Page 14 - Grammar Glow - 5

I n t err o ga tiv e
Adjective

We cannot say two water, one milk, three bread or four butter. But we can say a glass/

two glasses/three glasses of water.

Similarly, we can say a bottle/two bottles/three bottles of milk.

We cannot count bread, but we can count the loaves of bread.

We cannot count butter, but we can count the cups of coffee.

Some other examples of uncountable nouns are air, sugar, oil, paper, salt, rice and

petrol.

A kind of common noun is material noun. A material noun is the name of a material,
substance, etc. which can be articles of food, drink or metals such as milk, rice, water,

tea, sugar or copper, iron, steel, gold, coal, etc.

A common noun is usually a countable noun, whereas a material noun is an

uncountable noun.

Remember

The articles a and an are not used with uncountable nouns. Only the can be
used with uncountable nouns.

Abstract Nouns

An abstract noun is the name of feelings, action or state that cannot be touched but
can only be expressed.

Read the following sentences.

1. Her happiness was visible in her eyes.
Happiness is a feeling that cannot be touched.

2. The sweetness of the mango delighted me.

Sweetness cannot be touched

3. I heard laughter outside.

Laughter is an action that cannot be touched.

4. Children play with toys in their childhood.

Childhood is a state that cannot be touched.

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