uncountable
countable
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 …
Some nouns can be used either countably or uncountably, but with different meanings.
Countable use | Uncountable use |
new iron and an ironing board. | would sink. |
yesterday. | . |
? | ? |
and see what’s on at the cinema. | . |
. | to do so I couldn’t go out. |
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)
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 .
uncountable use | countable use |
is the best investment in Britain’s future. (education in general) | at a private school in France. (the time one person spent at school) |
is like a physical pain for some people. (love in general/all love) | , ever since I was a child. (a specific liking for something) |
knowledge. (all knowledge/knowledge in general) | . (a specific type of knowledge) |
passes more and more quickly as you grow older. (time in general) | in Ibiza. We didn’t want to come home. (a specific period of time) |
Word of the Day
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Like a bull in a china shop: talking about people who are clumsy
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What’s the difference between countable and uncountable nouns , and what grammar rules do you need to know to use them correctly?
Also known as count and noncount nouns , this vocabulary point can trip you up when you’re learning English as a second language. It’s especially tricky because:
So, let’s take a detailed look at countable vs uncountable nouns, with plenty of examples showing how to use them with the correct articles, quantifiers, and other determiners.
What is a countable noun.
A countable noun (also called a count noun) is a noun naming something that can be counted using standard numbers. Countable nouns usually have singular and plural forms.
Examples of countable nouns include chair, table, rabbit, page, part, and lemon .
So, we can have one chair, five tables, ten rabbits, twenty-three lemons, and three hundred pages .
You are probably already familiar with this pattern of counting things in English.
An uncountable noun (also called a mass noun or a non-count noun) is a noun naming something that cannot be counted in English using standard numbers. These nouns cannot be made plural.
Examples of uncountable nouns include rice, money, advice, news, and happiness .
We cannot have one rice, five monies, two advices, or a happiness .
Instead, we must use different determiners to quantify these particular things: a cup of rice , a bag of money , and a piece of advice .
Now you know these basics, it’s time to take a deeper look at what this means in practice. You need to know whether you’re dealing with a countable or uncountable noun so you can select the correct determiners and plural forms in your writing and speech.
We’ll begin by going over the rules for using countable nouns, since these are most straightforward.
Countable nouns:
Most of the nouns we use in English are countable. Here are some example sentences showing correct usage:
Read about the difference between few vs a few here.
Uncountable nouns are used less often in English, and they:
See also: What’s the difference between less and fewer?
We can group uncountable nouns into some broad categories. Although we cannot list them all here, the following groups are a general guide that may make it easier for you to identify others in the future:
Uncountable noun category | Examples |
---|---|
This may seem like a long list of uncountable nouns; however, there are hundreds more.
Although we can’t quantify uncountable nouns using numbers, we can add a countable unit of measurement to refer to one or more quantities of these things. Below are some of the most common quantifiers we can use to refer to things that are uncountable.
You’ll have seen from the examples above that certain determiners can only be used for one type of noun, whereas others can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. Here’s a handy reference table for these, although this is not an exhaustive list.
Countable | Uncountable | Both (countable / uncountable) |
---|---|---|
I don’t have many friends. | I don’t have much luck in life. | May I have some sandwiches? / May I have some juice? |
You’re trying to fit too many people into the car. | I have too much homework to do. | Do you have any pets? / Do you have any advice? |
How many sweets do you have left? | How much money do you have left? | I have hardly any shoes that fit me. / I have hardly any experience. See also: More like ‘hardly’ |
I only have a few sweets left. | I have little hope that he will succeed. | Please put all of the apples in the bowl. / Please put all of the rubbish in the bin. |
I have fewer books than you. | I only have a little money left. | I have no children. / I have no time. |
Each student will receive a certificate. | I have less experience than you. | None of the bananas are ripe. / None of the meat is cooked. |
Every painting in this house tells a story. | Are there any other printers in the office? / Is there any other information I should know? | |
I carry several spare hairbands with me at all times. | I have lots of ideas to share. / I have lots of stuff to give away. | |
Do you have another pen? This one is out of ink. | Do you have enough potatoes? / Do you have enough bacon? | |
This is my only raincoat. / This is my only advice. |
Most other adjectives can modify both countable and uncountable nouns.
See also: What’s the difference between advice vs advise?
You might often hear people say something like “I take two sugars in my tea”. What they really mean is “two teaspoons of sugar”, but the noun “sugar” has taken on that meaning and become countable.
In this way, uncountable nouns can sometimes be used as countable when referring to a complete unit or measurement of something, normally in relation to food and beverages. Here are some more examples:
Uncountable nouns may also be used as countable when they refer to a specific type, example, or category of something . For example:
These plural countable nouns are exceptions to the rule given earlier.
To make things even more confusing, certain nouns in English have two or more meanings. When a noun refers to different things, one countable and one uncountable, you must remember which is which in order to form a correct sentence. Here are some common examples of words with dual meanings:
Noun | Definition – countable | Definition – uncountable |
---|---|---|
Part of a machine used to change speed | Equipment used for a particular activity | |
A drinking vessel | A material used for windows | |
Drinking vessels | Spectacles (eye glasses) | |
An individual strand of hair | The growth of hair on a particular creature or area of the body | |
A device for getting wrinkles out of clothes | A chemical element | |
A newspaper or published academic work | A material used for writing, printing, etc. | |
A special ability | A source of energy | |
A walled area within a building | Physical space | |
A young person or teenager | The period of life when one is young |
As you can see, English can be hard to learn . Fortunately, you can always check in a dictionary to see whether a noun is countable or uncountable. Some dictionaries, such as Oxford Dictionaries , specify this in the definition.
We hope this information about countable vs uncountable nouns has been helpful. It can be quite a tricky English grammar topic to get right because, even once you have mastered the rules of count and noncount nouns, there is still no hard-and-fast way to know which words are which, unless you look them up.
Leave a comment below if you have any more questions about this topic or want to check your understanding of a particular point we’ve mentioned.
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In Bulgarian both "homework" and "work" are countable. Why are they uncountable in English then? What is the difference in meaning that makes that happen?
Both are considered mass nouns , just like milk , air , etc.
However, work can also refer to a singular piece of creation (art, literature, plays, etc.), in which case it can be pluralized:
These are all the works of Shakespeare.
If you want to refer to a specific part of your work , you could use task :
I completed twelve tasks . I got a lot of work done today.
Likewise, if you want to refer to a single, discrete unit of homework , use assignment :
Our teacher gave us three assignments to complete by Friday.
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Countable and uncountable nouns have a few differences. One of them is obvious; the others aren’t. Read on to learn more.
A countable noun , like apples and bottles , can be counted. An uncountable noun , like love and oxygen , cannot be counted. Countable nouns can be preceded by the indefinite article “a” or “an,” or by a number, whereas uncountable nouns cannot.
What do puppies , dinosaurs , giraffes , and donuts have in common?
They’re countable nouns —meaning they can be counted. Their counterparts are uncountable nouns , which, as you may have guessed, are nouns that cannot be counted: happiness, air, water, research, advice, etc .
There’s a bit more to the difference between countable and uncountable nouns , which we’ll examine thoroughly below.
Countable nouns (also known as count nouns ) differ from uncountable nouns in that they: can be counted, can be preceded with the articles “a,” or “an,” or a number, and usually have singular and plural forms.
Sloane was looking for a jacket .
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
I read ten books this past summer.
There were a total of 15 doctors at the national conference.
In the examples above, jackets , apples, books, and doctors are countable nouns.
Remember, nouns that can have singular and plural forms are countable nouns. A few examples are:
Uncountable nouns (also known as non-count or mass nouns ) can’t be counted, can’t be used with “a,” “an,” or a number, and usually only have a singular form. These tend to include things like liquids and abstract ideas, but also nouns like bread and rice.
I need to buy honey at the market.
He asked for some advice .
Happiness is running through me.
She showed a great display of bravery .
You have probably heard someone say, “Can I have a water?” And although you most likely understood them, what they meant was, “Can I have a bottle of water?”
The only way the amount or quantity of an uncountable noun can be determined is if a quantifier like much or a little comes before it.
I needed a milk .
I needed a bit of milk .
He was asking for informations .
He was asking for information .
He was asking for a lot of information .
Other examples of uncountable nouns include:
love, hate, envy, snow, oxygen, information, humanity, cooperation, furniture
There are nouns that can be countable and uncountable, depending on the meaning of the word and the context of the sentence . Take the word light as an example.
When I went outside, the bright light of the sun took me by surprise.
They switched on the lights of the cabin.
Because the light of the sun is something that cannot be counted, it’s considered an uncountable noun in the first sentence. However, in the second sentence, light refers to lamps or light bulbs, things that can be counted.
Knowing if a noun is countable or uncountable is important because it can help you correctly construct a sentence and helps you determine whether to use words like fewer or less and many or much .
If you want to be certain whether a noun is countable or uncountable, you can always check the dictionary, or you can simply use LanguageTool as your intelligent writing assistant. Not only will the multilingual spelling and grammar error ensure you’re using nouns correctly, but it can also check for various types of errors and help rephrase your sentences.
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What are countable and uncountable nouns, and how do we use them in English grammar? Let’s learn all about these two different types of nouns today! There are some details you need to know in order to make sure your sentences with uncountable nouns are grammatically correct.
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Countable nouns are things we can easily count – for example, cats:
Other examples of countable nouns:
With most countable nouns, we add -s to make them plural. But there are some irregular plural nouns – like person/people, man/men, child/children, and others.
Uncountable nouns (or non-count nouns) are words that we can’t count, or can’t easily divide into separate parts:
Some English learners think that all countable nouns are concrete nouns (physical things), and all uncountable nouns are abstract nouns (non-physical things) – but this is not true!
Learn more in this lesson on 10 types of nouns.
Learn about words that can be both countable and uncountable!
#1 – never add -s to make uncountable nouns plural:.
In some other languages, “information” can be made plural – but it’s incorrect in English, because it’s an uncountable noun!
Instead, you can use other words to help create a plural form:
It’s very common to use the word “piece”:
Uncountable nouns by themselves take singular verbs, since they are grammatically singular nouns:
However, if we add one of those “helping words” to create a plural form, then we use plural verbs:
Instead, you can use “some” or “a piece of”:
However, the definite article (“the”) can be used with both countable nouns and uncountable nouns:
In English, we use different quantity words:
With countable nouns, you can use many, a few, fewer, the fewest:
With uncountable nouns, you can use much, a little, less, the least:
We can use some, any, more, the most, a lot of, and lots of with both countable and uncountable nouns:
Most nouns in English are countable – but here are some common uncountable nouns organized by category.
Liquids, grains, and semi-solids:
Categories or Mass Nouns:
Abstract ideas or qualities:
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Published on June 21, 2019 by Fiona Middleton . Revised on April 18, 2023.
Uncountable nouns , also known as mass nouns or noncount nouns, refer to a mass of something or an abstract concept that can’t be counted (except with a unit of measurement). In contrast, countable nouns can be counted as individual items.
The main rules to remember for uncountable nouns are that they cannot be pluralized , and that they never take indefinite articles (“a” or “an”).
Type of noun | Examples |
---|---|
Abstract concepts and physical phenomena | research, advice, information, knowledge, money, logic, gravity, acceleration, pollution, feedback, traffic, radiation, biomass, lightning |
Substances, materials and foods | air, water, blood, algae, mud, grass, seaweed, graphite, clay, quartz, rice, flour, meat |
Elements, chemicals and gases | helium, iron, copper, hydrochloric acid, calcium carbonate, carbon monoxide, methane |
Disciplines and fields | biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, geography, psychology, economics, aquaculture, trigonometry |
Countable noun or uncountable noun, are uncountable nouns singular or plural, using articles with uncountable nouns, numbers and amounts, “research” and “data”, other interesting language articles.
Some nouns in English, like those in the table above, are always (or nearly always) uncountable. Many other nouns, however, can be countable or uncountable depending on the context.
To identify whether a noun is countable or uncountable in a particular context, consider whether you are referring to a single tangible item, entity or type of something, or if you are describing a general mass or idea of something.
Type of noun | Uncountable | Countable | Other examples |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract concepts | He rarely feels fear. | A fear of spiders is known as arachnophobia. | Concepts can often be countable or uncountable: weight, love, courage, strength, time, beauty, pressure, vision, business. |
Substances, materials and phenomena | Houseplants need the optimum amount of light to thrive. | She saw a light at the end of the tunnel. | Many nouns referring to substances are also used to refer to individual items or types of the substance in question: bone, skin, light, sound, solid, liquid, gas, plastic, acid, alkali. |
Types of something | Fish is an excellent source of protein. | Coral reefs are home to a huge variety of fishes. | Many uncountables, including food, drink, and other substances, can become countable when referring to a specific type of the noun in question: a Chilean wine, soft cheeses, toxic gases. |
Drinks | Java produces excellent coffee. | I had two coffees this morning. | Liquids are usually uncountable, but when referring to a single drink they are often colloquially used as countables: a beer, a tea, a water, a coke. |
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Uncountable nouns should be treated as singular, and thus should always be used with singular verbs to ensure correct subject-verb agreement .
Singular countable nouns generally require an article or other determiner (e.g., “the interview ,” “a participant,” “my hypothesis “). Uncountable nouns, in contrast, can usually stand alone without an article.
Because uncountable nouns can’t be counted as a single item, indefinite articles (“a” or “an”) should never be used with them.
The definite article “the” can be used when you are referring to a particular instance or specific mass of an uncountable noun.
Many uncountable nouns are associated with words that break them up into countable units. This is helpful when you want to refer to a single or numbered instance or unit.
Finding the correct term to describe amounts can be tricky. Many terms that describe amount (e.g., “some,” “ a lot of” and “most”) can be used with both uncountable and countable nouns (although note that these terms are often too vague to use in academic writing).
However, there are certain terms that can only be used with either uncountable or countable nouns. Make sure to choose correctly between “less vs. fewer,” “much vs. many,” and “amount vs. number.”
Uncountable | Countable | ||
---|---|---|---|
Less | Isolated parts of the ocean contain less pollution. | Fewer | Isolated parts of the ocean contain fewer pollutants. |
Much | Too much money has been spent on this project. | Many | Too many dollars have been spent on this project. |
Amount of | We discovered a significant amount of green algae in the lake. | Number of | We discovered a significant number of microorganisms in the lake. |
In academic writing , “research” and “data” are two uncountable nouns that are notoriously difficult to use correctly.
Never add “s” to pluralize “research” or “data”. (Note that the word “researches” is only correct when used as the third-person singular of the verb “to research.” )
Always use “research” as a singular noun.
Data, however, can be used as a singular or plural noun.
If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns , verbs , and other parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations and examples.
Nouns & pronouns
We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.
Middleton, F. (2023, April 18). How to Tell if a Noun is Countable or Uncountable | Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/nouns-and-pronouns/uncountable-nouns/
Aarts, B. (2011). Oxford modern English grammar . Oxford University Press.
Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015). Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Garner, B. A. (2016). Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
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Definition of homework noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
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We usually treat uncountable nouns as singular. We use a singular verb. For example:
We do not usually use the indefinite article a/an with uncountable nouns. We cannot say "an information" or "a music". But we can say a "something" of :
We can use some and any with uncountable nouns:
We can use a little and much with uncountable nouns:
Here are some more examples of countable and uncountable nouns:
Countable | Uncountable |
---|---|
dollar | money |
song | music |
suitcase | luggage |
table | furniture |
battery | electricity |
bottle | wine |
report | information |
tip | advice |
journey | travel |
job | work |
view | scenery |
To count or quantify an uncountable noun we use a unit of measurement - a measure word . For example, we cannot usually say “two breads” because “bread” is uncountable. So, if we want to specify a quantity of bread we use a measure word such as “loaf” or “slice” in a structure like “two loaves of bread” or “two slices of bread”. We call this structure a partitive structure .
partitive structure: | quantity | measure word | uncountable noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
examples: | two | cups | of | coffee |
several | games | of | tennis | |
a | drop | of | water |
We can use the same uncountable noun in different partitive expressions with different meanings. For example, a loaf of bread and a slice of bread are partitive expressions with different meanings. A loaf of bread is what we call a whole unit of bread that we buy from a baker. A slice of bread is what we call a smaller unit of bread after it has been cut from a loaf.
Here are some more examples:
Sometimes, the same noun can be countable and uncountable, often with a change of meaning.
Countable | Uncountable | |
---|---|---|
The US dollar and pound sterling are important currencies. | The expression gained wider currency after 2001. | |
There are two hairs in my coffee! | I don't have much hair. | |
There are two lights in our bedroom. | Close the curtain. There's too much light! | |
Shhhhh! I thought I heard a noise. There are so many different noises in the city. | It's difficult to work when there is so much noise. | |
Have you got a paper to read? (newspaper) Hand me those student papers. | I want to draw a picture. Have you got some paper? | |
Our house has seven rooms. | Is there room for me to sit here? | |
We had a great time at the party. How many times have I told you no? | Have you got time for a cup of coffee? | |
is one of Shakespeare's greatest works. | I have no money. I need work! |
See also this list of nouns that are count and noncount , with example sentences, notes and quizzes
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I haven't ( have not) done it. It is singular. My homework is singular. It names the collective tasks I have to do. Bienvenido mr_Croft! Note: Some dictionaries describe this noun as "uncountable". There are many threads here about uncountable nouns. You may find them by using the forum Search feature, or by looking up the word "uncountable" in the WordReference English dictionary. It will display threads with that word in the title: Forum discussions with the word(s) 'uncountable' in the title: Countable and uncountable, depending on context! Countable, uncountable: asparagus Countable, uncountable: homework Uncountable nouns - an exercise is the word "cheese" uncountable? Countable, uncountable: mail, e-mail Countable, uncountable: broccoli, orange Countable, uncountable: advice, bread, cabbage, hair, onions Countable, uncountable: chocolate, chocolates Countable, uncountable: food Countable, uncountable: news Two uncountable nouns become plural? Countable, uncountable: peanuts, people Should the verb be singular or plural after two uncountable nouns? Countable and uncountable, depending on context! uncountable luck Biker, Sponsor: UNCOUNTABLE??? is or are with a list of uncountable Countable, uncountable: help Countable, uncountable: snow Two types of uncountable nouns. the use of articles with uncountable nouns Countable, uncountable: patience "Advice" - uncountable??? Tip (countable or uncountable)
The last time we talked about this, everyone but me said that homework is not countable. Countable, uncountable: homework But in this particular example, even I would say: I haven't done my homework. Have you done your homework? I haven't done it yet. - - - even if I have homework to do in several different subjects.
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Consider the case when a teacher has thirty students in the class. The noun "homework" is uncountable so he cannot say "I have thirty homeworks to grade every week." My question is that if there is any unit of homework so that the sentence "I have thirty (units) of homework to grade every week" can be valid?
In your example, you could use pieces , as in I have thirty pieces of homework to grade every week .
piece noun [ C ] (THING) a single object of a particular type: a piece of furniture/clothing/equipment a piece of paper (= a whole sheet) a piece of china (= an object made of china) a piece of information/advice (Cambridge Dictionary)
However, that doesn't seem particularly idiomatic to me. You could use assignments , as in homework assignments :
assignment noun [ C/U ] us /əˈsɑɪn·mənt/ a particular job or responsibility given to you: [C] The homework assignment was to read Chapter 2 in our history book. (Cambridge Dictionary)
However, in my experience, it's more common to use the type of assignment instead of homework . I think the most broad term is assignment , but you could be more specific: I have 30 ______ to grade every week.
I was very briefly a grader (or, "reader") in a related field. I can't remember exactly how I talked about it, but if someone asked me, "How much homework do you need to grade?", I would probably reply
I need to grade thirty [assignments] every week.
You could also say sets (as others have mentioned), or even submissions (more generic). I'm thinking maybe even "papers", but that's usually used with reports or essay-like works.
I don't think I would have responded in the form you supplied, "I need to grade thirty (units) homework every week." But, that's just my personal feeling of it. You can still use pieces , as mentioned earlier. It may or may not sound slightly strange to the listener, but you will be understood.
To my surprise, BrE users are reporting that pieces of homework is idiomatic to them. I did a little Ngram search , and it appears that the phrase is more common in BrE.
I'm from the West Coast (US).
You are given homework assignments :
[Merriam-Webster] 2 b : a specified task or amount of work assigned or undertaken as if assigned by authority • a homework assignment The students were given a homework assignment .
You pick a different noun that is more flexible yet appropriate.
I have thirty reports to grade. I have thirty assignments to mark.
You're asking about the teacher's workload in evaluating the homework that has been returned.
I think the word 'sets' is what you're looking for.
I have 30 sets of math homework to grade, and I still have 8 sets of geography homework from yesterday that I'm not done with.
set (MW, noun definition 2)
a number of things of the same kind that belong or are used together
The dictionaries don't seem to have caught up yet but, as somebody who regularly sets and marks homework in a university in the UK, I would quite happily refer to "marking 30 homeworks". A comment on another answer says that this is also used in the US.
So, at least for informal use, I think it's fine to use homework as a countable noun and pluralize it. If you wanted to be more formal, I'd go with my usual cowardly solution of rewording to avoid the problem: "I have to grade 30 students' homework" or "I have to grade homework for 30 students."
I suggest you use the word exercise . It's one of the most frequently used words in this meaning(=homework) & it's countable too.
Well, there are other simple ways:
For homework , you're going to finish thirty exercises every week.
In other words:
Do Exercises 3, 4, 5 etc on pages 51, 52, 53 etc for homework .
If you are student you can say:
My science teacher always sets a lot of homework. The teacher told us to do thirty exercises for homework.
If you are teacher you can also say:
For homework I want you to do thirty exercises.
I'd quantify it by the amount of students whose homework you have to grade.
"I have homework of 30 students to grade this weekend"
At MIT, most courses assign homework in " problem sets ".
A typical engineering student has to do four problem sets per week: one for each course that he or she is enrolled in.
A typical TA (Teaching Assistant) has to grade dozens of problem sets per week: one for each student in his (or rarely her) recitation section(s).
A typical problem set consists of several problems.
Some courses (especially in Technical Writing and the Humanities) require students to write weekly essays, instead of solve weekly problem sets.
'30 sets of homework' perhaps.
But 'I've got 30 homeworks to mark' doesn't sound wrong.
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Why do we say There weren’t many people at the party but There wasn’t much wine ?
When you look at these sentences carefully, you’ll notice that it all depends on the noun. People are countable, in that you can count them – 1 person, 2 people. Wine , on the other hand, cannot be counted. You cannot say 1 wine, 2 wines. 2 glasses (or bottles!) of wine, yes, but not just 2 wines. So wine is an uncountable noun.
Countable nouns are nouns we can talk about in the singular and in the plural. Uncountable nouns usually don’t have a plural form.
Countable nouns are objects and things, which is why they are able to be easily counted. Uncountable nouns, on the other hand, are usually abstract concepts ( knowledge, advice) or things or objects which are of a substance such that it is difficult to count ( sand, milk ).
Countable and uncountable nouns differ in which quantifiers can be used with them. Countable nouns can use: many, a few ; uncountable nouns use: much, a little . Both sets of nouns can use: lots of or a lot of .
The first problem learners have with countable and uncountable nouns is understanding the concept and so using incorrect quantifiers.
For example: How many money do you have?
The second problem arises because certain nouns can be countable and uncountable depending on their usage.
For example:
I’ve seen that movie many times.
I didn’t have time to do my homework.
Here, time is countable in the first sentence but uncountable in the second.
A final problem is the fact that uncountable nouns are not used in the plural. Learners may not realise this and may use them in the plural form. This may also be a transfer problem from their first language in which the same noun is countable.
For example: He gave me a lot of informations about the course.
When teaching your students about the different parts of speech, don’t gloss over nouns because you think they are a simple aspect of English. In fact, there are lots of rules relating to nouns which need to be clarified to our learners in order for them to be able to use nouns appropriately in their English production. You need to actually focus on the grammar of nouns. In other words, you need to make sure your students know not only the form, meaning and pronunciation of the words, but also the rules governing their use.
A helpful teaching idea is to utilise a categorisation activity in class. Write down a set of countable and uncountable nouns on big pieces of paper and allow the students to put them into two categories on the board – countable and uncountable. Allowing them time to think about and discuss the nouns will help them remember the rules.
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Wondering what are concrete nouns ? Well, to explain in simple words these refer to objects that can be physically touched, smelled, tasted and so on. In contrast to abstract nouns (which represent ideas, qualities, or concepts), concrete nouns are tangible and can be physically perceived. Furthermore, in this blog post, you will read all about the examples of concrete nouns and how they can be implemented in your writing. Make sure you continue reading this blog post to learn all about the types of concrete nouns and how they can be used in sentences.
Concrete nouns – definition, common nouns, proper nouns, countable nouns, uncountable nouns, collective nouns.
Concrete nouns refer to things that can be touched, seen, smelled, tasted, or heard. They represent tangible, physical objects or substances that are perceived in the real world.
Some of the common examples of concrete nouns include “frog”, “goose”, “fern”, “virus”, “painter”, the prime minister”, “town”, “river”, “island”, “girl”, “mall”, and “blanket.”
Also Read: Nouns: Definition and Examples
Concrete nouns can be classified into several types based on their properties or characteristics. Let us explore all of them one by one with the help of a few examples for your understanding.
Common nouns are general terms that refer to a class of people, places, or things without specifying a particular individual. They are used to represent a group or category rather than a specific instance.
Proper nouns are specific names given to individuals, places, or things. Unlike common nouns, which refer to general categories, proper nouns identify unique entities.
Countable nouns are nouns that can be counted. They have plural forms and can be used with numbers. This means that any person, place or thing you can count is a countable noun. Interestingly, countable nouns are studied in the form of singular nouns and plural nouns .
Uncountable nouns are nouns that cannot be counted. They often refer to substances, abstract concepts, or things that are too small or too amorphous to be counted individually. Unlike countable nouns, uncountable nouns do not have plural forms and cannot be used with numbers.
Lastly, collective nouns refer to a group of people, animals, or things considered as a single unit. They are often used to describe a group without naming each member.
Do check these logs
Now that you have gone through all the definitions of the nouns that come under concrete nouns, it is time that you go through the examples for each one of them for a better understanding.
Boy | Girl |
Man | Woman |
Teacher | Student |
City | Country |
Park | School |
Hospital | Book |
Car | Table |
Phone | Computer |
Tree | Dog |
Cat | Cheese |
Pizza | TV |
Computer | Swimming |
India | John |
Mary | Barack Obama |
Queen Elizabeth II | The Mona Lisa |
Tokyo | Mount Everest |
New York City | London |
The United Kingdom | Oprah Winfrey |
The Amazon Rainforest | Sydney |
Elon Musk | The Great Wall of China |
Mahatma Gandhi | Pulp Fiction |
Nike | Adidas |
Coca-Cola | Pepsi |
Mc Donalds | Apple |
Book | Car |
Pen | Pencil |
Desk | Chair |
Table | Steak |
Ice cream | Question |
Answer | Day |
Week | Year |
Lion | Tiger |
Monkey | Chocolate |
Strawberry | Dollar |
Idea | Apple |
Banana | Student |
Water | Air |
Sugar | Milk |
Rice | Coffee |
Tea | Oil |
Gold | Silver |
Love | Happiness |
Furniture | Luggage |
Advice | News |
Music | Art |
Weather | Traffic |
Furniture | Luggage |
Courage | Honesty |
Team | Family |
Crowd | Class |
Audience | Choir |
Committee | Herd |
Flock | Pack |
School | Pride |
Swarms | Brood |
Bunch | Pile |
Collection | Assortment |
Fleet | Bouquet |
Jury | Orchestra |
Battalion | Colony |
The rode his to . |
The chased the through the . |
I bought at the . |
is important in life. |
The gave the s. |
went to last summer. |
The is a beautiful monument in . |
founded . |
stands in . |
wrote . |
I bought at the . |
The gave the |
The drove his to . |
The played with their in the . |
I have and . |
I drank a glass of . |
is important in life. |
is expensive in this city. |
I need some on my career. |
travels fast in the digital age. |
The lost the . |
The of flew south for the winter. |
The went on a to the . |
The took a to the |
The cheered for the . |
Check Related Reads on Learn English
The 10 examples of concrete nouns include bed, dog, cat, snake, turtle, cow, restaurant, store, sister and brother.
Milk is a common, concrete, material noun. While, ‘Amul Milk’, ‘Motherdairy Milk’, ‘Britannia milk’, ‘Nestlé Milk’ etc are proper nouns.
Yes, Ice cream is an example of a concrete noun.
We hope this blog on ‘examples of common nouns’ provided you with all the information. To advance your grammar knowledge and read more informative blogs, check out our Learn English page and don’t forget to follow Leverage Edu .
Malvika is a content writer cum news freak who comes with a strong background in Journalism and has worked with renowned news websites such as News 9 and The Financial Express to name a few. When not writing, she can be found bringing life to the canvasses by painting on them.
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Subject: English
Age range: 7-11
Resource type: Worksheet/Activity
Last updated
1 September 2024
Enhance your students’ understanding of grammar with this comprehensive set of Task Cards, Sorting Cards, and Worksheets designed to teach:
Countable and Uncountable Nouns, Quantifiers (How Much/How Many), and Determiners (a, an, some, any).
What’s Included:
60 Task Cards for Countable and Uncountable Nouns 60 Task Cards for Quantifier Questions (How Much or How Many) 60 Task Cards for Determiners (a, an, some, any) Sorting Cards for categorizing nouns as Countable or Uncountable 27 Differentiated Worksheets (A4 and A5 versions)
Differentiated 3 Levels of Difficulty: Tailored to different skill levels - Easier, Mild, and Tricky - ensuring all learners are challenged appropriately.
Engaging : Students can select the correct answer on each task card and record their responses on the provided answer sheets, making this activity perfect for individual practice, small group collaboration, or even homework assignments.
Sorting Cards: Perfect for Sorting: Includes cards for categorizing nouns as Countable or Uncountable. Versatile Use: These cards are not only great for sorting activities but can also be used for display purposes, enriching your classroom environment.
Differentiated Worksheets: Comes with matching worksheets where learners can color or circle their answers- perfect for reinforcing concepts in class or at home.
With 180 task cards in total, differentiated activities, versatile sorting cards, and comprehensive worksheets, this set offers extensive practice for varied levels of learners. An organised ZIP file with folders and clear file names is also included in the download.
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Traditionally, it is not countable, and most dictionaries list it as such. However, the Merriam-Webster thesaurus (although not the Merriam-Webster dictionary) does have an entry for homeworks. Moreover, the plural form is used by at least some groups of educated native speakers. One's best bet is to try to find out if one's audience belongs to ...
Nouns: countable and uncountable - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Countable Noun & Uncountable Nouns with Examples
In the US "homework" is considered to be a "mass" noun and articles are not used. (May be different in the UK or India.) ... Rest assured that "homework" remains an uncountable noun. Share. Improve this answer. Follow answered Jan 13, 2016 at 3:57. Benjamin Harman Benjamin Harman. 2,393 9 9 silver badges 11 11 bronze badges. 2. 1.
An uncountable noun (also called a mass noun or a non-count noun) is a noun naming something that cannot be counted in English using standard numbers. These nouns cannot be made plural. Examples of uncountable nouns include rice, money, advice, news, and happiness. We cannot have one rice, five monies, two advices, or a happiness.
The teacher gave us a homework. ('homework' is an uncountable noun) We have lots of homeworks. If you have countable and uncountable nouns in your own language, you need to be very careful because they may not be the same ones. If I had £1 for every time one of my students has said or written 'an advice' or 'some informations', I ...
homework | meaning of homework in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary ... ... homework
homework noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and ...
Both are considered mass nouns, just like milk, air, etc.. However, work can also refer to a singular piece of creation (art, literature, plays, etc.), in which case it can be pluralized: These are all the works of Shakespeare.. If you want to refer to a specific part of your work, you could use task:. I completed twelve tasks.I got a lot of work done today.
Countable and Uncountable Nouns - LanguageTool
Countable and Uncountable Nouns
How to Tell if a Noun is Countable or Uncountable
1 work that is given by teachers for students to do at home I still haven't done my geography homework. How much homework do you get? I have to write up the notes for homework. compare classwork Topic Collocations Education learning. acquire/get/lack experience/training/(an) education; receive/provide somebody with training
Nouns in English grammar can be either countable or uncountable. Countable nouns refer to individual things and we can use them in the singular or plural (e.g. coin/coins). Most nouns in the English language are countable. Uncountable nouns, also known as mass nouns, refer to things we consider a whole or mass and cannot be counted (e.g. money).
This handy homework sheet helps students practise Countable and Uncountable Nouns in three different ways. After downloading your PDF: print it immediately or save and print later. Answers are provided for teachers on the second page. Make your own worksheets with the free EnglishClub Worksheet Maker! Printable downloadable PDF homework on ...
A box of chocolates. (individual chocolates - countable) I'd like some chocolate too. (a piece or pieces of chocolate from a bar of chocolate - uncountable) I thought coffee and lemonade were uncountable too. Yes, they are usually. I love coffee with hot milk. (uncountable)
Like most uncountable nouns, it functions like a singular noun grammatically. Homework is a noncount noun, so the singular ("homework is ") would be correct. I would use the word "assignments"—or the phrase "homework assignments" if specificity is needed—when referring to multiple pieces of homework (e.g., "the (homework ...
Uncountable Nouns | Learn English
It is singular. My homework is singular. It names. the collective tasks I have to do. Bienvenido mr_Croft! Note: Some dictionaries describe this noun as "uncountable". There are many threads here about uncountable nouns. You may find them by using the forum Search feature, or by looking up the word "uncountable" in the WordReference English ...
The teacher told us to do thirty exercises for homework. If you are teacher you can also say: For homework I want you to do thirty exercises. But if you set thirty exercises as homework then one 'unit' of homework would be thirty exercises, so 'exercise' isn't the unit for 'the homework received from one pupil'.
Countable nouns are nouns we can talk about in the singular and in the plural. Uncountable nouns usually don't have a plural form. Countable nouns are objects and things, which is why they are able to be easily counted. Uncountable nouns, on the other hand, are usually abstract concepts (knowledge, advice) or things or objects which are of a ...
Hi Homework is an uncountable noun, therefore it should be modified by much or a lot of, not many. Because it is an uncountable noun and is not used in the plural as it is always singular. I don't have much homework today The teacher gave us a lot of homework. Tim has four pieces of homework to complete for today.
This means that any person, place or thing you can count is a countable noun. Interestingly, countable nouns are studied in the form of singular nouns and plural nouns. Examples. I bought three apples at the grocery store. The teacher gave the students five homework assignments. Uncountable Nouns. Uncountable nouns are nouns that cannot be counted.
Engaging: Students can select the correct answer on each task card and record their responses on the provided answer sheets, making this activity perfect for individual practice, small group collaboration, or even homework assignments. Sorting Cards: Perfect for Sorting: Includes cards for categorizing nouns as Countable or Uncountable.