Nouns: countable and uncountable

Countable nouns

Some nouns refer to things which, in English, are treated as separate items which can be counted. These are called countable nouns. Here are some examples:

• a car, three cars
• my cousin, my two cousins
• a book, a box full of books
• a city, several big cities

Singular and plural

Countable nouns can be singular or plural. They can be used with a/an and with numbers and many other determiners (e.g. these, a few):

• She’s got two sisters and a younger brother.
• Most people buy things like cameras and MP3-players online these days.
• These shoes look old now.
• I’ll take a few magazines with me for the flight.

See also

• Determiners (the, my, some, this)
• Singular and plural nouns
• Nouns

Uncountable nouns

In English grammar, some things are seen as a whole or mass. These are called uncountable nouns, because they cannot be separated or counted.

Some examples of uncountable nouns are:

• Ideas and experiences: advice, information, progress, news, luck, fun, work
• Materials and substances: water, rice, cement, gold, milk
• Weather words: weather, thunder, lightning, rain, snow
• Names for groups or collections of things: furniture, equipment, rubbish, luggage
• Other common uncountable nouns include: accommodation, baggage, homework, knowledge, money, permission, research, traffic, travel.

These nouns are not used with a/an or numbers and are not used in the plural.

• We’re going to get new furniture for the living room.
• Not: We’re going to get a new furniture for the living room. or We’re going to get new furnitures for the living room.
• We had terrible weather last week.
• Not: We had a terrible weather last week.
• We need rice next time we go shopping.

Some nouns always have plural form but they are uncountable because we cannot use numbers with them.

• I bought two pairs of trousers.
• Not: I bought two trousers.

Other nouns of this type are: shorts, pants, pyjamas, glasses (for the eyes), binoculars, scissors.

warning

Some nouns which are uncountable in English are countable in other languages (e.g. accommodation, advice, furniture, information):

• They can give you some information about accommodation at the tourist office.
• Not: They can give you some informations about accommodations at the tourist office.
• Can you give me some advice about buying a second-hand car?
• Not: Can you give me some advices about buying a second-hand car?

A good learner’s dictionary will tell you whether a noun is countable or uncountable.

Quantity expressions (a bit/piece)

To refer to one or more quantities of an uncountable noun, expressions such as a bit of, a piece of, an item of or words for containers and measures must be used:

• He bought a very expensive piece of furniture for his new apartment.
• Maggie always has some exciting bits of news when she comes to see us.
• I think we’ll need five bags of cement for the patio.
• There’s a litre of milk in the fridge for you. And I bought you a bar of chocolate.

Determiners (my, some, the)

Uncountable nouns can be used with certain determiners (e.g. my, her, some, any, no, the, this, that) and expressions of quantity (e.g. a lot of, (a) little):

• They gave me some information about courses and scholarships and things.
• Have you heard the news? Fran’s getting engaged.
• She’s been studying hard and has made a lot of progress.
• There’s no work to do here, so you can go home if you like.
• This milk*’s a bit old, I’m afraid.*

See also

• Determiners (the, my, some, this)

Countable phrases for uncountable nouns

We can sometimes use countable noun phrases to talk about an individual example of the thing an uncountable noun refers to.

uncountable	countable
accommodation	a house, a flat, a place to live, a place to stay
baggage/luggage	a suitcase, a bag, a rucksack
bread	a loaf (of bread), a (bread) roll
lightning	a flash of lightning
luck	a stroke of luck
money	a note, a coin, a sum of money, a euro, a dollar
poetry	a poem
rain	a shower, a downpour, a storm
travel	a journey, a trip
work	a job, a task

• Finding a place to live is difficult if you’re a student and you’ve got no money. (or Finding accommodation …)

• Not: Finding an accommodation …

• She brought two big suitcases and a rucksack with her.

• Not: She brought two big luggages …

• I read a poem once about someone riding a horse at night.

• Not: I read a poetry …

• We went on a trip to the Amazon when we were in Brazil.

• Not: We went on a travel …

Countable and uncountable nouns with different meanings

Some nouns can be used either countably or uncountably, but with different meanings.

Compare

Countable use	Uncountable use
We bought a new iron and an ironing board.	People believed that ships made of iron would sink.
I broke a glass yesterday.	The table was made of hardened glass.
Would you like a chocolate?	Would you like some chocolate?
Let’s get a paper and see what’s on at the cinema.	The printer has run out of paper.
‘Hamlet’ is one of Shakespeare’s most famous works.	I had work to do so I couldn’t go out.

Uncountable nouns used countably

Measures and examples

Sometimes uncountable nouns are used countably, to mean ‘a measure of something’ or ‘a type or example of something’:

• Can I have two teas and one coffee, please? (two cups of tea and one cup of coffee …?)
• A: How many sugars do you want in your tea? (How many spoonfuls/lumps of sugar?)
• B: Just one, please.
• To some degree we tend to eat the foods that we ate as children. (i.e. types of food)

Abstract nouns

Some abstract nouns can be used uncountably or countably. The uncountable use has a more general meaning. The countable use has a more particular meaning.

Nouns of this type include: education, experience, hatred, help, knowledge, life, love, sleep, time, understanding.

Compare

uncountable use	countable use
Good education is the best investment in Britain’s future.(education in general)	The first daughter had a very expensive education at a private school in France.(the time one person spent at school)
Love is like a physical pain for some people.(love in general/all love)	I’ve always had a love of poetry, ever since I was a child.(a specific liking for something)
They have a quiz every week, with questions about general knowledge.(all knowledge/knowledge in general)	The job requires a knowledge of statistics and basic computing.(a specific type of knowledge)
Time passes more and more quickly as you grow older.(time in general)	We had a great time in Ibiza. We didn’t want to come home.(a specific period of time)