G
ESC
  • Type to search across all units
← All units

Unit 68 · A and the

a cake / some cake / some cakes

Study

A

a/an and some

a/an + singular countable nouns (car/apple/shoe etc.):

›

I need a new car.

›

Would you like an apple?

some + plural countable nouns (cars/apples/shoes etc.):

›

I need some new shoes.

›

Would you like some apples?

some + uncountable nouns (water/money/music etc.):

›

I need some water.

›

Would you like some cheese?

(or Would you like a piece of cheese?)

Compare a and some:

›

Nicola bought a hat, some shoes and some perfume.

›

I read a newspaper, made some phone calls, and listened to some music.

B

Many nouns are sometimes countable and sometimes uncountable. For example:

Compare a paper (= a newspaper) and some paper:

›

I want something to read. I'm going to buy a paper.

›

but I want to make a shopping list. I need some paper / a piece of paper. (not a paper)

C

Be careful with:

advice bread furniture hair information news weather work

These nouns are usually uncountable. So you can't say a/an ... (a bread, an advice), and they can't be plural (advices, furnitures etc.).

›

Can I talk to you? I need some advice. (not an advice)

›

I'm going to buy some bread. (not a bread)

›

They've got some nice furniture in their house. (not furnitures)

›

Silvia has very long hair. (not hairs)

›

Where can I get some information about hotels here? (not informations)

›

Listen! I've just had some good news. (not a good news)

›

It's nice weather today. (not a nice weather)

›

'Do you like your job?' 'Yes, but it's hard work.' (not a hard work)

We say a job (but not a work):

›

I've got a new job. (not a new work)

Exercises (4)

0/4 exercises checked
—
68.1

What can you see in these pictures? Use a or some.

  1. 1Perfume, a hat and a pair of shoes
    perfume, hat and shoesexample
  2. 2A bunch of fresh flowers
    flowers
  3. 3Bananas and a loaf of bread
    bananas and bread
  4. 4A comb and a bar of soap
    comb and soap
68.2

Write sentences with Would you like a ... ? or Would you like some ... ?

  1. 1
    Would you like some cheese? example
  2. 2
    Would you like coffee?
  3. 3
    Would you like biscuits?
  4. 4
    Would you like bread?
  5. 5
    Would you like chocolate?
  6. 6
    Would you like cake?
68.3

Write a/an or some.

  1. 1
    I read book and listened to music.example
  2. 2
    I need money. I want to buy food.
  3. 3
    We met interesting people at the party.
  4. 4
    I'm going to open window to get fresh air.
  5. 5
    Rachel didn't eat much for lunch - only apple and bread.
  6. 6
    We live in big house. There's nice garden with beautiful trees.
  7. 7
    I'm going to make a table. First I need wood.
  8. 8
    Listen to me carefully. I'm going to give you advice.
  9. 9
    I want to make a list of things to do. I need paper and pen.
68.4

Which is right?

  1. 1
    I'm going to buy some new shoe/shoes.
  2. 2
    Mark has brown eye/eyes.
  3. 3
    Paula has short black hair/hairs.
  4. 4
    The tour guide gave us some information/informations about the city.
  5. 5
    We're going to buy some new chair/chairs.
  6. 6
    We're going to buy some new furniture/furnitures.
  7. 7
    It's hard to find a work/job at the moment.
  8. 8
    We had wonderful weather / a wonderful weather when we were on holiday.