Countable and Uncountable Nouns

The Basics
By Kenneth Beare
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countable and uncountable nouns
intermediate le2el english
english 2ocabulary
"hat are co!ntale no!ns#
Countable nouns are indi2idual ob)ects! %eo%le! %laces! etc. which can be counted. Nouns are
considered content words meaning they %ro2ide the %eo%le! things! ideas! etc. about which
we s%ea0. Nouns are one o+ the eight %arts o+ s%eech.
books, Italians, pictures, stations, men, etc.
& countable noun can be both singular 3 a +riend! a house! etc. 3 or %lural 3 a +ew a%%les! lots
o+ trees! etc.
Use the singular +orm o+ the 2erb with a singular countable noun4
There is a book on the table.
That student is excellent!
Use the %lural +orm o+ the 2erb with a countable noun in the %lural4
There are some students in the classroom.
Those houses are very big, aren't they?
"hat are !nco!ntale no!ns#
Uncountable nouns are materials! conce%ts! in+ormation! etc. which are not indi2idual ob)ects
and can not be counted.
information, water, understanding, wood, cheese, etc.
Uncountable nouns are always singular. Use the singular +orm o+ the 2erb with uncountable
nouns4
There is some water in that pitcher.
That is the euipment we use for the pro!ect.
Ad$ectives %ith Co!ntale and Unco!ntale &o!ns'
Use aan with countable nouns %receded by an ad)ecti2e5s64
Tom is a very intelligent young man.
I have a beautiful grey cat.
$o not use aan 5inde,nite articles6 with uncountable nouns %receded by an ad)ecti2e5s64
That is very useful information.
There is some cold beer in the fridge.
Some uncountable nouns in English are countable in other languages. This can be con+using.
7ere is a list o+ some o+ the most common! easy to con+use uncountable nouns.
accommodation
ad2ice
baggage
bread
e8ui%ment
+urniture
garbage
in+ormation
0nowledge
luggage
money
news
%asta
%rogress
research
tra2el
wor0
9b2iously! uncountable nouns 5es%ecially di:erent ty%es o+ +ood6 ha2e +orms that ex%ress
%lural conce%ts. These measurements or containers are countable4
water " a glass of water
euipment " a piece of euipment
cheese " a slice of cheese
7ere are some o+ the most common containers 8uantity ex%ressions +or these uncountable
nouns4
accommodation 3 a %lace to stay
ad2ice 3 a %iece o+ ad2ice
baggage 3 a %iece o+ baggage
bread 3 a slice o+ bread! a loa+ o+ bread
e8ui%ment 3 a %iece o+ e8ui%ment
+urniture 3 a %iece o+ +urniture
garbage 3 a %iece o+ garbage
in+ormation 3 a %iece o+ in+ormation
0nowledge 3 a +act
luggage 3 a %iece o+ luggage! a bag! a suitcase
money 3 a note! a coin
news 3 a %iece o+ news
%asta 3 a %late o+ %asta! a ser2ing o+ %asta
research 3 a %iece o+ research! a research %ro)ect
tra2el 3 a )ourney! a tri%
wor0 3 a )ob! a %osition
7ere are some more common uncountable +ood ty%es with their container 8uantity
ex%ressions4
li8uids 5water! beer! wine! etc.6 3 a glass! a bottle! a )ug o+ water! etc.
cheese 3 a slice! a chun0! a %iece o+ cheese
meat 3 a %iece! a slice! a %ound o+ meat
butter 3 a bar o+ butter
0etchu%! mayonnaise! mustard 3 a bottle o+! a tube o+ 0etchu%! etc.
Co!ntale ( Unco!ntale )eso!rces
htt%4esl.about.comodgrammar+orbeginnersag/cucount.htm
In English grammar, words that refer to people, places, or things are called nouns.
They can be classified in many ways.
One way to classify nouns is according to whether they can be counted or not. Many
English mistakes are related to this point. By reading through this page, you will
understand:
what countable and uncountable nouns are
how to use them correctly in a sentence
Countable (or count) nouns are words which can be counted. They hae a singular
form and a plural form. They usually refer to things. Most countable nouns become
plural by adding an !s" at the end of the word.
#or e$ample:
Sing!lar *l!ral
chair chairs
bottle bottles
student students
Uncountable (or non-count) nouns are words which cannot be counted. Therefore,
they only hae a singular form. They hae no plural forms. These words are thought of
as wholes rather than as parts. They usually refer to abstractions %such as confidence
or adice& or collecties %such ase'uipment or luggage&.
#or e$ample:
Sing!lar
money
+urniture
in+ormation
Using Countable & Uncountable Nouns
(hen using countable or uncountable nouns, pay attention to articles and ad)ecties*
+ome articles and ad)ecties can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
,oweer, others can be used with only countable or only uncountable nouns.
Used %ith Co!ntale &o!ns Only
a a doctor! a %en! a meal! a class! a
college
many
many cu%s! many boo0s! many
libraries! many ;ights
+ew
+ew 8uestions! +ew tables! +ew a%%les!
+ew holidays! +ew countries
a +ew
a +ew 8uestions! a +ew %roblems! a +ew
issues! a +ew issues
Used %ith Unco!ntale &o!ns Only
much
much money! much time! much +ood!
much water! much energy
little
little trouble! little e8ui%ment! little
meat! little %atience
a little bit o+
a little bit o+ con,dence! a little bit o+
slee%! a little bit o+ snow
Used %ith Co!ntale + Unco!ntale &o!ns
the
countable
the mon0eys! the schools!
the teachers! the boats!
the bananas
uncountable
the cheese! the
machinery! the luggage!
the grass! the 0nowledge
some
countable
some tables! some
stores! some gra%es!
some cities! some nurses
uncountable
some time! some news!
some bread! some salt!
some mail
any countable any +or0s! any soc0s! any
bathrooms! any waiters!
any belie+s
uncountable
any ad2ice! any soa%! any
trans%ortation! any gold!
any homewor0
no
countable
no maga-ines! no
chocolates! no %ilots! no
rings! no mar0ers
uncountable
no trouble! no grass! no
scenery! no money! no
+urniture
a lot o+
countable
a lot o+ animals! a lot
o+ coins! a lot o+
immigrants! a lot o+
babies
uncountable
a lot o+ hel%! a lot o+
aggra2ation! a lot o+
ha%%iness! a lot o+ +un
lots o+
countable
lots o+ com%uters! lots o+
buses! lots o+ %arties! lots
o+ colleges
uncountable
lots o+ ca0e! lots o+ ice
cream! lots o+ energy! lots
o+ laughter
enough
countable
enough %lates! enough
onions! enough
restaurants!
enoughworries
uncountable
enough courage! enough
wisdom! enough
s%aghetti! enough time
%lenty o+
countable
%lenty o+ houses! %lenty
o+ concerts! %lenty o+
guitars! %lenty o+
uncountable %lenty o+ oil! %lenty o+
sugar! %lenty o+ cheese!
%lenty o+ s%ace
List of Uncountable Nouns (These are sample uncountable nouns
only! There are many more.)
General
homework
e'uipment
luggage
clothing
furniture
machinery
gold
siler
cotton
glass
)ewelery
perfume
soap
paper
wood
petrol
gasoline
baggage
hair
traffic
bstract
adice
help
fun
recreation
en)oyment
information
knowledge
news
patience
happiness
progress
confidence
courage
education
intelligence
space
energy
laughter
peace
pride
!oo"
food
flour
meat
rice
cake
bread
ice cream
cheese
toast
pasta
spaghetti
butter
oil
honey
soup
fish
fruit
salt
tea
coffee
#eather
thunder
lightning
snow
rain
sleet
ice
heat
humidity
hail
wind
light
darkness
Languages
English
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2hinese
$ub%ects&!iel"s
mathematics
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ethics
ciics
art
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photography
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commerce
engineering
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ocabulary
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$ports
golf
tennis
baseball
basketball
soccer
football
cricket
hockey
rugby
chess
poker
bridge
cti'ities
swimming
walking
driing
)ogging
reading
writing
listening
speaking
cooking
sleeping
studying
working
Would you like _____________ pizza?
(hich of the following is incorrect3

a few a little some

(e need 44444444444 chairs for the meeting.

a lot of much
5o we hae 444444 milk in the house3

a any
(e need to buy 4444444444444 computer e'uipment.
many new lots of new
My father gae me 44444444444444444 while I was growing up.
many good adices a lot of good adice