Countable and Uncountable Nouns, Definition and Examples

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