Lesson 23
Introduction
This tutorial is focusing on how much? How many? Revision of countable and uncountable nouns.
Dialogue
1/Sentence Practice
The food is very good. John asks ” how many more dishes are coming?
That’s it. Have we got any toothpicks on the table? No, I will ask the waiter to bring some.
Excuse me. do you mind bringing some toothpicks, please? The good-looking waitress nods and smiles
The waitress is walking towards the table with some spoons. She does not understand.
They say “never mind” and they ask for the bill. How much is it? We will go halves, fifty-fifty.
That was good fun and we will do it again sometime. I will ask the waiter to get our things.
How are you getting home? I will take a taxi to Victoria Station and I will take the Bus from there.
I’m lucky I will take the tube, my flat is just six stops away. I will get home in time to watch the Rugby highlights.
Good luck and now that you have my number we can meet up again soon.
Peter waves at a taxi. A taxi stops just a few yards in front but a couple jump in before him. That makes him angry.
Never mind another one arrives immediately.
Vocabulary
2/Vocabulary Practice
- the food
- how many
- more
- dishes
- Have we got any…?
- tooth-picks
- on the table
- the waiter
- to bring
- do you mind
- good-looking
- waitress
- to nod
- to smile
- walking towards
- some spoons
- never mind
- the bill
- How much is it?
- to go halves
- fifty-fifty
- good fun
- do it again
- How are you getting home?
- to take a taxi
- take the bus
- from there.
- to be lucky
- to take the tube
- the flat
- six stops away
- get home
- to watch
- the Rugby highlights
- a number
- to meet up
- again soon
- a few yards in front
- a couple
- to jump in
- to make someone angry
- immediately
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Grammar
How many or How much?
When we are asking about the quantity or amount of something we use How many or How much at the beginning of our question.
How many + countable noun
We want to know the amount or quantity.
How many plural countable noun
How much + uncountable noun
We want to find out the price, quantity or amount of something.
How much + singular or plural noun + verb “to cost” / “to be” to know the price of something
How much is the jacket?
How much are the jackets?
How much are they?
How much did it cost?
How much will this all cost?
How much will this cost me?
How much + uncountable noun to know the quantity or amount of something.
How much time do we need to get there?
How much water do you drink per day?
How much money did they spend?
How much milk is left in the fridge?
>> If what we are talking about is obvious, it is quite common to omit the noun in the question:
How much do you need?
How many were there?
How much is it?
Revision of “Many” or “much”?
countable and uncountable nouns
Let’s learn how to identify countable and uncountable nouns!
Nouns can be put into different categories such as plural and singular, but also countable and uncountable.
Countable nouns = we can count them
They have a singular and a plural form.
i.e.
“car” is a countable noun
a car
cars, two cars…
The car is mine.
The cars are his.
Uncountable nouns = we can’t count them
They only have one form, the singular form. They do not have a plural form so they always use a singular verb. They cannot use the articles “a”, “an” or a number (one, two, three…) before them.
i.e.
“butter” is an uncountable noun
butter
butters (does not exist)
a butter (does not exist)
two butters (does not exist)
Countable nouns are very common (a sister, a classroom, a friend, a teacher…). So how can I recognise uncountable nouns?
Uncountable nouns are often:
- abstract ideas: love, beauty…
- liquids or gases: water, milk, air, coffee…
- materials: wood, gold, paper…
- food (certain foods generally cut into small parts): bread, cheese, pasta…
- made of smaller parts: sugar, rice…
- other: advice, work, news, furniture, information, luggage, money…
When we are talking about a large quantity we can use “lots of” or “a lot of” with both countable and uncountable nouns:
- “language” is a countable noun > I speak lots of languages. I speak a lot of languages. / I don’t speak lots of languages. I don’t speak a lot of languages.
- “coffee” is an uncountable noun > I drink lots of coffee. I drink a lot of coffee. / I don’t drink lots of coffee. I don’t drink a lot of coffee.
We can also use “many” with countable nouns and “much” with uncountable nouns, when talking about a large or small quantity (in a positive or a negative statement):
- “lesson” is a countable noun 1/ I have lots of English lessons. – I don’t have lots of English lessons. 2/ I have a lot of English lessons. – I don’t have a lot of English lessons. 3/ I have many English lessons. – I don’t have many English lessons.
- “work” is an uncountable noun > I have lots of work. I have a lot of work. > I have much work. / I don’t have lots of work. I don’t have a lot of work. I don’t have much work.
Revision of the Modal Verb “WILL”
WILL
The modal verb “will” enables us to create the future simple tense:
subject + will + verb + object.
I will leave tomorrow morning.
I will learn English this year.
Forms:
- I will learn
I’ll learn
I will not learn
I won’t learn
Will I learn?
Will I not learn?
Won’t I learn?
- You will learn
You’ll learn
You will not learn
You won’t learn
Will you learn?
Will you not learn?
Won’t you learn?
- He will learn
He’ll learn
He will not learn
He won’t learn
Will he learn?
Will he not learn?
Won’t he learn?
- She will learn
She’ll learn
She will not learn
She won’t learn
Will she learn?
Will she not learn?
Won’t she learn?
- It will learn
It’ll learn
It will not learn
It won’t learn
Will it learn?
Will it not learn?
Won’t it learn?
- We will learn
We’ll learn
We will not learn
We won’t learn
Will we learn?
Will we not learn?
Won’t we learn?
- You will learn
You’ll learn
You will not learn
You won’t learn
Will you learn?
Will you not learn?
Won’t you learn?
- They will learn
They’ll learn
They will not learn
They won’t learn
Will they learn?
Will they not learn?
Won’t they learn?
The modal verb “will” is also used to express:
- a request: Will you help me with this? / Won’t you lend me the car?
- an offer: I will drive you home. / We will help you with the move.
- a refusal: I will not let you down. We won’t accept these terms.
- a conditional: If it snows, I will cancel the trip. I won’t arrive on time if there is traffic.
Questions and Answers
Questions and Answers
How much is this jacket?
It will cost you £20.
How much will the trousers cost?
They will cost you 20 pounds as well.
How much time do we need to get?
We need about 20 minutes.
How much water do you drink a day?
I drink about 2 litres.
How much did you spend at the shops?
I don’t know how much I spent.
Were there many people at the football match?
Yes, there were many people at the football match.
How many people were there?
I don’t know I think about 20,000, but I am not sure.
May I pay the bill?
No, we will go 50-50.
Will you take the tube?
No, I will walk, it is not very far.
When will another taxi arrive?
I think another taxi will arrive immediately.