COUNT AND NON-COUNT NOUNS

A count noun is one that can be counted.

Book-one book, two books, three books, . . .

Student-one student, two students, three students, . . .

Person-one person, two people, three people, . . .

A non-count noun is one that cannot  becounted.

Milk-you cannot say: one milk, two milk, . . .

It is possible, however,to count some non-count nouns if the substance is placed in a countable container.

Glass of milk-one glass of milk, two glasses of milk, . . .

Some determiners can be used only with count or non-count nouns, while others can  be used with either. Memorize the words in the following chart.

With count nouns	With non-count nouns
a(n), the, some, any this, that, these, those none, one, two,three, . . . many a lot of a large number of a great number of (a)   Few fewer . . . than more . . . than	the, some, any this, that none much (usually in negatives or questions) a lot of a large amount of (a)   Little Less . . . than More . . . than

It is very important to know if a noun is count or non-count. Be sure that you know the plurals of irregular count nouns. The following list contains some irregular count nouns that you should know.

person - people	child - children	tooth – teeth
foot – feet	mouse - mice	man - men
woman - women

The following list countains some non-count nouns that you should know.

sand	soap	physics	mathematics
news	mumps	air	politics
measles	information	meat	homework
food	economics	advertising*	money

*Note: although  advertising is a noun-count noun, advertisement is a count noun. If you wish to speak of one particular advertisement, you must use this word.

There are too many advertisements during television shows.

There is too much advertising during television shows.

Some non-count nouns, such as food, meat, money, and sand, may be used as count nouns in order to indicate different types.

This is one of the foods that my doctor has forbidden me to eat.

(indicates a particular type of food)

He studies meats.

(for example, beef, pork, lamb, etc.)

The word time can be either countable or non-countable depending on the context. When it means an occasion, it is countable. When it means a number of hours, days, years, etc., it is non-countable.

We have spent too much time on this homework. (non-count)

She has been late for class six times this semester. (count)

To decide if a noun that you are not sure of is countable or non-countable, decide if you can say : one ________ or a___________. For example, you can say “one book,” so it is a count noun. You cannot say “one money,” so it  is not a count noun. Also, of course, by the very nature of non-count nouns, a non-count noun can never be plural. Remember that, while some of the nouns in the list of non-count nouns appear to be plural because they end in –s, they are actually not plural. 

Sumber:

 Pyle, Michael A,M A dan Mary Ellen Munoz Page, M A, 1995. Cliffs Toefl Preparation Guide. 5th ed. U.S.A

Normal sentence pattern in English

Subject                verb                     comlement                   modifier

John and I              ate                          a pizza                      last night       We                  studied                “present perfect”           last week

Subject

The subject is the agent of the sentence in the active voice; it is the person or thing that performs or is responsible for the action of the sentence, and it normally precedes the verb. Note: Every sentence in English must have a subject. (in the case of commands, the subject [you] is understood.) The subject may be a single noun.

Coffe is delicious

Milk contains calcium.

The subject may be a noun phrase. A noun phrase is a group of words ending with a noun. (It CANNOT begin with a preposition.)

The book is on the table.

That new red car is John’s.

Examples of subjects:

We girls are not going to that movie.

George likes boats.

Mary, John, George, and I went to a restaurant last night.

The weather was very bad yesterday.

The chemistry professor canceled class today.

The bank closed at two o’clock.

It can act as a pronoun for a noun or can be the subject of an impersonal verb. As the subject of an impersonal verb, the pronoun is not actually used in place of a noun, but is part of an idiomatic expression.

It rains quite often here in the summer.

It is hard to believe that he is dead.

In some sentenes, the true subject does not appear in normal subject position. There can act as a pseudo-subject and is treated like a subject when changing word order to a question. However, the true subject appears after the verb, and the number of the true subject controls the verb.

There       was           a fire      in that building last mounth.

            verb (singular)    subject (singular)

 Was    there      a fire     in that building last mounth?

    verb                              subject

  There       were       many students   in the room.

                verb (plural)              Subject (plural)

 Were    there     many students   in the room?

    verb                                           subject

Verb

The verb follows the subject in a declarative sentence; it generally shows the action of the sentence. NOTE: Every sentence must have a verb. The verb may be a single word.

John drives too fast.

They hate spinach.

The verb may be a verb phrase. A verb phrase consists of one or more auxiliaries and one main verb. The auxiliaries always precede the main verb.

John is going to Miami tomorrow.

   (auxiliary – is; main verb – going)

Jane has been reading that book.

   (auxiliaries – has, been; main verb – reading)

Examples of verbs and verb phrases:

She will go to Boston next week.

Jane is very tall.

She must have gone to the bank.

Joe has gone home.

Mary is watching television.

It was raining at six o’clock last night.

Complement

A complement  completes the verb. It is similiar to the subject because it is usually a noun phrase; however. It generally follows the verb when the sentence is in the active voice. NOTE: Every sentence does not require a comlement. The complement CANNOT begin with a preposition. A complement answers the question what? Or whom?

Examples of complements:

John bought a cake yesterday.                  (what did John buy?)

Jill was driving a new car.                        (what was Jill driving?)

He wants to drink some water.                 (what does he want to drink?)

She saw John at the movies last night.     (whom did she see at the movies?)

They called Mary yesterday.                    (whom did they call yesterday?)

He was smoking a cigarette.                     (what was he smoking?)

Modifier

A modifier tells the time, place, or manner of the action. Very often it is a prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun. NOTE: A modifier of time usually comes last if more than one modifier is present.

Examples of prepositional phrases:

     In the morning, at the university, on the table

A modifier can also be an adverb or an adverbial phrase.

     Last night, hurriedly, next year, outdoors, yesterday

NOTE: Every sentence does not require a modifier. A modifier answers the question when? Where? Or how?

Examples of modifiers:

John bought a book   at the bookstore                                     (where did John buy a book?)

                                                             modifier of place

Jill was swimming    in the pool    yesterday.                          (where was Jill swimming?)

                                                       modifier of place      modifier of time

He was driving     very fast.                                                     (How was he driving?)

                                            modifier of manner

The milk is in the the refrigerator.                                           (where is the milk?)

                                            modifier of place

She drove the car on Main Street.                                            (where did she drive?)

                                                   modifier of place

We ate dinner at seven o’clock.                                                (when did we eat dinner?)

                                            modifier of time

NOTE: the modifier normally follows the complement, but not always. However, the modifier, especially when it is a prepositional phrase, usually cannot separate the verb and the complement.

Incorrect:   She drove  on the street  the car .

                                            verb                                         complement

Correct:     She drove   the car   on the street.  

                                            verb       complement

Sumber:

 Pyle, Michael A,M A dan Mary Ellen Munoz Page, M A, 1995. Cliffs Toefl Preparation Guide. 5th ed. U.S.A

TOEFL

 Introduction

TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language. It is administered by the world’s largest non-profit educational testing and measurement organization: ETS- Educational Testing Service. It assesses the proficiency of English language of a person in an academic setting. Various institutions, scholarship programs require this test as a trusted and valid indicator of a person’s ability to communicate in English.
TOEFL is available in CBT-Computer based Technology, PBT-Paper based Technology and iBT-Internet based Test formats to assess the proficiency of English Language. iBT TOEFL is a four hours test comprises of sections namely Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. In areas where internet based test is not available, a paper-based test (PBT) is given. PBT is a 3 hours long test comprises of four sections: Listening, Structure and Written Expression, Reading Comprehension and Writing.

Function

1. Listenning Skill

2. Reading Skill

3. Writting and Grammar

 

Test of Toefl

Section 1 : Listening Comprehension

The Listening Comprehension section is always first in the examination and it is in three parts. it typically lasts 30 to 35 minuter and contains 50 questions.

 

 Ability Tested

This section tests your ability to understand and interpret spoken English

 

Basic Skills Necessary

It is necessary to have a good "ear" for English, which can only be obtained with a great deal of practice. you must be able to distinguish between words that sound similiar and be able to comprehend entire sentences, not just single words or phrases.

Section 2: Structure and Written Expression

The structure and written expression section includes two question types, Part A, Structure and Part B, Written Expression. This section typically lasts 25 minutes and contains approximately 40 questions.

 

Ability Tested

The grammar section of the Toefl tests your ability to recogniz formal written English. Many things that are acceptable in spoken English are not acceptable in formal written English.You must choose the most economical, mature, and correct way of stating sentence in this section.

 

Basic Skills Necessary

You need to know correct grammar well enough that an error will be immediately evident.

Section 3 : Reading Comprehension

This section contains reading passages followed by questions based on the reading. The section contains approximately 50 questions, and you will have 55 minutes to comlete it.

 

Ability Tested

The Reading Comprehension section tests your ability to understand, interpret and analyze reading passages on a veriety of topics. The Toefl stresses reading passages that are typical of those you will read in colleges and universities. this section also tests your knowledge of English vocabulary. You must find synonyms for selected words from the passage among the four answer choices that you are given.

 

Basic Skills Necessary

You must be able to read a passage containing rather complicated constructions and vocabulary and answer questions based on what you have read. This section requires a strong college-level vocabulary. A strong vocabulary cannot be developed instantly. It grows over a long period of time spent reading widely and learning new words. Knowing the meanings of prefixes, and roots will help you to derive word meanings on the test.

 

The Test of Written English

The Test of Written English is available on some administrations of the Toefl. If you take the Toefl at an administration where the writing test is offered, you must take that portion of the test as well. the writing test is scored by two separate readers on a scale of 1 to 6, with 1 being the poorest score and 6 being the best. If the scores given by the two readers differ by more than one point, a third reader  also reviews the paper. The scores are based upon the essay as a whole; such items as vocabulary, grammar, use of examples, and organization are not scored separately. the score is reported as a separate number on the Toefl score report.

 

Ability Tested

The writing test analyzes your ability to respond to an essay question under time constraints. A topic will be presented, and the student must use proper organization, grammar, vocabulary, and spelling and must provide sufficient examples.

 

Basic Skills Necessary

You must be able to organize and write an effective essay, using correct grammar and spelling.

Autobiography

My name is Aulia Rahmi. I used to be called Aul or Aulia by friends and Lia by family. I was born in Jakarta,on 8^th September 1994. I am the daughter of H. Muharom Jufri and Hj. Eti Yohana, and I was the third child of four children namely Hanna Hafiani, Helmi Khatob, and Naura Nisrina. I live in Bintaro, South Jakarta.

I graduated from kindergarten named is Darunnajah Ulujami from 1999-2000. Elementary school named is SDN Bintaro 12 Pagi from 2000-2006, junior high school named is SMP Negri 161 Jakarta from 2006-2009, and senior high school named is SMA Negri 47 Jakarta from 2009-2012. After I finished my studies in high school, I continued to study in Gunadarma University faculty of economics, majors of accounting.  

My hobbies are hanging out with friends anytime, anywhere, watching movies, and traveling. I really love my hobby because it can relieve stress and make me happy. I like the color red, and very don’t like cats. My favorite cartoon is minny mouse.