What seems out of place in this picture? Explain.

I go to a barbecue with my friends. I see a lot of food!

First, I eat a hot dog. A hot dog is easy. One hot dog, two hot dogs, three hot dogs. I can count hot dogs.

Then, I eat some chips. I take one chip, two chips, five chips . . . and then I stop. Too many chips!

My friend gives me corn, but the word, corn, is different. We don’t say one corn, two corns. We just say some corn. But we can also say, “an ear of corn,” but it depends on the type of corn. This is so confusing.

Then, I see the lemonade. I can say, “Can I have one lemonade?” My friend laughs and gives me a big cup of lemonade. I learn something: I cannot count lemonade, but I can count the cups of lemonade, so I can say, “Please give me two cups of lemonade!” Well, as it turns out, saying, “Give me two lemonades” is possible when you mean cups of lemonade.

Count and non-count nouns are challenging.

In English, nouns can be count or non-count. Count nouns are things you can count, like “apple,” “book,” or “student.” To make them plural, add -s (e.g., “apples,” “books”).

Non-count nouns are things we don’t count one by one, like “water,” “rice,” “music,” and “money.” These nouns usually don’t add -s and use different words to show amount, like “some” or “a lot of.”

• “He has three books.” (count)
• “She needs some water.” (non-count)

Use many/few with count nouns and much/little with non-count nouns.

Knowing the difference between count and non-count nouns helps you avoid common mistakes like saying “much apples,” which can confuse listeners and make your English sound less natural.

This grammar helps in everyday conversations. Keep in mind, there are some special cases, such as:

• Ordering food or drinks:
  • “Could I get three cookies?” (count)
  • “Can I have two coffees?” (count) → This is possible when you mean “two cups of coffee.” Coffee, itself, is non-count.
  • “I would like some juice.“ (non-count)
• Asking about quantity:
  • “Do you have many students?” (count)
  • “Is there much homework?” (non-count)
• Talking about personal experiences:
  • “I met a few people.” (count)
  • “We don’t have much time.” (non-count)

Now, let’s practice your grammar skills with a game.

Let’s practice talking about things you can count and things you can’t. These questions will help you use words like books, water, rice, and chairs in real life. Try to say your answers clearly and listen for the right nouns when others speak.

1. Introduce Things You Have:
   • What can you say about things you have using count or non-count nouns?
     ➤ For example: “I have two books. I have some water.”
2. Talk About Food or Drinks:
   • Choose some food or drink. Can you say what you like using count and non-count nouns?
     ➤ For example: “I like apples and milk.”
3. Describe Quantities:
   • Can you talk about how much or how many things you want or need? Use words like some, many, much, or a few.
     ➤ For example: “I want a few chairs. I need some sugar.”
4. Compare Count and Non-Count Nouns:
   • Can you say a sentence about a count noun and a non-count noun?
     ➤ For example: “There are three oranges. There is a little juice.”
5. Talk About Shopping or Ordering:
   • Imagine you are buying food or drinks. What can you say using count and non-count nouns?
     ➤ For example: “Can I have two bananas and some water, please?”