homework countable or uncountable noun

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homework vs. a homework

When is it acceptable to use "a homework?". As an ESL practitioner, I had to look it up, and found a source which says "a homework" is only acceptable among native speakers. So, should non-native speakers just stick to "homework" as uncountable?

• countability

• 4 In the US "homework" is considered to be a "mass" noun and articles are not used. (May be different in the UK or India.) A "homework assignment" is an individual piece of homework and does take an article. –  Hot Licks Commented Jan 13, 2016 at 3:56
• 1 Native speakers don't say a homework . –  GoDucks Commented Jan 13, 2016 at 4:16
• Possible duplicate of Is "homework" countable? –  user24743 Commented Jan 13, 2016 at 5:17

2 Answers 2

Whereas it's foreseeable that some native English speaker could get away with saying, "I have a homework due in second period," to mean that they have a singular homework assignment due then, it isn't standard fare. Native speakers don't say it this way. In 22 years of schooling, from kindergarten through my PhD, I've never heard anyone say it like that. Perhaps the reference is saying that a native speaker could get away with it, while a ESL student could not, which is probably true. Rest assured that "homework" remains an uncountable noun.

• 1 I am old enough to remember when in Britain it wasn't called homework , it was called prep (preparation). In the British public-school (meaning private) system, historically children did not go home . The posh classes sent their little darlings to Dickensian boarding schools which were more like fierce prisons. But words like prep , and matron lingered on into the day-systems of the 1950s. Now prep was not a mass noun. In our first year we got two preps a night e.g. Mon-Maths & French; Tues Latin & Biology etc. –  WS2 Commented Jan 13, 2016 at 9:50
• @WS2 : Sounds absolutely lovely. 'Please, sir, I want some more.' –  Benjamin Harman Commented Jan 13, 2016 at 10:34

In general, you should try to avoid saying "a homework." (As a native speaker, it sounds very strange)

The best reason I can think of why it sounds strange is because the word is indefinite in size. Saying "a" homework contradicts its nature of being indefinite by assigning a size to something that is arbitrary. For example, you can say that I have seven "assignments", but I cannot say that I have seven "homeworks".

(Depending on what your native language is, this may or may not feel natural)

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All you need to know about countable and uncountable nouns

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:

• There are no concrete rules for classifying nouns as countable or uncountable (although there are some general guidelines that we will explain later).
• Certain nouns that are countable in other languages may be uncountable in English, so you’ll have to un-learn what you know from your native language and learn a different set of rules for English words.

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.

The basics of countable and uncountable nouns

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.

What is an uncountable noun?

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.

Rules for using countable nouns

We’ll begin by going over the rules for using countable nouns, since these are most straightforward.

Countable nouns:

• Can be separated into whole, individual, countable units
• Broadly refer to people, places, and things
• Have a singular and a plural form (with a few exceptions like sheep, deer, fish) – see this site for more about how to form plurals
• May take indefinite articles (a/an) as well as the definite article (the)
• May take other determiners such as this/that/these/those, some/any/few/many/several, my/your/his/her/our/their
• To form a question about a countable noun, we say ‘How many…’

Countable noun example sentences

Most of the nouns we use in English are countable. Here are some example sentences showing correct usage:

• I have two cats as pets .
• She bought a few books from the store .
• We went to the zoo and saw several giraffes .
• The school has six classrooms for different subjects .
• He has a collection of ten stamps .
• My father owns a few bikes .
• The store has a variety of balloons in different colors.
• He has five siblings : three brothers  and two sisters .
• There are many oranges in the fruit basket .
• The bakery doesn’t have any bread left.
• I would like to buy that handbag .
• How many meals should I order at  the restaurant ?

Read about the difference between few vs a few here.

Rules for using uncountable nouns

Uncountable nouns are used less often in English, and they:

• Are abstract ideas, qualities, or masses that can’t be separated and counted individually
• Do not have a plural form and are treated as singular nouns (and therefore take the singular form of the verb)
• May take the definite article (the) but do not take the indefinite articles (a/an)
• May take other determiners such as much/little/less/any/some and my/your/his/her/our/their
• Can be quantified with phrases that contain countable nouns (e.g. a bag of rice)
• To form a question about an uncountable noun, we say ‘How much…’

See also: What’s the difference between less and fewer?

Uncountable noun examples

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:

This may seem like a long list of uncountable nouns; however, there are hundreds more. 

Quantifying an uncountable noun

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.

• A piece of… advice, art, cheese, equipment, evidence, furniture, homework, information, luck, luggage, music, news, paper, poetry, publicity, rubbish, software
• A bottle of… beer, water, wine, sauce, salad dressing
• A carton of… juice, milk, cream
• A packet of… ketchup, rice, gum
• A plate/bowl of… cereal, pasta, rice
• A drop of… blood, oil, rain, water
• A game of… badminton, chess, football, soccer, tennis
• A ray of… hope, light, sun
• A grain of… sand, rice, sugar, dignity
• A cube of… ice, sugar
• A blob of… toothpaste, mayonnaise, glue
• A pane of glass
• A round of applause
• A bar of soap
• A mode of transport
• A bolt of lightning
• A blade of grass
• A rasher of bacon
• A sheet of paper

Determiners for count and noncount nouns

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.

Most other adjectives can modify both countable and uncountable nouns.

See also:  What’s the difference between advice vs advise?

Some nouns can be countable and uncountable

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:

• I’ll have three coffees , please. (three cups of coffee)
• I’ve had too many beers tonight! (glasses/cans/bottles of beer)
• Could I get two more ketchups ? (two sachets of ketchup)

Uncountable nouns may also be used as countable when they refer to a specific type, example, or category of something . For example:

• You should have at least five different cheeses on your cheese board.
• The best wines in the world are produced in France.
• We used three woods to make this beautiful box.
• They encountered a lot of difficulties while completing the project.
• These juices are all freshly squeezed.

These plural countable nouns are exceptions to the rule given earlier.

Nouns with different countable and uncountable meanings

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:

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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Count on Us To Teach You the Difference Between Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Countable and uncountable nouns have a few differences. One of them is obvious; the others aren’t. Read on to learn more.

What Are Countable and Uncountable Nouns?

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.

Countable Nouns vs. Uncountable Nouns

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.

What Are Countable Nouns?

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.

Examples of Countable Nouns

Remember, nouns that can have singular and plural forms are countable nouns. A few examples are:

• penny/pennies, horse/horses, color/colors, candle/candles, key/keys, alarm/alarms, flower/flowers

What Are Uncountable Nouns?

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 .

Examples of Uncountable Nouns

Other examples of uncountable nouns include:

love, hate, envy, snow, oxygen, information, humanity, cooperation, furniture

Nouns That Can Be Countable and Uncountable

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.

Count on LanguageTool

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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Countable And Uncountable Nouns Worksheets

Serial Spotter

Counts Matcher

Word Weavers

Noun Filler

Hunting Sorts

Noun Choices

Noun Sorter

Picture Hunt

Thing Check

Object Talk

Noun Explorer

Word Sorter

Noun Builder

Classroom Quest

About these 15 worksheets.

This worksheet series offers a comprehensive and engaging approach to teaching young learners the difference between countable and uncountable nouns. As a professional teacher specializing in early childhood education, I understand the importance of solidifying foundational grammar concepts in a way that is both fun and educational. This collection of worksheets does just that by using a variety of activities designed to capture the attention of young students while reinforcing essential language skills.

These worksheets are available in PDF format, making them incredibly easy to access, download, and print. This convenience allows for seamless integration into any lesson plan, whether you’re teaching in a classroom setting or supporting learning at home. The activities are designed to cater to different learning styles, ensuring that every child can grasp the concept of countable and uncountable nouns effectively.

One of the standout features of this collection is its visual appeal. Each worksheet is colorful and filled with engaging images that make learning enjoyable. For instance, one worksheet prompts students to identify and categorize objects as countable or uncountable by looking at pictures, such as fish, jars of candy, and stacks of coins. This activity helps students visually distinguish between items that can be counted individually and those that are considered a whole or mass, providing a strong foundation in understanding these grammatical categories.

Another worksheet encourages students to cut out pictures of various objects and place them into the correct columns labeled “Count Nouns” and “Non-Count Nouns.” This hands-on activity not only reinforces the concept but also helps improve fine motor skills as students cut and sort the images. By physically manipulating the images, students can better internalize the difference between countable and uncountable nouns, making the learning experience more tactile and memorable.

Further extending the variety of activities, some worksheets challenge students to read lists of words and decide whether each one is countable or uncountable. This activity enhances their vocabulary and word recognition skills, all while reinforcing the lesson’s main objective. Additionally, other worksheets ask students to write sentences using non-count nouns, encouraging them to apply their knowledge in a practical context. This activity is particularly effective in helping students understand how to use these nouns in everyday language, thereby improving their writing and speaking skills.

Another unique aspect of this collection is the inclusion of worksheets that focus on the use of modifiers with countable and uncountable nouns. Students are asked to fill in the blanks with appropriate modifiers like “some,” “a,” “an,” or specific numbers, depending on the noun in question. This not only reinforces their understanding of the nouns themselves but also teaches them about the correct usage of quantifiers and articles, which is an essential aspect of grammar.

There are worksheets where students must observe a picture and list all the countable and uncountable nouns they can identify. This open-ended activity encourages critical thinking and observational skills as students analyze the image and apply their knowledge independently. It also provides an opportunity for teachers to assess their students’ understanding in a more holistic way.

In addition to these activities, the worksheets include exercises that require students to distinguish between countable and uncountable nouns within sentences. For example, students might be asked to underline the noun and then determine its category. This helps reinforce the lesson in a context that mirrors real-world language use, further solidifying the concept in the student’s mind.

The collection also includes creative writing prompts where students must use countable and uncountable nouns in sentences, enhancing their ability to express themselves while adhering to grammatical rules. These prompts stimulate creativity and allow students to practice their language skills in a structured yet imaginative way.

The variety of activities ensures that learners remain engaged, while the visually appealing and interactive nature of the worksheets makes the learning process enjoyable. Whether used in the classroom or at home, these worksheets provide a solid foundation in grammar that will benefit students in their future language studies.

What Are Countable and Uncountable Nouns?

Countable and uncountable nouns are fundamental concepts in English grammar that help us understand how to quantify and refer to various objects and substances. Countable nouns refer to items that can be counted as individual units. They can be singular or plural, and they typically take an article such as “a” or “an” when singular (e.g., “a book,” “an apple”) and often an “s” or “es” to form the plural (e.g., “two books,” “three apples”). Countable nouns include things like “chair,” “dog,” or “car,” which are tangible and can be easily counted.

On the other hand, uncountable nouns refer to substances, concepts, or masses that cannot be separated into individual units and therefore cannot be counted directly. These nouns typically do not have a plural form and do not take the articles “a” or “an.” Instead, they are often preceded by quantifiers such as “some,” “much,” or “a little.” Examples of uncountable nouns include “water,” “rice,” “information,” and “happiness.” These words represent things that are usually seen as wholes or abstract concepts, making them impossible to count in discrete numbers.

When using countable and uncountable nouns in sentences, it’s important to choose the appropriate articles and quantifiers. For instance, you might say, “I have a book,” using “a” to refer to one countable item. If you have more than one, you could say, “I have three books.” In contrast, with uncountable nouns, you would say, “I need some water,” or “There is a lot of information available,” using “some” or “a lot of” to refer to an unspecified quantity that cannot be counted individually. Understanding the difference between these types of nouns and how to use them correctly in sentences is crucial for achieving accuracy and fluency in English.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

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.

Download free PDF + quiz

Countable Nouns

Countable nouns are things we can easily count – for example, cats:

• My brother has  a cat.
• My sister has  two cats.
• My friend has  three cats.

Other examples of countable nouns:

• Things – book, table, computer, banana, shirt, television, pen, house
• People – man, woman, child, friend, brother, sister, uncle, teacher, boss

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

Uncountable nouns (or non-count nouns) are words that we can’t count, or can’t easily divide into separate parts:

• Concepts – love, fun, sadness, work, money, peace, safety
• Information –  advice, information, news, knowledge
• Categories –  music, furniture, equipment, jewelry, literature, meat
• Liquids and foods that can’t be counted –  water, butter, rice, flour, milk

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!

• We have abstract nouns that are countable, like ideas, beliefs, hopes, dreams.
• We have concrete nouns that are uncountable, like furniture, luggage, butter, and milk.

Learn more in this lesson on 10 types of nouns.

Learn about words that can be both countable and uncountable!

Special rules for uncountable nouns

#1 – never add -s to make uncountable nouns plural:.

• I need some informations  about the course.
• I need some information  about the course.
• The factory has lots of equipments .
• The factory has lots of equipment .

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:

• She bought three  bottles of wine  and five  boxes of rice.
• I need two  cups of flour  and four tablespoons of butter  for this recipe.

It’s very common to use the word “piece”:

• They brought five  pieces of luggage  on their vacation.
• He gave me two  pieces of advice:  eat less and exercise more.
• I’m practicing three difficult pieces of piano music.

Uncountable nouns by themselves take singular verbs, since they are grammatically singular nouns:

• The furniture is old.  (not “are old”)
• His advice  was  good.  (not “were good”)

However, if we add one of those “helping words” to create a plural form, then we use plural verbs:

• Those three crates of furniture are  heavy. (crates –> are)
• His two pieces of advice  were  good.  (pieces –> were)

#2 – Never use the indefinite article “a/an” with uncountable nouns

Instead, you can use “some” or “a piece of”:

• I heard  a  sad news.
• I heard  some  sad news.
• That’s  an  expensive  jewelry.
• That’s  an  expensive  piece of jewelry.
• That’s  an  expensive  necklace.  (necklace is countable; jewelry is uncountable)

However, the definite article (“the”) can be used with both countable nouns and uncountable nouns:

• The facts are accurate.  (countable)
• The information is accurate.  (uncountable)
• The necklace is expensive.  (countable)
• The jewelry is expensive.  (uncountable)

Expressing quantities of countable and uncountable nouns

In English, we use different quantity words:

With  countable nouns,  you can use  many, a few, fewer, the fewest:

• How  many  brothers do you have?
• I have  a few  books in my backpack.
• There are  fewer  people here today than there were yesterday.
• Out of the whole team, John made the fewest  mistakes in his work.

With  uncountable nouns,  you can use  much, a little, less, the least:

• Our teacher gives us too  much  homework!
• Add  a little  butter to the recipe.
• I’m trying to eat  less  red meat.
• Compared to my friends, I make  the least  money.

We can use  some, any, more, the most, a lot of, and  lots of  with both countable and uncountable nouns:

• She bought  some bananas at the store. (countable)
• We heard  some  great music on the radio this morning. (uncountable)
• Does he have  any  children? (countable)
• He doesn’t have  any  furniture in his new house. (uncountable)
• We need to buy  more  bananas. (countable)
• We need to buy  more  equipment. (uncountable)
• I’ve read  the most  books in my class. (countable)
• The boss gave me  the most  work. (uncountable)
• She has  a lot of / lots of  friends. (countable)
• We’re having  a lot of / lots of  fun. (uncountable)

Countable and Uncountable Nouns QUIZ!

Uncountable Noun List

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:

• Agriculture
• Entertainment
• Infrastructure
• Transportation

Abstract ideas or qualities:

• Intelligence

Master the details of English grammar:

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Why are "homework" and "work" uncountable in English? [closed]

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?

• uncountable-nouns

• 'Why'?' is a difficult question. Sometimes things just are . –  Mitch Commented Jan 17, 2012 at 14:30

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.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged nouns history uncountable-nouns or ask your own question .

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About Words – Cambridge Dictionary blog

Commenting on developments in the English language

Countable or uncountable, and why it matters

by  Liz Walter

Many dictionaries for learners of English (including the one on this site) show whether nouns are ‘countable’ or ‘uncountable’, often using the abbreviations C and U. Countable nouns are things that you can count – one dog, two dogs, twenty dogs , etc. Uncountable nouns are things that you cannot count – water, sadness, plastic , etc.

It is important to know whether a noun is countable or uncountable, otherwise you are likely to make basic grammar mistakes. For example, countable nouns can have indefinite articles and can form plurals, but uncountable nouns cannot:

You should bring a coat. (‘coat’ is a countable noun)

I have three winter coats.

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 would be very rich by now! In English, advice and information are both uncountable nouns, so they cannot have ‘an’ in front of them and they cannot be made plural.

Other common uncountable words that often cause problems are: equipment , furniture , transport , knowledge , countryside , traffic , research , progress , evidence , machinery.

You also need to know whether a noun is countable or uncountable in order to decide whether to say much or many . ‘Many’ is used with plural countable nouns and ‘much’ with uncountable nouns:

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

How much brothers and sisters do you have?

How much money do you have?

Some and any are used with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns, but not with singular countable nouns:

We don’t have any eggs/sugar.

Would you like some mushrooms/cheese?

Do you have any coat?

Sometimes we may want to make an uncountable noun more like a singular countable one. We do this by using a quantity expression before it:

She gave us an advice/information.

She gave us a piece of advice/information.

We bought a few furnitures/clothings.

We bought a few items of furniture/clothing.

Finally, some uncountable nouns end in ‘s’. They include activities such as aerobics, athletics, gymnastics and darts ; academic subjects such as economics, linguistics, politics and physics and illnesses such as measles, mumps, rabies and diabetes . These nouns look like countable plurals, but they are uncountable and therefore need a singular verb:

Linguistics is a very interesting subject.

Aerobics makes you fit.

You will probably notice that some words in the dictionary are labelled both C and U. In my next post, I’ll look at some of these words and explain how nouns can be both countable and uncountable.

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48 thoughts on “ Countable or uncountable, and why it matters ”

It’s helpful…

Extremely helpful.

A little bit of a headache

Is it? Then you’ll HATE advanced English.

Thanks a lot, Liz, for this excellent explanation. It is clear and concise!

Need to talk to you about the use of an apostrophe though.

One uncountable noun ending in ‘s’ that could be added to the list is news. It is difficult for French students to use a singular verb -what is the news? the news is good- since les nouvelles is a plural and need a plural verb!

Yes, that’s a very good addition.

I loved the article but would have liked to see my personal pet peeve. The countable error I see everywhere I go is the “ten items or less” signs which should be “10 items or fewer”. I did know a checkout clerk who put up their own, corrected sign at their place of employment.

Joshua, see my post on just this subject: https://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2014/05/28/less-or-fewer/

I guess maybe you can say: “This piece of news is good” to avoid confusion but I saw it is not very usual. This kind of confusion can happen also in my language, Italian.

Yes, we’d be more likely to say: ‘That’s good news’, but we could say for example ‘I have a piece of news I think you’ll like’.

Hi Liz , Thank you very much for posting this informative article about countable and uncountable nouns.To be honest, I always had a confusion of not having indefinite article before a noun ( I did not know until now that it was because they were uncountable nouns☺). So , keep your good work up of enlightening guys like us about the unseen patterns of grammar in Language of English.

Confusion is also uncountable…. NOT a confusion.

very best issues in my life I need such guidance …

Really now I got why it’s not informatiions…same is the with findings, repercussions etc

Thank you for this article It is very effective to understand a challenging topic I always struggle with!!

About the puzzle of “any” (Some and any are used with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns, but not with singular countable nouns), which one should be more suitable, 1. Is there any question to ask the speaker? 2. Are there any questions to ask the speaker? Thanks a lot.

The second one is correct. The first one is not correct.

Hello, Liz. I’ve been following some of your posts and they’re all extremely helpful. Thank you for the good work made available through the blog. I’ve seen a few times in American series, though not much frequently, people saying “a water”… For example: A: I went to get her water and she ran away. B: Did you let her all by herself here and went to get her a water? (I imagine a water equals a glass of water, in the context of the scene)

Do people in England also say such a thing?

Thanks in advance,

It sounds quite unlikely to me. In theory, it’s possible in the context of being in a pub or cafe, but it would be much more common to say ‘some water’ or ‘a bottle/glass of water’.

Hi Liz, thanks a lot for the reply.

Yeah, it does seem unlikely to me too, especially for being a non-native speaker and having always been pointed out to by teachers that it’s completely wrong to say such a thing. I guess that’s quite Ame. If you ever want to check it out, it happened in the series Suits, season 01 – episode 06, at the moment 05:36. The precise words were “You left her alone to get her a water?”.

Hello, Liz. Thank you for your articles. Could you explain why did you omit ‘a’ before ‘cafe’ in your previous answer: ‘…it’s possible in the context of being in a pub or cafe…’? Thanks.

Denis – because if you link two countable nouns with ‘and’ or ‘or’, you only need to put an article in front of the first one, although it is not wrong to put them twice.

Yes thank you 😎

Thanks, Liz. It’s a great article on grammar.

It is emerging issue ,thanks for making blog.

Thanks,but how correct is it to use ‘much’ on a countable noun like MONEY instead of ‘many’?.Example;how much do have with you Liz,one US dollar says Liz.Anticipating ur response via my email

We say ‘how much’ as a short form of ‘how much money and money is uncountable: that’s why it’s ‘much’. Dollar is countable, so you’d have to say ‘How many dollars do you have?’ although that’s a very unlikely sentence.

But we can count money

We have to think about the word, not the item. We can’t say one money, two money.

I have a rather odd question. ‘Money’ is listed in the dictionary as an uncountable noun. However its older plural form ‘monies’ has been listed as a plural noun as well. Now as both a life long speaker and a teacher I’ve never used it though I have occasionally come across its use in spoken (I always dismissed it as a spoken error) and a student’s question has left me confused.

Very useful to Asian .Thank you!

I want to be in this group

I want to join in this group please

Very good. I need such guidance..

Hi Liz, I’ve said “Is there any problem?”. But according to your article, I should’ve said “Are there any problems?”

Yes, or ‘Is there a problem.’ However, I must say that your sentence doesn’t sound totally wrong to me – I think it might be possible in a fairly informal situation – just don’t write it in an exam!

Liz, could you comment some more words: salad, toast, pizza, cereal.

Salad and pizza can be C or U depending on whether you are talking about the food in general or a single portion/dish of it, as described above. Toast and cereal would be U in almost all cases, though it is possible to imagine a sentence such as ‘It is made from a mixture of four different cereals.’ I can’t think of a plausible context for making ‘toast’ countable, though someone else might!

Thanks for good post, I enjoy and I feel so easy to understand about articles.

Hi everyone, how can I do to improve my English? Fine some method, please.

My students struggle with “Do you like dog?” versus “Do you like dogs?” – I though this was an obvious place to go from the picture, but…

Hi Liz ‼ I just found that I always make mistakes when I am writing or speaking. I’m poor in English. Thanks very much for your help us 😁

Hi Liz, thank you very much. It helps us a lot. Could you please explain what’s wrong with “do you have any coat” and how to fix it?

See this part of my post: Some and any are used with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns, but not with singular countable nouns:

Coat is a singular not a plural noun, so you need to say ‘Do you have a coat?’

Thank you, awesome!

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• Knowledge Base
• Nouns and pronouns
• How to Tell If a Noun Is Countable or Uncountable | Examples

How to Tell if a Noun is Countable or Uncountable | Examples

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”).

Table of contents

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.

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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 .

• Knowledges are power.
• Knowledge are power.
• Knowledge is power.

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 admissions office can provide an advice about arranging accommodation.
• The admissions office can provide advice about arranging accommodation.

The definite article “the” can be used when you are referring to a particular instance or specific mass of an uncountable noun.

• All living things require water to survive.
• We wanted to swim but the water was too cold.

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.

• A piece of advice .
• A head of broccoli.
• A bolt of lightning.
• Ten items of feedback.

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).

• Uncountable: Some vegetation has started to grow over the study site.
• Countable: Some desserts can be very healthy.
• Uncountable: After 5 minutes most of the calcium carbonate should be dissolved.
• Countable: Most of the chemicals are not easy to obtain.

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.”

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.” )

• We review researches about the financial crisis of 2007.
• We review research about the financial crisis of 2007.
• The experiments produced a large amount of datas .
• The experiments produced a large amount of data .

Always use “research” as a singular noun.

• Research are lacking in this area.
• Research is lacking in this area.

Data, however, can be used as a singular or plural noun.

• Data was collected through semi-structured interviews .
• Data were collected through semi-structured interviews.

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

• Common nouns
• Types of nouns
• Collective nouns
• Personal pronouns
• Proper nouns
• Verb tenses
• Phrasal verbs
• Types of verbs
• Active vs passive voice
• Subject-verb agreement
• Interjections
• Determiners
• Prepositions

Sources in this article

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 3, 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.

Is this article helpful?

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Other students also liked, subject-verb agreement | examples, rules & use, definite and indefinite articles | when to use "the", "a" or "an", "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

Uncountable Nouns

Unlike countable nouns, uncountable nouns are substances, concepts etc that we cannot divide into separate elements. We cannot "count" them. For example, we cannot count "milk". We can count "bottles of milk" or "litres of milk", but we cannot count "milk" itself. Here are some more uncountable nouns:

• music, art, love, happiness
• advice, information, news
• furniture, luggage
• rice, sugar, butter, water
• electricity, gas, power
• money, currency

We usually treat uncountable nouns as singular. We use a singular verb. For example:

• This news is very important.
• Your luggage looks heavy.

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 :

• a piece of news
• a bottle of water
• a grain of rice

We can use some and any with uncountable nouns:

• I've got some money.
• Have you got any rice?

We can use a little and much with uncountable nouns:

• I've got a little money.
• I haven't got much rice.

Here are some more examples of countable and uncountable nouns:

Partitive Structure with Uncountable Nouns

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 .

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:

• Don't forget to buy a bag of rice when you go shopping.
• Can I have one cup of coffee and two cups of tea .
• The police found some items of clothing scattered around the floor.
• I need a truck that will take at least three pieces of furniture .
• You'd think a tablespoon of honey would be more than enough.
• List of common measure words
• List of partitive expressions with example sentences

Nouns that can be Countable and Uncountable

Sometimes, the same noun can be countable and uncountable, often with a change of meaning.

See also this list of nouns that are count and noncount , with example sentences, notes and quizzes

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Homework - singular or plural?

• Thread starter Mr_Croft
• Start date Nov 19, 2007
• Nov 19, 2007

Senior Member

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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Countable Uncountable Nouns Activities

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

1 September 2024

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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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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 .

Determiners ( the, my , some , this )

Singular and plural 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 .

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.

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.

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.

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 .

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kick something into the long grass

to delay dealing with something, especially because you want people to forget about it

Like a bull in a china shop: talking about people who are clumsy

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