1. Most nouns have singular and plural forms. They are countable nouns.
e.g. One letter, two letters
- There is a letter on the table for you. (singular)
- There are letters on the table for you. (plural)
2. Some nouns only have one form. They are uncountable nouns.
e.g. Money
- There is no money in my bank account.
- There is a lot of money in my bank account.
3. Many uncountable nouns refer to substances:
e.g. Chocolate, water, coffee, milk, sugar, salt, cheese, bread, rice, wood, glass, plastic, soap, toothpaste.
- Do you have any chocolate?
- The milk is sour – let’s make cheese.
- Rice is only edible when it has been cooked.
4. Many uncountable nouns refer to abstract ideas or emotions.
e.g. love, sadness, happiness, education, knowledge, and grammar.
- Money can’t buy love.
- We like to experience happiness.
- This education is priceless.
5. You can use a/an with singular countable nouns.
e.g. an umbrella, a wheel, a mistake.
- It’s raining so I need an umbrella.
- I made a mistake.
- This is a job for superman.
6. You can use plural countable nouns alone.
e.g. apples, bees, clouds.
- There are clouds in the sky today.
- There are bees making honey.
- We eat apples for breakfast.
7. You can’t use an article with an uncountable noun.
e.g. time, sand, electricity.
- We need electricity to use our heater.
- I lost track of time and we stayed up very late.
- The beaches in Brazil have very nice sand.
8. It is very common in English to use some / any with plural nouns and uncountable nouns (
e.g. They don’t listen to any advice.
- We don’t have any toys for the children.
- There are many lessons in life, this is just one more.
- It is important to have some knowledge of grammar.
9. Some uncountable and countable nouns share a common theme but must be used differently, here are a few examples:
Countable | Uncountable |
---|---|
I’m looking for a job. | I’m looking for work. |
What a beautiful view! | What beautiful scenery! |
It’s a nice day today. | It’s nice weather today. |
We had a lot of bags and suitcases. | We had a lot of luggage. |
These chairs are mine. | This furniture is mine. |
It was a good suggestion. | It was good advice. |
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