enough to let them see where to go.
4 noise
a The most striking was ***** because even the noise of the forest couldn’t be heard underground.
b Suddenly Kudjo heard strange ***** as if a metal object clattered on the stone floor.
5 gossip
a The lynx pretended not to hear anything and started telling Kudjo some ***** about the scientist quite loudly.
b Kudjo didn’t expect her to be such *****.
6 room
a Listening to her rumours, Kudjo didn’t notice that their journey had ended up in spacious *****.
b There was enough ***** for more than ten Kudjos.
7 wood
a The only object in this room was a large cage made of *****.
b It reminded Kudjo about the trap in ***** and made him a bit suspicious.
8 freedom
a No sooner had he thought it was a right place to deprive animals of ***** than the lynx pushed him into the cage and locked it.
b Who gave her such ***** to do what she likes?
9 time
a Kudjo tried to get out of the cage dozens of *****, in vain.
b To his horror he realised that he didn’t know how much ***** he would have to spend locked in.
10 failure
a He cursed himself for his stupid gullibility, which brought his plans to *****.
b He couldn’t help admitting being complete *****.
11 memory
a He tried to evoke recent ***** so as to understand where he had made a mistake but he couldn’t.
b He blamed his poor ***** and fell asleep in despair.
PLURAL NOUNS
Some nouns are always plural and take a plural verb: archives, belongings, movables, clothes, congratulations, thanks, brains (intellect), nuptials, tidings, contents, earnings, goods, outskirts,
