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types of noun
Gender of nouns

genderofnouns u3

Nouns that have both countable and uncountable uses

Most nouns are either countable nouns or uncountable nouns, as explained on p. t38. Some nouns, however, behave like countable nouns in some sentences and uncountable nouns in other sentences' They usually have different meanings depending on how they are used. For example time,light, history, space,laugh, and groceryhave more than
one meaning.
Time passed slowly.
She did

In some languages, nouns have gender. This means that a noun causes as adjectives to change theirspelling according to certain rules. Crammatical gender has little to do with biological gender. English does not have grammatical gender for nouns.

otherwords such

On the other hand, the biological gender of the thing or person referred to does affect a few areas of English grammar^

itfourtimes.

a cow^. she or
a

it

Lighttravels faster than sound. Thelights inthis room aretoo bright.

The rocketwas lounched into space. There are plenty of empty spaces on the shelves.

girl... she

a bull... he or a boy,. he

it

Gender distinctions are relevant where personal pronouns (p. zo:) and possessive determiners (p. r6o) have to be decided on. These distinctions are only noticeable in singular nouns. Hefound his book. He had been looking for it. Shefound her book. She had been looking for it. There are also special cases, such as the association of neuter gender with babies and small animals, orfeminine gender with a vehicle.

Some nouns that are countable nouns in other languages are used on ly as u ncountable nouns in English, e.g. information, advice'
He received all the necessary information
I
.

don'tneedYourhelP.

Some nouns are used only in the pluralform, even when we are talking about one item, e.g. trousers, clothes,ieons. We can use a partitive noun

with ofwhen referring to

a single item.

These trousers need cleaning.

Put the scisso rs backwhen you have finished with them.

needaPair of Pliers. Lizgathered upa bundle of clothes.

t

lt was running across the room. spinning its web. The beetle crawled into its hole. The boby threw down its rattle. I've got a new boat; she's a reol beauty.
I just saw a mouse.
The spider was

Nouns denoting male persons and animals are masculine in that they are used with the pronouns and possessive determiners he, him, his. Nouns denoting female persons and animals are feminine in that they are used with the pronouns and possessive determiners she, her, hers.