UNIT 5: EXPRESSIONS OF

QUANTITY AND ARTICLES

1. EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY

a. Count and Non Count nouns

Some nouns are countable.

A robot  two robots an engine  six engines
Some nouns are uncountable.
gas fuel data
Some nouns are both!
We had some serious difficulties in this project.
The difficulty level of this project is huge!
Exercises: In the blank write “c” if the noun is countable or “u” if
it’s uncountable:

1. _____ equipment shutdown

2. _____ support

3. _____ demand

4. _____ maintenance

5. _____ manager
Exercises: In the blank write “c” if the noun is countable or “u” if
it’s uncountable:

1. __c__ equipment shutdown

2. __u__ support

3. __u__ demand

4. __u__ maintenance

5. __c__ manager
b. Would like

 Use:
We use would like or ’d like to say politely what we
want, especially when making offers and requests.
 Form:
Would like is the same in all persons.
• Affirmative:

Would
Subject Complement*
like
I
You
He/she/it would interaction with production crew
We like members to improve
You
They

eg.
He would like to speak with the maintenance manager
Contracted way

Subject ‘d like Complement*

I
You
He/she/it interaction with production crew members
‘d like
We to improve
You
They

eg.
He’d like to speak with the maintenance manager.
* The verb "would like" requires an object, a gerund, or an infinitive after it.
e.g.
I would like a hydraulic jack. ("hydraulic jack" is an object.)
The engineer would like a new job. ("job" is an object.)
He'd like a power shovel. ("power shovel" is an object. Notice that the
subject and "would" are contracted to form "He'd." This is very common.)
They'd like to see the plane. ("To see" is an infinitive.)
You’d like working there. ("working" is a gerund.)
• Negative

Subject would not like Complement

I
You
He/she/it interaction with production
would not like
We crew members to get worse
You
They

eg.
He would not like to speak with the maintenance manager.
Contracted way

Would + not
Subject like Complement
wouldn’t

I
You
He/she/it interaction with production
wouldn’t like
We crew members to get worse
You
They

eg.
He wouldn’t like to speak with the maintenance manager.
• Questions

Question
would Subject like Complement
word

I
you
he/she/it interaction with production crew
How would like
we members to improve?
you
they

eg.
Why would you like to speak with the maintenance manager?
 Yes/No questions and short answers

Short Answer*
Would Subject like Complement
Affirmative Negative

I Yes, you would No, you wouldn’t

to interact
You Yes, I would No, I wouldn’t
with
He/she/it Yes, he/she/it would No, he/she/it wouldn’t
would like production
We Yes, we/you would No, we/you wouldn’t
crew
You Yes, we/you would No, we/you wouldn’t
members?
They Yes, they would No, they wouldn’t

* Other polite answer to offerings are: Yes, please or No, thanks.

e.g.
Would you like to speak with the maintenance manager? - Yes, please
Exercises: In the blanks write the correct would like/’d like or
would not like/wouldn’t like.

1. We________ to get failed machines running.

2. The engineer ________ cost of downtime to increase.
3. Our organization ________ to reach 100% of availability all the
time.
4. ________ you ________ motivation of your workforce to
improve? – Yes, we ________
5. Why _______ you _______ to establish a maintenance regime?
 Exercises: In the blanks write the correct would like/’d like or
would not like/wouldn’t like.
1. We __’d like__ to get failed machines running.
2. The engineer __wouldn’t like__ cost of downtime to increase.
3. Our organization __would like__ to reach 100% of availability all
the time.
4. __Would__ you __like__ motivation of your workforce to
improve? – Yes, we __would__
5. Why __would__ you __like__ to establish a maintenance regime?
Exercises: Translate into English.

1. A él le gustaría que los operadores reporten los incidentes más rápido

________________________________________________________
2. A los accionistas no les gustaría cambiar el régimen operativo.
________________________________________________________
3. Querría nuestra organización mantener el entrenamiento de los operarios? -Si
________________________________________________________
4. Por qué te gustaría lograr una alta disponibilidad?
________________________________________________________
Exercises: Translate into English.

1. A él le gustaría que los operadores reporten los incidentes más rápido

He’d like operators to report incidents quicker .
2. A los accionistas no les gustaría cambiar el régimen operativo.
The stakeholders wouldn’t like to change operating regime .
3. Querría nuestra organización mantener el entrenamiento de los operarios? -Si
Would Our organization like to keep operators’ training? – Yes, it would ,
4. Por qué te gustaría lograr una alta disponibilidad?
Why would you like to achieve a high availability? .
 c. There is / There are
• Affirmative

There Verb to be Complement

a transmission system countable singular

is
nitrogen leaking uncountable
There
are two new radiators plural

e.g.
• There is a good level of service.
• There is an improvement in performance.
• There are many parameters for reliability, maintainability and availability.
 c. There is / There are
• Negative

Verb to be
There Complement
+not
an electricity generator singular
isn´t
any gas uncountable
There
aren´t any people plural

e.g.
• There isn’t time enough.
• There isn’t a reliability meter in the new system.
• There aren’t any critical failures.
 c. There is / There are
• Questions

Question word Verb to be There Complement?

a crane outside?
is
ice on the floor?
Why there
are free places?

e.g.
• Is there time enough?
• Is there a reliability meter in the new system?
• Are there any critical failures?
 c. There is / There are
• Yes / No questions

Verb to be There Complement

a crane outside? Yes, there is.

Is
ice on the floor? No, there isn’t.
there
Yes, there are.
Are any free places?
No, there aren’t.

e.g.
• Is there acceptance to our products?
• Is there a reliability meter in the new system.
• Are there any critical failures.
Exercises: In the blanks write there is/are according to the case:

1. There _____ failures which are considered to be important enough

to stop the hole work.
2. There _____ a saying that 30 incidents become one accident and
30 accidents become one fatal accident.
3. There _____ random, or constant rate failures, which can occur at
any time and may be caused by external factors.
4. _____ there general factors which contribute to the achievement
of availability? - Yes, there are.
5. There _____ not breakdown maintenance in high demand periods.
 Exercises: In the blanks write there is/are according to the case:
1. There __are__ failures which are considered to be important
enough to stop the hole work.
2. There __is__ a saying that 30 incidents become one accident and
30 accidents become one fatal accident.
3. There__are__ random, or constant rate failures, which can occur
at any time and may be caused by external factors.
4. __Are__ there general factors which contribute to the
achievement of availability? – Yes, there are.
5. There __is__ not breakdown maintenance in high demand
periods.
d. Much and many / How much… ? and How many… ?

• Use:

• We use how much …? With uncountable nouns.

How much oxygen is there?
How much reliability is enough?
• We use How many …? With count nouns.
How many failures there were in the meantime?
How many elements are there?
e. Some and Any

• Use

Affirmative
We use some in affirmative sentences with uncountable and
plural nouns.
There are some work requests. Some + plural noun.
There’s some gas in the tank. Some + uncountable noun.
Negative
We use any in negative sentences with uncountable and plural
nouns.
There aren’t any incidents. Any + plural noun.
There isn’t any safety prevention. Any + uncountable noun.

Question
We use any in questions with uncountable and plural nouns.
Are there any free machines? Any + plural noun.
Is there any useful information? Any + uncountable noun.
 Affirmative Negative Question

Countable plural some any any

uncountable some any any

Countable singular a/an a/an a/an

We use some in questions when we ask for things and offer things.

Can I have Extra-time, please?

some
Would you like help?
Exercises: fill in the blanks with some, any, a or an.

• Are there _____ systems wich do not require 100% availability

all of the time? – No, there aren’t _____.
• The simplest concept of availability applies when we have
_____ machine which is required continuously.
• An early work describes _____ condition monitoring
techniques.
• Can random failures, occur at _____ time?
• Would you like _____ data?
• The specification of _____ asset should include parameters
for reliability.
Exercises: fill in the blanks with some, any, a or an.

• Are there any systems wich do not require 100% availability

all of the time? – No, there aren’t any.
• The simplest concept of availability applies when we have a
machine which is required continuously.
• An early work describes many condition monitoring
techniques.
• Can random failures, occur at any time?
• Would you like some data?
• The specification of an asset should include parameters for
reliability.
f. A few and a little

 Use:
• We use a few with count nouns.

There are a few bolts left, but not many.

• We use little with non-countable nouns.

Can you give me a little help?

g. A lot / lots of

 Use: We use a lot/lots of with both count and

uncountable nouns.
There’s a lot of equipment failures.
There are lots of oil on the yard.
 A lot/lots of can be used in questions and negatives.
Are there lots of resources in your country?
There isn’t a lot of antirust, but there’s enough.
Exercises: fill in the blanks with a few, a little, a lot or lots of:

1. You will learn _____ about reliability. We have hundreds of

books.
2. _____ failures may have minor impact on equipment
operation.
3. _____ effort can make a big difference.
4. _____ of accidents can be prevented implementing RCM.
Exercises: fill in the blanks with a few, a little, a lot or lots of:

1. You will learn a lot about reliability. We have hundreds of

books.
2. A few failures may have minor impact on equipment
operation.
3. A little effort can make a big difference.
4. Lots of accidents can be prevented implementing RCM.
2. ARTICLES –A AND -THE

a. Indefinite article: The indefinite article a or an is used with

singular, countable nouns to refer to a thing or an idea for the
first time.

We have a team of researchers.

There’s a subsidiary on Adam Street.
The indefinite article is also used:

 With professions.
I’m a mechanic.
She’s an engineer
 With some expressions of quantity:
a pair of a little a couple of a few
 In exclamations with what + a count noun.
What a powerful engine!
What a good idea!
b. Definite article: The definite article the is used with singular and
plural, countable and uncountable nouns when both the speaker
and the listener know the thing or idea already.

We have a factory and an offices building. The factory is old,

but the building is new.
I’m going to the warehouse. Do you want anything? (We
both know which warehouse.)
The definite article is also used:

 Before oceans, rivers, hotels, theaters, museums, and newspapers.

The Pacific
The metropolitan museum
The Times
The Sheraton
 If there is only one of something.
The army the general manager the government
 With superlative adjectives.
The most frequent and highest cost failure modes can be addresed.
The simplest concept of availability applies when we have
a single machine.
c. No article: There is no article:
• Before plural and uncountable nouns when talking about things in
general.
Availability is the proportion of time for which a machine
is available for use.
Root Cause Analysis is an approach to determining the causes
of failures.
• Before countries, towns, streets, languages, magazines, meals, airports,
stations, and mountains.
Our headquarters are in Ecuador.
Passengers leaving Ezeiza Airport don’t have to pay the "departure tax".
• Before some places and with some forms of transportation

At home in/to bed at/to work at/to school by bus

by plane by car by train on foot

She goes to work by bus. She goes to the work by the bus.
I went by plane. I went by the plane.

Note:
In the phrase go home, there is no article and no preposition.

I went home early. NOT In went to the home.

 In exclamations with what + non count noun.

• What amazing substance!
• What loud sound!
Exercises: fill in the blanks with a/an, the or nothing:

1. ____Reliability is important because failures reduce the

effectiveness of service and undermine the organizational
objectives.
2. To be acceptable, _____ item must reach the target MTBF for
critical failures at the reliability trial.
3. _____ most commonly used measure of reliability is the Mean
Time Between Failures or MTBF.
4. _____ design has N-1 redundancy if the failure of one element
can be tolerated without loss of service.
Exercises: fill in the blanks with a/an, the or nothing:

1. ____Reliability is important because failures reduce the

effectiveness of service and undermine the organizational
objectives.
2. To be acceptable, __an__ item must reach the target MTBF for
critical failures at the reliability trial.
3. __The__ most commonly used measure of reliability is the
Mean Time Between Failures or MTBF.
4. __A__ design has N-1 redundancy if the failure of one element
can be tolerated without loss of service.