A/AN … FOR NOUNS IN SINGULAR

a … = one thing or person

- Rachel works in a bank
- Can I ask a question?
- I haven’t got a computer
- There’s a woman at the bus stop

an (not a) … before vowel sound

- Do you want an apple or a banana?
- I’m going to buy a hat and an umbrella
- … an hour (h is not pronounced)
- … a university (pronounced yuniversity)
- … a European country (pronounced yuropean)

Another (= an + other) is one word:

- Can I have another cup of coffee?

We use a/an …
1. When we say what a thing or a person is.
- The sun is a star.
- Football is a game.
- Dallas is a city in Texas.
- A mouse is an animal. It’s a small animal.
- Joe is a very nice person.

2. For jobs etc.

- I’m a dentist.
- He’s an engineer.
- Beethoven was a composer.
- Are you a student?
NOUNS IN SINGULAR AND PLURAL

* nouns: people, objects, places, animals, etc.

- Singular nouns  one car, bag, pen

- Plural nouns  two or more cars, bags, pens

There are rules to form noun in plural

Singular Plural
1st Most nouns + s Dog Dogs
Marker Markers
Boy Boys
Day Days
Chair Chairs
Computer Computers
2nd Nouns ending in: Bus Buses
-s, -ch, -sh, x, o + es Church Churches
Brush Brushes
Box Boxes
Potato Potatoes
Glass Glasses
Match Matches
Dish Dishes
3rd Nouns ending in: Country Countries
Consonant + - y → ies Party Parties
Vowel + - y → Rule one Lady Ladies
4thd Nouns ending in: Wolf Wolves
-f, -fe → ves Knife Knives
Shelf Shelves
Wife Wives
5th Irregular nouns Man Men
Woman Women
No rules Child Children
Person People
Tooth Teeth
Foot Feet
Life Lives
Mouse mice

- Nouns: Countable  singular and plural

- biscuit  biscuits - apple  apples
- bottle  bottles
Uncountable  NO singular and plural
- money - fish
- bread - water
- sheep
THIS/THAT/THESE/THOSE

 We use these expressions to point nouns (an object, an animal, or a person)

Here There
Singular THIS THAT
Plural THESE THOSE

 We use these expressions with a noun or without a noun

- This hotel is expensive, but it’s very nice.
- This is a nice hotel, but it’s very expensive.
- Who’s that girl? I don’t know
- Excuse me, is this your bag? Oh yes, thank you
- Do you like these shoes? I bought them last week.
- Who’s that?
- Those apples look nice. Can I have one?
- Which shoes do you prefer – these or those?
PRONOUNS AND
POSSESSIVES
OBJECT PRONOUNS

GRAMMAR
(People)

P V+C O.P. Example

I know Tom  me Tom knows me.

You know Tom  you Tom knows you.

He knows Tom  him Tom knows him.

She knows Tom  her Tom knows her.

We know Tom  us Tom knows us.

They know Tom  them Tom knows them.

(Things)

P O.P. Example

It  it I don’t want this book. You can have it.

They  them I don’t want these books. You can have them.
POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES

 We use them to indicate possession.

 We use: possessive adjective + nouns

GRAMMAR
P P.A. C Example

I  My friend I like my house.

You  Your father. You like your house.

He  His pen. He like his house.

She  Her laptop. She like her house.

We  Our teachers. We like our house.

They  Their classroom. They like their house.

It  Its food. Oxford (= it) is famous for its university.

 its and it’s

o its Oxford is famous for its university.
o it’s I like Oxford. It’s a nice place.
POSSESSIVES PRONOUNS

P P.A. P.P. Example

I My  mine It’s my money. It’s mine.

You Your  yours It’s your money. It’s yours.

He His  his It’s his money. it’s his.

She Her  hers It’s her money. it’s hers.

We Our  ours It’s our money. it’s ours.

They Their  theirs It’s their money. It’s theirs

I/ME/MY/MINE

 Study these examples:

- ‘Do you know that man?’ ‘Yes, I know him, but I can’t remember his name.’
- She was very pleased because we invited her to stay with us at our home.
- A: Where are the children? Have you seen them?
B: Yes, they are playing with their friend in the park.
- That’s my pen. Can you give it to me, please?
- ‘Is this your umbrella’ ‘No, it’s yours’
- He didn’t have an umbrella, so she gave him hers. (= she gave her umbrella to him)
- I’m going out with a friend of mine this evening. (not a friend of me)
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS
POSSESSIVE CASE

 We normally use –‘s for people:

- I stayed at my sister’s house.
- Are you going to James’ party?
- Have you met Mr Black’s wife?
- Paul is a man’s name. Paula is a woman’s name.

 You can use –‘s without a noun after it:

- ‘Whose umbrella is this?’ ‘It’s my mother’s’
- Sophie hair is longer than Kate’s.
- ‘Where were you last night?’ ‘I was at Paul’s’

 We use of … of things, places etc.:

- Look at the roof of that building. (not that building’s roof)
- We didn’t see the beginning of the film.
- What’s the name of the village?
- Madrid is the capital of Spain.
MODALS, IMPERATIVE ETC.
CAN AND COULD

GRAMMAR
P. Can INFINITIVE C.

I can speak two languages.

You can sing in English.

He can cook very well.

She can work after school.

We can study tomorrow.

They can talk in the main square.

 I can do something = I know how to do it or it is possible for me to do it:

- I can play the piano. My brother can play the piano too.
- Sarah can speak Italian, but she can’t speak Spanish.
- ‘Can you swim?’ ‘Yes, but I’m not a very swimmer’
- ‘Can you change twenty pounds?’ ‘I’m sorry, I can’t’
- I’m having a party next week, but Rachel and Paul can’t come.

 For the past, we use could/couldn’t:

- Before Maria came to Britain, she couldn’t understand much English. Now she can
understand everything.
- I was tired last night, but I couldn’t sleep.
- I had a party last night, but Rachel and Paul couldn’t come.

 We use Can you …? or Could you …? when we ask people to do thing:

- Can you open the door, please? or Could you open the door, please?

 We use Can I have …? or Could I have …? to ask for something:

- (in a shop) Can I have these postcards, please?
-
 Can I …? or Could I …? = is it OK to do something?
- Tom, can I borrow your umbrella? or Tom, could I borrow your umbrella?
- (on the phone) Hello, can I speak to Gary, please?