ESL Lesson Plan on Countable and Uncountable Nouns

The following lesson focuses on helping intermediate to upper-intermediate students solidify their knowledge of countable and uncountable nouns and their quantifiers. It also includes a number of overlooked or idiomatic expressions to help higher level students expand their knowledge of various quantifying terms used by mother tongue speakers.

Noun Quantifiers Lesson 

Aim: Review and solidification of countable and uncountable noun and noun quantifiers

Activity: Review discussion followed by multiple choice dialogue fill-in exercise

Level: Intermediate to upper-intermediate

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Guide to Expressions of Quantity

By Kenneth Beare

Outline:

• Begin review by asking students to identify the worksheet list of objects as countable or uncountable.
• Activate quantifier vocabulary by asking which quantifiers can be used to modify countable and uncountable nouns. At this point, it is a good idea to write the two categories on the board for students to copy.
• Discuss some of the more problematic quantifiers such as the difference between "a few" and "few", "a little" and "little". Discuss which quantifiers can be used in the question, positive and negative forms.
• Have students complete the multiple choice fill in dialogue in pairs or small groups.
• Correct worksheet as a class.
• As a follow-up activity asks students to write a description of their room at home listing the various items that can be found in that room. Ask students to not use exact numbers, rather to use quantifiers.

Countable and Uncountable - Noun Quantifiers

Identify the following objects as countable or uncountable

information, rules, sheep, money, learning, rice, bottles of wine, equipment, traffic, stone, stones, talent, web sites, clothes, music, deserts, land, nations, peoples, fish, pollution, understanding, RAM, artworks, orders, food

Choose the correct answers in the following dialogue

• CHRIS: Hi! What are you up to?
• PETE: Oh, I'm just looking for ( A) many ( B) some ( C) any antiques at this sale.
• CHRIS: Have you found ( A) something ( B) anything ( C) nothing yet?
• PETE: Well, there seems to be ( A) a few ( B) few ( C) little things of interest. It really is a shame.
• CHRIS: I can't believe that. I'm sure you can find ( A) a thing ( B) something ( C) anything interesting if you look in ( A) all ( B) each ( C) some stall.
• PETE: You're probably right. It's just that there are ( A) a few ( B) a lot ( C) a lot of collectors and they ( A) every ( B) each ( C) all seem to be set on finding ( A) a thing ( B) anything ( C) much of value. It's so stressful competing with them!
• CHRIS: How ( A) many ( B) much ( C) few antique types of furniture do you think there is?
• PETE: Oh, I'd say there must be ( A) many ( B) several ( C) much pieces. However, only ( A) a few ( B) few ( C) little are really worth ( A) the high ( B) a high ( C) high prices they are asking.
• CHRIS: Why don't you take a break? Would you like to have ( A) any ( B) some ( C) little coffee?
• PETE: Sure, I'd love to have ( A) any ( B) little ( C) one. I could use ( A) some ( B) a few ( C) a little minutes of downtime.
• CHRIS: Great, Let's go over there. There are ( A) a few ( B) some ( C) little seats left.

Answer Key

Identify the following objects as countable or uncountable

information UNCOUNTABLE, rules COUNTABLE, sheep COUNTABLE, money UNCOUNTABLE, learning UNCOUNTABLE, rice UNCOUNTABLE, bottles of wine COUNTABLE, equipment UNCOUNTABLE, traffic UNCOUNTABLE, stone UNCOUNTABLE, stones COUNTABLE, talent UNCOUNTABLE, web sites COUNTABLE, clothes UNCOUNTABLE, music UNCOUNTABLE, deserts COUNTABLE, land UNCOUNTABLE, nations COUNTABLE, peoples COUNTABLE, fish COUNTABLE, pollution UNCOUNTABLE, understanding UNCOUNTABLE, RAM COUNTABLE, artworks COUNTABLE, orders COUNTABLE, food UNCOUNTABLE

Choose the correct answers in the following dialogue

• CHRIS: Hi! What are you up to?
• PETE: Oh, I'm just looking for some antiques at this sale.
• CHRIS: Have you found anything yet?
• PETE: Well, there seems to be few things of interest. It really is a shame.
• CHRIS: I can't believe that. I'm sure you can find something interesting if you look in each stall.
• PETE: You're probably right. It's just that there are a lot of collectors and they all seem to be set on finding anything of value. It's so stressful competing with them!
• CHRIS: How much antique furniture do you think there is?
• PETE: Oh, I'd say there must be several pieces. However, only a few are really worth the high prices they are asking.
• CHRIS: Why don't you take a break? Would you like to have some coffee?
• PETE: Sure, I'd love to have one. I could use a few minutes of downtime.
• CHRIS: Great, Let's go over there. There are a few little seats left.