Talking in general

When we are talking about something in general, we usually use:
ø + plural countable noun. Eg: “I like action movies.”; “Cats have tails.”
or: ø + uncountable noun. Eg: “I like apple juice.”; “Milk is white.”

1. Countable or uncountable? (C or U)

2. Write the correct form of the noun and verb

(If countable – plural, if uncountable – singular)

C leaf / fall Leaves fall____ off trees in Autumn.

U milk / come Milk comes__ from cows.

cow / eat ____________ grass.

child / should ____________ go to school.

car / run ____________ on petrol.

fruit / be ____________ full of vitamins.

cat / like ____________ eating fish.

bird / have ____________ wings

wine / be ____________ made from grapes.

ANSWERS: 1 & 2

Cows (C) eat grass.

Children (C) should go to school.

Cars (C) run on petrol.

Fruit (U) is full of vitamins.

Cats (C) like eating fish.

Birds (C) have wings

Wine (U) is made from grapes.

3. In general or specific? Underline the correct words in italics

1. The old people / Old people often forget the things / things.

2. I like talking to the old ladies / old ladies who live across the street.

3. The books / Books are expensive in Australia

4. “Where should I put the books / books?” “On the table”

5. Japanese is a difficult language for the English people / English people.

6. The flowers / flowers are beautiful. Thankyou very much!

7. I love the flowers / flowers. I buy a different kind every week.

8. The life / life is sometimes hard.

9. I don’t understand the words / words of that song.

10. The water / Water freezes (becomes ice) at 0˚.

ANSWERS: 3

1.Old people often forget things

2. the old ladies

3. Books

4. the books

5. for English people

6. The flowers

7. love flowers

8. Life

9. the words

10. Water

4a. Answer the questions then fill in the blanks with a, the or NOTHING.

Tony loves ____¹ bananas. He bought ____² banana this morning. He put ____³ banana in his bag. He went to ____⁴ Melbourne Zoo and saw ____⁵ monkey. ____⁶ monkeys love ____⁷ bananas too. ____⁸ monkey took ____⁹ banana. It was ____¹⁰ biggest monkey in the zoo. Tony went home hungry.

4b. For each blank, answer the question “Which ___?” Eg: Which bananas?

ANSWERS: 4a & 4b

1 ø – bananas in general,

2 a – I don’t know,

3 the – the banana that he bought,

4 nothing – It’s a proper name, so we use nothing,

5 a – I don’t know,

6 nothing – monkeys in general,

7 nothing – bananas in general,

8 the – the monkey that Tony saw,

9 the banana that he bought,

9 the – there is only one.

5. Speaking – Men and women

What do you think about these statements?

§ “Men don’t ask for directions when they’re lost.”

§ “Men are better drivers than women.”

§ “Women are more patient than men.”

§ “Women marry hoping their husbands will change. Men
marry hoping their wives won’t change. Both are disappointed.”

§ “Women worry about what men forget.
Men worry about what women remember.”

What do you think about men and women in general?