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Form, Use and Meaning
Nouns can be countable or uncountable.
Activity 1
Here are some more examples of countable and uncountable nouns:
Click on the correct heading in the box below :
Activity 2
Nouns that can be Countable and Uncountable
Sometimes, the same noun can be countable and uncountable, often with a change of meaning. Drag and drop and sentences below into the correct boxes:
|
hair |
I don't have much hair.
There are two hairs in my coffee! |
| light |
There are two lights in our bedroom.
Close the curtain. There's too much light! |
| paper |
Have you got a newspaper to read?
I want to draw a picture. Have you got some paper? |
| room |
Is there room for me to sit here?
Our house has seven rooms. |
| work |
I have no money. I need work.
Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's greatest works. |
Activity 3
Now try these exercise. Check the rules on page 1 if you are unsure of an answer.
In the following sentences contain both countable and uncountable nouns. Click on the correct article (s) for each sentence. Choose x if not article is required.
a / an / the / x
Activity 4
Match the sentence starters in box A with the nouns in box B.
Activity 5
Choose the correct word for each sentence.
Activity 6
Drag and drop the words in the box to the correct space in the song lyrics.
Now try the quiz again
1. What is the difference between these pairs of words? Type your answers in the boxes before checking your answers.
2. Which of these words are countable and which are uncountable? Click on the correct answer.
Now try these practice exercises. Refer back to the rules on page 3 if you are unsure of the answer.
Paraphrasing words and phrases
Compare the original text and a paraphrase. Can you identify paraphrased words and phrases?
Original text
At a recent Royal Society of Medicine conference, Dr. Spence said colour, lighting and ambience could all impact our perception of taste when eating. His experiments show that red-coloured food gives an increased perception of sweetness and the colour of the plate the food is on can have an impact too. Playing music or sounds appropriate to the food we are eating can also accentuate its taste. Even the sound of a crisp being crunched can influence our view of its freshness, making manufacturers focus on the crunchiest crisp possible
Paraphrase
As reported at a conference held by the Royal Society of Medicine, research conducted by Dr. Spence indicate that the taste of food is influenced by several factors: colour, illumination, the setting, and sounds. The color red, for example, emphasized sensitivity to sweet tastes. This sensitivity can be caused by the color of the food and also the color of the serving dishes. The addition of sounds – like music or the crunching noise of potato chips – can influence our perception of how fresh food is and how it tastes.
In the first column, you'll see words or phrases from the original text. Find the best match for the word or phrase in the paraphrase. Then, in the second column, type your answer in the box.
Reorganizing sentence structures and ideas.
Read the original paragraph.
Original
Smell is a particularly powerful driver of taste. This connection between smell and taste has been the subject of studies conducted by Dr. Charles Spence, from Oxford University's department of experimental psychology. His work on understanding the brain's role in our food preferences has attracted attention from a number of chefs whose interest in neurogastronomy is not surprising. Dr. Spence explains that a "big aroma" produces a "big flavor hit." His research shows that "many big companies and top restaurants want to harness that reaction. They want to know which product will give rise to the greatest blood flow to the orbitofrontal cortex of the brain." When the receptors pick up the signal for taste, it travels to this part of the brain, located in the middle of the forehead.
Summarizing
A key difference between paraphrasing and summarizing is the amount of condensing, or shortening, of the text. A paraphrase includes the main and supporting ideas. A summary condenses to just the main ideas.
Writing a summary paragraph
Using your notes, could you write a summary paragraph of the "Why taste is all in the senses" article?
When writing a summary paragraph, complete the following steps:
- In your first sentence, identify the author, the title of the article, and the author’s main idea for the entire article, or thesis statement.
- In the following sentences, focus on the ideas in the order that they appear in the article. Generally, you should include the three most important points of the article.
- Use transitions and attributive tags* to move your reader from one idea to the next.
- Give attention to the main points in proportion to how they appear in the article. In other words, if the author discusses Topic A for two paragraphs and Topic B for two pages, then your summary should include more information about Topic B.
- Do not include your personal opinions in the summary.
- Conclude with a sentence that summarizes the main points of the article.
Checking your progress.
Read the original paragraph and then complete the exercise below.
Original text
Another genetic variant means that some people are very sensitive to the smell and taste of coriander. For them, the green herb often found in curries and salads tastes like soap. According to Dr. Barry Smith, professor of philosophy and director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses at the University of London, we use all of our senses when we taste food. Smith explains, "you get the smell contributing and the touch, how smooth or creamy it is, and they all fuse together to give flavour." In other words, the intensity of a food's salty, bitter, or sweet flavor is dependent on the number of receptors working at the same time on our tongues.
The most important point to consider when deciding between a paraphrase and summary is what your goal is. If your writing needs supporting details, then a paraphrase is probably the best choice. If your writing needs to cover just the main ideas, then a summary is probably the best choice. Both paraphrasing and summarizing are effective when used appropriately.
To sum up. . .
When incorporating sources into your writing, be sure to attribute sources, to reorganize ideas, to reorganize sentence structures, and to substitute words.
Paraphrasing and summarizing have similarities, but they differ in the amount of condensing.
- Paraphrasing = a slight condensing of the original (with supporting details)
- Summarizing = a condensing of the original (just main ideas)
The key to successful paraphrasing and summarizing is to understand the text, write it in your own words, and check to make sure you have not changed the meaning.
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