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| Fun Easy English Classroom March 14 |
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Classroom
Today
Learn about
English
singular nouns |
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Today in the Fun Easy English classroom you are going to learn about
singular nouns an important part of English
grammar. |
 Hey
if you cannot understand something on this page,
then use the Fun Easy English
dictionary
(opens in a new window) |
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 Grammar:
Definition of a
singular noun. |
- A singular noun is a word used to describe one thing
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- Singular nouns which form the
plural by adding an "s" to the
singular form of the
noun
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boy-boys, girl-girls,
cat-cats, table-tables,
book-books, tree-trees,
auto-autos, photo-photos,
radio-radios, studio-studios
- Singular nouns which form the
plural by adding an "es" to the
singular form of
nouns ending in "ch", "s", "sh", "x"
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glass-glasses, dish-dishes,
ditch-ditches, wish-wishes,
coach-coaches, kiss-kisses,
tax-taxes
- Singular nouns which form the
plural by adding an "es" to the
singular form of
nouns ending in "o" and preceded by a
consonant
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hero-heroes, tornado-tornados-tornadoes
(can end in either "s" or "es"), potato-potatoes,
tomato-tomatoes
- Note:
nouns of Italian or Spanish origin are exceptions to
this rule
- ie: canto-cantos,
grotto-grottos, piano-pianos,
portico-porticos, quarto-quartos,
solo-solos
- Singular nouns which form the
plural by changing the "f" into a "v" and adding "es"
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half-halves, leaf-leaves,
calf-calves
- Note: some just add an "s"
- ie: proof-proofs, muff-muffs
- Note: some can do either
- ie: dwarf-dwarfs-dwarves,
hoof-hoofs-hooves, staff-staffs-staves
- Singular nouns which form the
plural by dropping the "y" and adding "ies" of
nouns ending in "y" and preceded by a
consonant
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cherry-cherries, lady-ladies,
story-stories, party-parties
- Singular nouns which form the
plural by simply changing the
vowel sound of the
singular form
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foot-feet, goose-geese,
louse-lice, man-men,
mouse-mice, tooth-teeth,
woman-women, mouse-mice
- Singular nouns where the singular and
plural forms are different
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child-children, ox-oxen,
person-people
- Singular nouns where the singular and
plural forms are the same
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cod, series, trout,
deer, fish, moose,
offspring, series,
sheep, species
- Singular nouns with no plural form (abstract nouns)
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goodness, idleness,
wisdom
- Singular nouns with no plural form such as words in the
fields of arts and sciences
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chemistry, geometry, mechanics,
optics, blues (music)
- Note:
even
those ending in "ics"
are treated as singular
- Singular nouns where the
singular form is retained such
as
nouns from foreign languages
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analysis-analyses, appendix-appendices,
bacterium-bacteria, basis-bases,
crisis-crises, criterion-criteria,
curriculum-curricula, datum-data,
formula-formulae, hypothesis-hypotheses,
medium-media, memorandum-memoranda,
parenthesis-parentheses, phenomenon-phenomena,
syllabus-syllabi, thesis-theses
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 From
YOUR Teacher:
This is a pretty simple concept in American English
grammar. These words basically describe only one thing. |
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Additional Lessons |
 About These
Lessons
The following classroom lessons are great for students
who want additional conversation, listening, and reading
practice. |
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Conversation Lesson -
Intermediate Level. Let's
Learn English conversation lesson
with a conversation video, a video script, audio
listening practice, and a new
words section.
|
 Conversation Lesson
21 - Trash to Treasure, Part 1
(Intermediate -
Conversation, Listening, Reading)
In this lesson Anna wants to get Pete a gift for his
birthday. So, she visits a store called Tanglewood Works
and tries to learn the difference between trash and
treasure. |
Lesson Video
Watch the video and then read the video script. |
Video Script
Anna: (on phone, to Pete) Got it. Pete, I promise. I won’t tell anyone. (to
herself) Bye. He is so strange.
Ashley: Hey, Anna!
Anna: Hi, Ashley!
Ashley: Are you talking to yourself again?
Anna: No, not this time. I was talking to Pete.
Ashley: How’s he doing?
Anna: Good. He has a birthday coming up! But he told me not to tell anyone.
Ashley: Why?
Anna: Well, from the way he was speaking, I don’t think he likes cake or
presents or fun.
Ashley: That sounds like Pete.
Anna: Well, I don’t care. I’m getting him a present. Do you know where I can buy
something unique?
Ashley: I do -- Tanglewood Works. You will definitely find something unique
there.
Anna: Great. I’ll go this weekend. Now, speaking of Pete’s birthday, what else
should I do? I know. I’ll rent him a clown!
Ashley: Yeah, he’ll never speak to you again.
Professor Bot: Did you hear Ashley and Anna using the words talk and speak?
Talk and speak both mean “to say words.” And, many times, you can use either
word without losing any meaning. But there are some differences in when we use
these words.
The word talk is usually used:
for conversations between two or more people
and informal situations, such as between friends or family
For example, Ashley asks Anna: “Are you talking to yourself again?”
Speak is usually used:
for one-way communication, such as presentations
formal situations, such as a boss speaking with her workers
to talk about language ability
and in polite requests
Keep watching, and listen for the words talk and speak.
(Anna goes to Tanglewood Works.)
Sue: Hey there. Welcome to Tanglewood Works! I’m Sue. How can I help you today?
Anna: Hi Sue, I’m Anna. A friend told me about your store. She said, “Anna, this
place is really unique!”
Sue: We are! Here at Tanglewood Works, we focus on things that are handmade,
reclaimed and recycled.
Anna: Wow! That is really good for the environment.
Sue: It’s good for you too. Local artists made all of these one-of-a-kind
pieces. And I paint most of the furniture.
Anna: Can I look around?
Sue: Oh, please do.
(Anna walks around the store.)
Sue: So, Anna, do you like to make things?
Anna: Me? Oh, no. Every time I try to make something, something goes wrong.
(She knocks down many things.)
Anna: Oh, sorry. Sorry.
Sue: It’s okay. Anna, everybody can make something.
Anna: Sue, this piece is very interesting!
Sue: You know, when I found these pieces, they were broken and in a dumpster.
But they spoke to me. And they said, “Save me, Sue! Save me!”
Anna: Sue, what do you mean they “spoke” to you?
Sue: When I see something special that someone has thrown away, I can almost
hear it talk.
Anna: It’s not saying anything!
Sue: Anna, it’s not easy to see the treasure in trash.
Anna: Or hear it talk.
Sue: But you can learn. In fact, I teach private classes. And one is called
Turning Trash to Treasure.
Sue: Next week, bring in some trash and we’ll turn it into treasure. Just
remember – pick some trash that “speaks” to you.
Anna: Got it! I’ll see you next week!
Professor Bot: Will Anna find trash that “speaks” to her? What will it say?
We’ll find out next week! |
Listening
Now practice listening to only the audio portion of the conversation. |
Practice
Now, you try it!
First, read more about talk and speak below. Then, practice using those words in
the Comments section. Try making one sentence with talk and one with speak.
You can write about:
a conversation with a friend
a conversation with a group
someone’s language skills
a professor at a national event
a manager and his/her workers
or anything else you choose
In each sentence, be sure to use the correct word: talk or speak!
Talk | Speak
Talk and speak both mean “to say words.” But there are some differences in the
ways we use each word.
Talk is less formal than speak. It is usually used for informal conversations
between two or more people.
He wants to talk to you.
They talked for three hours.
Let’s talk about ideas for the show.
I can’t talk right now. I’ll call you later.
Speak is usually used for communication in more serious or formal situations. It
is also used in polite requests and to talk about language ability.
She spoke on the news about world hunger.
May I speak to the manager?
Which languages do you speak?
I speak French and Haitian Creole.
Test Yourself
Test yourself on what you've learned so far!
Lesson 21 has grammar from many lessons in Level 2. See how much you can find!
Look for sentences in Lesson 21 with:
Indirect questions
Reported speech
Reflexive pronouns
Adverb clauses
Present perfect
Prepositions
Then, write those sentences in the Comments section. For example:
Sue says, “You know, when I found these pieces, they were broken and in a
dumpster.” (Adverb clause: “when I found these pieces”) |
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New Words |
- ability –
n. the power or skill of doing something
- cake –
n. a sweet baked food made from a mixture of
flour, sugar, and other ingredients (such as eggs and butter)
- communication –
n. the act or process of using words to express
your ideas, thoughts, feelings
- conversation –
n. an informal talk involving two people or a
small group of people
- definitely –
adv. in a way that is certain or clear
- dumpster –
n. a large trash container
- furniture –
n. chairs, tables, beds, et cetera that are
used to make a room ready for use
- focus –
v. to direct your attention or effort at
something specific
- handmade –
adj. made with your hands or by using hand
tools
- environment –
n. the natural world
- local –
adj. located or living nearby
- one-of-a-kind –
adj. used to say that something is the only one
of its kind
- polite –
adj. having or showing good manners or respect
for other people
- present –
n. gift
- presentation –
n. an activity in which someone shows,
describes, or explains something to a group of people
- private –
adj. for the use of a single person or group
- reclaimed –
adj. describes getting (a usable thing) from
materials that have been used before
- recycled –
adj. describes something new that was made from
something used before
- request –
n. an act of politely or formally asking for
something
- situation –
n. the facts, conditions and events that affect
someone or something at a particular time and in a particular place
- strange –
adj. different from what is usual, normal, or
expected
- trash –
n. things that are no longer useful or wanted
and that have been thrown away
- treasure –
n. something that is very special, important or
valuable
- unique –
adj. used to say that something or someone is
unlike anything or anyone else
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Conversation
Lessons
Study all 30 English intermediate conversation lessons.
Let's Learn English conversation lessons each with a
conversation video, a video script, audio listening
practice, and a new
words section.
These lessons are for
intermediate students. |
 Conversation
Lessons
Study all 52 English beginner conversation lessons. Let's Learn
English conversation lessons each with a conversation
video, a video script, audio listening practice, video
speaking practice, video pronunciation practice, a new
words section, and a writing activity.
These
lessons are for beginning students. |
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Source:
Voice of America |
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Hey Students,
Use this dictionary and reference to look up any words you do not
understand in Fun Easy English.
Note: search opens in a new tab. |
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Search Fun Easy English |
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