English Countable and Uncountable Nouns, Definition and Examples
COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
Nouns can be countable or uncountable. Countable nouns can be counted, for example a banana, two bananas, three bananas, etc. Uncountable nouns cannot be counted, for example rice, air, water, etc.
COUNTABLE
They have a single and a plural form. The single form can use the determiner “a” or “an”.
Singular Plural
one cat two cats
one fish two fishes
one man two men
one idea two ideas
one dress two dresses
Examples
- There are at least twenty Germany restaurants in Little Germany.
- Jason took a lot of photographs when he went to the Grand Canyon.
- Your notebook is on the kitchen table.
- How many confectionery are on that birthday cake?
- I have several paintings to study in art appreciation class.
- There’s a big white dog running around the neighborhood.
- There’s a woman at the door.
- I have some relatives in New York.
- I don’t have a bird.
- She has three fish.
- I own a plane.
- I would like four books please.
- How many magazines do you have?
UNCOUNTABLE
We cannot use a/an with these nouns. Use a word or expression like a lot of, much, a bit of, a great deal of or else use an exact measurement like a cup of, 2kg of, 5L of, a handful of, a pinch of, an hour of, a week of. If you want to ask about the quantity of an uncountable noun, ‘’How much’’ is important question.
Examples
- There has been a lot of research into the causes of that ill.
- He gave me a great deal of comment before my interview.
- Can you give us some information about uncountable nouns?
- She did not have much sugar left.
- Measure 2 cup of water, 250g of flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- How much nuts do you want?
- There’s some coffee in the fridge.
- There isn’t any tea.
- There is no more water in the pool.
- Please help yourself to some puzzle.
- You need to find information about Pulitzer Prize winners.
- She seems to have a high level of intelligence.
- Please take good care of yourself.
- Let’s get rid of the bag.
Notice: Although some names are classified as names that can be counted in other languages, they are included in the class of those that cannot be counted in English. Uncountable nouns can be paired with words expressing plural form. Using these words can make your writing more specifical. Here are some examples with uncountable nouns. For example;
Work – Work included in the uncountable class and is used with the words we use in uncountable names. After 11 hours of work.
Garbage – There are five bags of garbage on the car.
Water – Try to drink at least nine glasses of water each day.
Advice – She gave me a easy piece of advice.
Bread – Please buy a loaf of bread.
Furniture – Study desk is a piece of furniture.
Equipment – Some issues are an expensive piece of equipment.
Cake – Please bag ten slices of cake for me.
Notice: Hair can be used both countable and uncountable
Countable and Uncountable Nouns List
| Uncountable Nouns | Countable Nouns |
| flour | bill |
| food | bird |
| forgiveness | boat |
| fresh air | book |
| furniture | bottle |
| gold | road |
| grass | room |
| work | day |
| money | deskpath |
| lightning | animal |
| literature | answer |
| love | apartment |
| luck | doctor |
| luggage | dog |
| meat | door |
| milk | picture |
| mist | ring |
| jam | village |
| juice | walk |
| knowledge | wall |
| lamb | week |
| pork | window |
| power | woman |
| wool | year |
| ground | dream |
| happiness | dress |
| coffee | box |
| confusion | boy |
| cotton | bridge |
| education | brother |
| electricity | bus |
| art | bush |
| beef | camp |
| blood | captain |
| pressure | car |
| rain | card |
| rice | eye |
| sadness | face |
| salt | factory |
| sand | farm |
| shopping | case |
| silver | castle |
| snow | cat |
| space | chair |
| trousers | chapter |
| vinegar | chest |
| washing up | child |
| washing up liquid | cigarette |
| water | girl |
| weather | group |
| wine | gun |
| wood | hall |
| speed | hand |
| noise | river |
| oil | city |
| oxygen | class |
| paper | adult |
| patience | election |
| pay | engine |
| peace | father |
| peanut butter | field |
| pepper | film |
| petrol | finger |
| plastic | foot |
| steam | friend |
| sugar | game |
| advice | page |
| air | park |
| experience | party |
| fiction | club |
| sunshine | plane |
| tea | plant |
| tennis | problem |
| time | product |
| toothpaste | programme |
| traffic | project |
| entertainment | coat |
| history | college |
| homework | computer |
| honey | corner |
| hope | country |
| ice | crowd |
| information | cup |
| handle | |
| hat | |
| head |
