English Advanced Grammar Exercises – Nouns and noun phrases 1

A. Complete the table with the singular or plural forms of the nouns.

B. Underline the correct option. Sometimes both options may be possible.

1   I’ve just heard the news, and unfortunately it’s / they’re not good.

2   The government has / have many difficult decisions to take in the next few weeks.

3   The stairs is / are a bit wet, so be careful when you leave.

4   The only trousers I ever wear is / are jeans – and sometimes shorts in summer.

5   What was / were the best advice you received when you were growing up?

6   When I was at school I thought mathematics was / were really difficult.

7   Measles is / are very common among schoolchildren.

8   The latest data show / shows that the situation is improving gradually.

9   The remains of a Roman villa was / were discovered on this site.

10   Can you pass me the scissors which is / are on the kitchen table?

C. Complete each sentence, using one word from box A and one from box B.

1   Let me give you a ……………. of ……………. – never listen to what other people tell you!

2   If you pass the bakery, can you buy a ……………. of ……………. please?

3   Would you like a of ……………. to ……………. drink with your meal?

4   A ……………. of ……………. had gathered in the square to listen to the President’s speech.

5   Sorry I’m late -I got stuck behind a ……………. of ……………. on their way back to the farm.

6   Fiorelli’s is the best value Italian restaurant I know – a big ……………. of ……………. for only €6!

7   My grandfather was walking with his dog yesterday when a ……………. of ……………. blew his hat into the canal!

8   The best remedy for a sore throat is a cup of hot water with lemon juice and a ……………. of ……………. in it.

9   On her birthday Sara got a big ……………. of ……………. with a note saying ‘With love from Mum and Dad’.

10   Before answering any questions, please write your name at the top of the first ……………. of ……………. .

D. Write the plurals of the nouns in the box, if possible (not all of the nouns have plurals – put ✗ if not). Then add each singular noun to the correct group of nouns below.

1   video, studio, piano tile   ……………….

2   potato, hero, tomato   ……………….

3   leaf, wife, thief   ……………….

4   species, aircraft, deer   ……………….

5   crisis, oasis, thesis   ……………….

6   chief, house, doctor   ……………….

7   fungus, cactus, nucleus   ……………….

8   furniture, advice, news   ……………….

9   shorts, binoculars, jeans   ……………….

10   hoover, tippex, sellotape   ……………….

11   medium, memorandum, continuum   ……………….

12   catch, beach, stitch   ……………….

E. Cross out all the incorrect nouns in this text.

The Oaked Chef

It sometimes seems that hardly a week passes without a new cookery (1) serie / series appearing on our televisions or (2) radios / radioes. Food has always been popular in the media, but the popularity of so-called ‘celebrity chefs’ is a relatively new (3) phenomenon / phenomena. Jamie Oliver’s love of fresh, healthy (4) ingredients / ingredientes began during his child hood as he was growing up in his parents’ pub. After leaving (5) school / school, he decided he wanted to become a chef, and his first jobs included working at Antonio Carluccio’s Neal (6) street / Street Restaurant, and at the River Café. Inspired by these (7) experience / experiences. Oliver made his first TV show, The Naked Chef, which showed him preparing (8) partys /parties for his friends, and his lively presenting style made him popular with young and old (9) persons / people. Later programmes included Jamie’s Great Escape, focusing on Italian (10) food / Food, and Jamie’s Fowl Dinners, in which he showed how badly some farms treated their (11) chicken / chickens. Finally, in 2008, he opened his own chain of Italian restaurants, with (12) branches / branchs around the UK.

F. Write down …

1   … two things you eat now but didn’t eat when you were a child.

      mangoes and turkey

2   … your favourite and least favourite subjects at school.

      …………………………………..

3   … three people from history that you would love to have dinner with.

      …………………………………..

4   … two countries you would like to visit in the future.

      …………………………………..

5   … three well-known brand names in your country.

      …………………………………..

6   … five things that you own at least two of.

      …………………………………..

G. Circle the correct option.

1   I heard ………… very interesting news this morning.

      a a     b some     c these

2   When I passed my exams, my mother bought me a beautiful ………… of flowers.

      a box     b bunch     c packet

3   I’m sorry your food is burnt. Our new chef hasn’t got ………… experience.

      a an     b much     c many

4   I bought ………… trousers this afternoon.

      a these     b a     c this

5   My brother is going to spend next year training to be a chef in ………… .

      a United States

      b the United States

      c the United States