hypothesis is countable or uncountable noun

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• 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
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• Types of verbs
• Active vs passive voice
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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 April 16, 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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• How to Tell If a Noun Is Countable or Uncountable | Examples

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

Published on 15 August 2022 by Fiona Middleton . Revised on 18 April 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 pluralised, and that they never take indefinite articles (‘a’ or “an”).

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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’.

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 chickens have also been spotted in the area.
• 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’/’fewer’, ‘much’/’many’, and ‘amount’/’number’.

In academic writing, ‘research’ and ‘data’ are two uncountable nouns that are notoriously difficult to use correctly.

Never add ‘s’ to pluralise ‘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.

Sources for 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 15 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/nouns/uncountable-noun/

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?

Fiona Middleton

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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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Pronunciation [ change ]

• IPA ( key ) : /haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs/

Noun [ change ]

• ( countable ) A hypothesis is a guess about what will happen, usually in scientific experiments . We will test the hypothesis that the change will have no effect. The results of the experiment support the hypothesis .
• ( uncountable ) A guess with no evidence to support it. This idea is purely a hypothesis . It has not been proven

Synonyms [ change ]

• speculation

• Countable nouns
• Uncountable nouns
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(1) [This wine ] is not as sweet as that we were offered last Christmas.

(2) [ Gravity ] is an important force.

(3) [This information ] is useless.

(4) [Research] tends to take a lot of time.

Uncountable/Countable nouns

(1) She had three beers yesterday . (2) This is actually a beer that I don't like.

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Countable and Uncountable Nouns: What the Differences Are and How to Use Them

What makes one noun countable and the other uncountable in English? 

Countable nouns are specific items that can be counted individually, such as “apples” or “dogs.” Uncountable nouns , on the other hand, represent something as a whole, like “music” or “sand” and are not counted as separate units.

Read on to learn more about the differences between countable and uncountable nouns.

You’ll also find examples and resources for perfecting your noun skills!

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What Are Countable Nouns?

What are uncountable nouns, how to turn an uncountable noun into a countable noun, main differences between countable and uncountable nouns, resources for practicing countable and uncountable nouns, and one more thing....

A countable noun, as the name suggests, is a noun that can be counted or numbered. It can also be turned into a plural.  Often countable nouns refer to things or objects that we can see, feel or touch (but not always!).

For instance:

If you aren’t sure if a noun is countable or not, ask yourself if you can place a number right before it. Since all countable nouns can be expressed in terms of a number, they all have singular and plural forms .

There are five red cars on the road.

She’s carrying three eggs in a basket.

Two people are standing outside the gate.

Only one sandwich is left.

In their singular form, these nouns usually have an article (“a,” “an” or “the”), or the number “one” before it.

For example:

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

A century (100 years) has already passed.

Similarly, their plural forms usually have a number before it or are preceded by words like “few,” “many,” “several” and so on. 

Eight out of 10 apples were rotten.

There are a few girls in the class.

How many countries have you visited?

Several centuries have passed.

Most objects around us, as well as collective nouns (such as teams, groups and bands) , are countable nouns.

Uncountable nouns are nouns that can’t be counted , or rather, which can’t be directly expressed in terms of numbers . Often, uncountable nouns also refer to abstract nouns.

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Here are examples of how they look in a sentence: 

We all seek happiness in our lives.

She makes a lot of money .

His success as a movie star is a result of his hard work , rather than his luck .

My kids find it relaxing to play with clay .

Certain materials are uncountable nouns , like:

Some food or drink items are also uncountable nouns , such as:

You’ll also notice that most uncountable nouns don’t have a plural form. So, to express the amount or quantity, such nouns are often used with words like “some,” “much,” ” a lot” and so on.

Can I borrow some milk to bake the cake?

His mother has placed much hope in him.

A lot of effort is needed to finish this task.

If you want to express an uncountable noun in terms of exact numbers or measurements, you need to add a countable noun before it that is used to specify amounts .

Take a look at the following examples:

Can I have some water ? Yes, there’s a glass of water on the table.

Is there any cheese in the fridge? Yes, there are three slices of cheese still left.

She gave me some terrible advice about my love life! Really? When I spoke to her, I came away with at least two pieces of good advice .

However, for certain tricky words, it depends entirely on the context. You have to study the sentence carefully to know if the noun is countable or not.

The floor is covered with loose hair . (uncountable) A stray hair clung to her sweaty face. (countable)

The hotel has 20 rooms . (countable) Is there room for me on the bus? (uncountable)

And sometimes, an abstract noun can be used as a countable noun.

Only the t ruth can set you free. (uncountable) There are two truths in this story. (countable)

Helen’s beauty can’t be surpassed. (uncountable) What are you two beauties doing here by the pool? (countable)

If you’re confused if a noun is countable or not, look for articles (“a” or “the”) or words like “some,” “few” and “many” to figure it out. And if there are none, then they’re probably uncountable nouns.

To summarize, countable nouns …

• can be expressed with numbers
• have singular and plural forms
• can have a numeral or an article before it
• can be preceded by words like “few,” “many” and “several”

And uncountable nouns. ..

• can’t be directly expressed with numbers
• usually don’t have a plural form
• can have words like “some,” “much” and “a lot” before them
• can be preceded by a number and a countable noun

To test your understanding of countable and uncountable nouns, there are plenty of online exercises that can help you keep track of your progress.

• Perfect English Grammar : Brush up on nouns before moving on to countables and uncountables.
• AgendaWeb : Focus purely on countable and uncountable nouns.

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• MyEnglishPages : Take short quizzes. For each sentence, choose whether the nouns are countable or uncountable.

By now, the differences between countable and uncountable nouns should be clear to you. 

Try to reread the differences between countable and uncountable nouns to memorize them and then test your understanding with the practice exercises I’ve listed above. 

It’s okay if you make mistakes in the beginning. Just keep practicing regularly and you’re sure to make a lot of progress!

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Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > Understanding the difference between countable and uncountable nouns

Understanding the difference between countable and uncountable nouns

The English language is full of rules and irregularities, so if you’re having trouble keeping track of all of them, you’re not alone. An important grammar rule to know is which nouns can and can’t be counted.

If you’re confused by what that means, don’t worry: you’re about to understand the difference between countable and uncountable nouns. If you’re aiming to improve your writing and editing abilities, it’s important that you learn what countable and uncountable nouns are.

What are countable nouns?

By definition, a countable noun is one that has ‘both singular and plural forms and names something that can be counted when there is more than one of it.’ 1 Countable nouns are sometimes referred to as ‘count nouns.’ Here are some examples of countable nouns:

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All the nouns above have both a singular and plural version, making them countable nouns. For example, you can have a dog, or you can have two dogs or even three dogs. You can easily determine if a noun is countable if:

• You can make it plural
• It can take indefinite articles, like ‘a’ or ‘an’
• You can use quantifiers with it, like ‘a few’ or ‘several’

Here are some examples of countable nouns being used in a sentence:

• A few of the students stayed home sick.
• Most of the dogs at the shelter have been adopted.
• Here are a few quarters.

Countable nouns can be paired with the determiner or adjective ‘many.’ For example:

• There are so many songs on the album.
• How many cars do you own?
• So many decisions were made.

What are uncountable nouns?

The definition of an uncountable noun is one that ‘cannot be plural and names something that there can be more of or less of, but cannot be counted.’ 2 Ideas, concepts, and substances are considered uncountable since there is no way to quantify them. Here are some examples of countable nouns:

If you’re not sure if a noun is countable or uncountable, try making it plural to see if it makes sense. You wouldn’t say, “I have lots of moneys.” In this case, you would say, “I have a lot of money.”

Uncountable nouns can be modified by the adjective ‘much.’ For example:

• He has so much money.
• My cat doesn’t eat much food.
• How much air does the tire need?

You wouldn’t say, “he has so many money.” ‘Many’ is used for countable nouns. Uncountable nouns can also be modified by the adjective ‘little’ or ‘a little bit of.’ For example:

• Put a little bit of honey in the tea.

‘Honey’ is an uncountable noun since it is a liquid. Liquids can’t be counted.

• He has little knowledge of the subject.

Since knowledge is an abstract concept, it can’t be counted. ‘Knowledge’ is an uncountable noun.

Nouns that are countable and uncountable

It’s important to note that some nouns can be both countable and uncountable depending on how they are used. Sometimes, a word will have a different meaning in its countable or uncountable form. For example:

• He has blonde hair.

In this context, ‘hair’ is uncountable because it refers to hair in general.

• He wishes he could count the number of hairs on his head.

In this context, ‘hair’ is countable because it refers to individual pieces of hair.

Here’s another example of a noun that can be both countable and uncountable:

• My doctor told me to eat less meat.

In this case, ‘meat’ is uncountable because it is referring to meat in general.

• Processed meats have been linked to health problems.

In this case, ‘meat’ is countable because it is referring to a specific type of meat (processed meats).

Let’s look at one more noun that can be countable and uncountable:

• I want a chicken sandwich.

In this sentence, ‘chicken’ is uncountable because it refers to a general type of food.

• My mom has pet chickens.

In this sentence, ‘chicken’ is countable because it refers to a specific type of animal.

Knowing the difference between countable and uncountable nouns will greatly improve the quality and clarity of your writing. If you’re interested in learning more about how to improve your grammar, explore the most common grammatical errors and how to avoid them.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/countable-noun .

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/uncountable-noun .

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Definition of hypothesis noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

• formulate/advance a theory/hypothesis
• build/construct/create/develop a simple/theoretical/mathematical model
• develop/establish/provide/use a theoretical/conceptual framework/an algorithm
• advance/argue/develop the thesis that…
• explore an idea/a concept/a hypothesis
• make a prediction/an inference
• base a prediction/your calculations on something
• investigate/evaluate/accept/challenge/reject a theory/hypothesis/model
• design an experiment/a questionnaire/a study/a test
• do research/an experiment/an analysis
• make observations/calculations
• take/record measurements
• carry out/conduct/perform an experiment/a test/a longitudinal study/observations/clinical trials
• run an experiment/a simulation/clinical trials
• repeat an experiment/a test/an analysis
• replicate a study/the results/the findings
• observe/study/examine/investigate/assess a pattern/a process/a behavior
• fund/support the research/project/study
• seek/provide/get/secure funding for research
• collect/gather/extract data/information
• yield data/evidence/similar findings/the same results
• analyze/examine the data/soil samples/a specimen
• consider/compare/interpret the results/findings
• fit the data/model
• confirm/support/verify a prediction/a hypothesis/the results/the findings
• prove a conjecture/hypothesis/theorem
• draw/make/reach the same conclusions
• read/review the records/literature
• describe/report an experiment/a study
• present/publish/summarize the results/findings
• present/publish/read/review/cite a paper in a scientific journal

Join our community to access the latest language learning and assessment tips from Oxford University Press!

• 2 [ uncountable ] guesses and ideas that are not based on certain knowledge synonym speculation It would be pointless to engage in hypothesis before we have the facts.

Other results

Nearby words.

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Top 5 Commonly Confused Uncountable Nouns

Truth – the quality is uncountable. There is a lot of truth in what you say.

Truth – referring to facts or beliefs is countable. Many truths came out during our discussion that night.

Usually, in order to sidestep having to explain the rules, I  point out to the person I have so rudely interrupted the five most commonly counted uncountables – if you know what I mean.

Here they are, five uncountable nouns that I hear put into the plural – incorrectly – with an ‘s’; presented from the realm of our professional life to our social life.

However much you have uncovered, you have not being doing researches .

Singular: a piece of research Plural: a lot of research, a huge amount of research, Negative: not much research

I did a lot of research for this post! My colleague just shared a very interesting piece of research with me. Not much research has been done into this very innovative system.

You may well be right, but you do not have evidences to support your case.

Singular: a piece of evidence Plural: a lot of evidence, a huge amount of evidence Negative: not much evidence

He came to me with a startling piece of evidence. There is a lot of evidence to support this hypothesis. He did not have much evidence to prove his alibi.

You may have all the latest gear, but you don’t have many equipments .

Singular: a piece of equipment, a type of equipment Plural: a lot of equipment, a huge amount of equipment Negative: not much equipment

My gym is always quick to buy the latest piece of equipment. Her kitchen is a joy to work in; she has a huge amount of equipment in there. There is not much equipment in the new laboratory.

Also homework/schoolwork. You may be overworked but you never have many works .

Singular: a piece of work Plural: a lot of work, a huge amount of work Negative: not much work

The student handed in his piece of homework. After my recent move, I have a lot of work to do at home. He has very little work these days; he’s mainly out on the golf course! There is not much work for him in the office these days.

Wine is uncountable, which is probably why it’s so difficult to count how many glasses you’ve had!

Singular: a glass of wine, a bottle of wine, a type of wine Plural: a lot of wine, a vast quantity of wine Negative: not much wine

As I said, I shy away from explaining the rules; that is best left to the grammarians.

Clear explanations on the OUP site

Explanations and a game to test your counting skills on the British Council site

Photo credit: Dinner Drinks via photopin (license)

Give me more!

Another post on counting in English is:  One – Singularly Confusing

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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• A1-A2 grammar

Nouns: countable and uncountable

Do you know how to use a , some , any , much and many ? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how to use countable and uncountable nouns in a sentence.

I'm making a cup of tea. There's some money on the table. Have we got any bread? How many chairs do we need? How much milk have we got?

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Countable and uncountable nouns 1: Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Nouns can be countable or uncountable. Countable nouns can be counted, e.g. an apple , two apples , three apples , etc. Uncountable nouns cannot be counted, e.g. air , rice , water , etc. When you learn a new noun, you should check if it is countable or uncountable and note how it is used in a sentence.

Countable nouns

For positive sentences we can use a / an for singular nouns or some for plurals.

There's a man at the door. I have some friends in New York.

For negatives we can use a / an for singular nouns or any for plurals.

I don't have a dog. There aren't any seats.

Uncountable nouns

Here are some examples of uncountable nouns:

We use some with uncountable nouns in positive sentences and any with negatives.

There's some milk in the fridge. There isn't any coffee.

In questions we use a / an , any or how many with countable nouns.

Is there an email address to write to? Are there any chairs? How many chairs are there?

And we use any or how much with uncountable nouns.

Is there any sugar? How much orange juice is there?

But when we are offering something or asking for something, we normally use some .

Do you want some chocolate? Can we have some more chairs, please?

We also use some in a question when we think the answer will be 'yes'.

Have you got some new glasses?

Other expressions of quantity

A lot of (or lots of ) can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.

There are lots of apples on the trees. There is a lot of snow on the road .

Notice that we don't usually use many or much in positive sentences. We use a lot of instead.

They have a lot of money.

However, in negative sentences we use not many with countable nouns and not much with uncountable nouns.

There are a lot of carrots but there are n't many potatoes. There's lots of juice but there is n't much water.

Go to Countable and uncountable nouns 2 to learn more.

Try this exercise to test your grammar again.

Countable and uncountable nouns 1: Grammar test 2

Language level

Hello, I want to ask a question.Can I answer 'any' in Grammar Test 2 No.7. Why is the answer 'any shirt'?

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Hello Aung Qui,

'any shirt' is not correct in that sentence. When there's a negative meaning, we use 'a' with singular nouns (like 'shirt') and 'any' with plural nouns and countable nouns in a sentence like this.

Best wishes, Kirk LearnEnglish team

Hi Is there any difference between this grammar in American English ?

Hello reza-3x,

I can't think of any differences, but if you had something specific in mind, please let us know.

After I finished the lessons, I completely understood how prepositions come with a noun. This lesson helps me a lot. Thank the authority.

Hello! I also have some question about using 'uncountable and countable' words. Regarding the word 'waste' as a noun, it can be used both 'waste' and 'wastes' for the meaning as unwanted material or substance(e.g.nuclear waste, plastic waste). When you say 'A lot of plastic waste goes into the ocean.', can you also say 'Lots of plastic wastes go into the ocean.' or 'A lot of platic wastes go into the ocean.'? I am quite confused what makes a real difference between plastic 'waste' and plastic 'wastes'.

Thank you for your advice!

Hello lily7983,

Waste is usually an uncountable noun and we modify it with quantifiers that go with uncountable nouns: a lot of, a great deal of, some, a little etc.

Wastes (plural) is unusual, but it does exist to describe types of waste. The Cambridge Dictionary gives this example: Oil spills are common, as is the dumping of toxic industrial wastes .

I would not say 'plastic wastes' unless in context you are very specifically talking about a number of different types of plastic waste.

The LearnEnglish Team

I have trouble understanding the punctuation applied by some writers, which is inconsistent with what I learned from grammar books. For instance, I learned that a comma should be placed before coordinating conjunctions such as 'and' and 'but.' However, why is a period sometimes placed before them?

I have another question, too. Which of the following is grammatically correct?

People don't have a good life.

People don't have good lives.

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Understanding Countable And Uncountable Nouns

• Countable Vs. Uncountable Nouns
• Countable Nouns
• Uncountable Nouns
• How To Use Them
• Try Grammar Coach!

Here is a fun challenge: Let’s count some of the things you see around you. Count how many chairs are in the room you are in or how many clouds are in the sky if you are outside. Now, count how much happiness you have—one happiness, two happinesses, 987 happinesses?! Did our little challenge suddenly become a lot more difficult? If you know your grammar, you probably know that the words chairs , clouds , and happiness are all nouns , words that refer to people, places, things, and ideas. Our not-much-fun challenge has shown the difference between two particular types of nouns that we use. These are countable nouns and uncountable nouns.

Countable noun vs. uncountable noun

A countable noun , or count noun , is “a noun that typically refers to a countable thing and that in English can be used in both the singular and the plural and can be preceded by the indefinite article a or an or by a number.”

An uncountable noun , or mass noun , is “a noun that typically refers to an indefinitely divisible substance or an abstract notion, and that in English cannot be used, in such a sense, with the indefinite article or in the plural.”

Putting it simply, countable nouns refer to people, places, things, and ideas that you can count (1, 2, 3, 100, 987,00,000, etc.), and uncountable nouns refer to things you can’t. Let’s explore each of these types of nouns more thoroughly so you can get a better idea of how they are different.

Countable nouns

Of the two, countable nouns are more common and are relatively easier to understand. A simple way to tell if a noun is a countable noun is to ask yourself if the person or thing the noun is referring to can be counted. Most nouns that refer to people and places, for example, are countable nouns. Countable nouns can be either singular nouns or plural nouns. Countable nouns can use the articles a or an, and it makes sense to precede countable nouns with a number.

Examples of countable nouns

Many different nouns that refer to people, places, and things are countable nouns.

• People: friend, strangers, boy, girls, hunter, children, assistant, boss
• Places: island, town, countries, continent, neighborhoods, basement, garages
• Things: bags, hat, computer, books, vehicle, artichokes, wheel, trophies

Although it may seem strange at first glance, some abstract nouns can also be countable nouns. Ask yourself if it makes sense to put the articles a or an or a number in front of these nouns and you will see that these nouns can be countable nouns:

• idea, guesses, question, suggestion, alternatives, opportunities, dream, goals, problem

Don’t count yourself out if you need more explanation. We have a full discussion on countable nouns here.

Uncountable nouns

Compared to countable nouns, uncountable nouns are less common and are often harder to spot. An uncountable noun refers to a thing that cannot be counted. Unlike countable nouns, most uncountable nouns cannot use the articles a or an or can’t be preceded by a number. In addition, most uncountable nouns are treated as singular nouns and they don’t typically have plural forms.

Examples of uncountable nouns

Most uncountable nouns are abstract nouns that refer to things such as emotions, qualities, and concepts.

• Emotions: sadness, happiness, rage, anger, confusion, loneliness, envy
• Qualities: bravery, cruelty, kindness, agility, laziness, dedication, patience
• Concepts: cooperation, obscurity, art, entertainment, boredom, poverty, intelligence

Sometimes, concrete nouns can be uncountable nouns. Look at each of these words and think about if it makes any sense to put the articles a or an or a number in front of them:

• furniture, police, water, luggage, bread, baggage, air, milk, rain, snow, fog, smoke, wood, gold

Explore uncountable nouns even further in our useful article about them.

How do you use countable and uncountable nouns?

We have touched on it a little bit, but we use countable and uncountable nouns in different ways to make grammatically correct sentences.

As we’ve noted, countable nouns can typically use the articles a and an while uncountable nouns can’t. For example, it is correct to say I have a cat , but it is incorrect to say, “I bought a bread at the store.” (Instead, we’d say I bought a loaf of bread at the stores —two loaves, actually, because all this counting is making us hungry.)

Countable nouns can also follow a number while uncountable nouns cannot. You can say She owns three houses but it is wrong to say, “He feels two happinesses.” (Although some people may break grammatical rules for humorous effect.)

Countable nouns can be either singular or plural, which means they can use either singular or plural verbs as in The monkey eats bananas and My sisters are rich. Most uncountable nouns are singular nouns and use singular verbs as in Grammar is important. 

Uncountable nouns often don’t have plural forms: for example, we generally don’t say our house is full of “furnitures” nor do we put “milks” in our coffee. Rather than use plural nouns, we often instead use the form “X of Y” to refer to different amounts of an uncountable noun. For example, we would say that we have three boxes of junk or a load of junk rather than incorrectly saying that we have “three junks” or “a junk.”

However, some uncountable nouns are plural and use plural verbs as in The police are at the crime scene or Those extra services were too expensive . Be careful of sneaky uncountable nouns like these!

The gray areas

Sometimes, a word can appear to be either a countable or uncountable noun depending on how it is used. For example, a person may say they want “two waters” or that they need “three ketchups” when they actually mean they want two bottles of water  or three packets of ketchup.  

This gray area is common when dealing with words with multiple meanings. Sometimes, a word can be either a countable noun or an uncountable noun depending on what exactly it is referring to. For example, the word iron can refer to an appliance used to get wrinkles out of clothes. In this case, iron is a countable noun because it makes sense to say We bought three irons at the store . However, the word iron can also refer to a chemical element. In this case, iron is now an uncountable noun because it doesn’t make sense to say that a molecule has “six irons.” It either contains iron or it doesn’t.

This is especially common when dealing with abstract nouns. For example, delight is an uncountable noun when referring to the happy emotion, but it is a countable noun when it refers to something or someone that causes happiness; It is grammatically correct to say The toy box was filled with many delights.

Tips for differentiating countable vs. uncountable nouns

It may seem obvious, but the biggest tip that will help you decide if a noun is a countable noun or an uncountable noun is to determine if whatever the noun is referring to can be counted or not. If it can, it is a countable noun. If it can’t, it is an uncountable noun. You can count beans, so beans is a countable noun. You can’t count greed, so greed is an uncountable noun.

Countable and uncountable nouns and fewer vs. less

Countable nouns lead us to the heated fewer vs. less debate. In general, we use fewer with countable nouns as in I need to buy fewer apples next time and less with uncountable nouns as in I think the puppy did better with less discipline . However, there are many exceptions to this general rule, such as when referring to distances as in T he store is less than three miles away.

The words less and fewer are used interchangeably more and more often in everyday speech (no matter how grammar purists may feel about it—and they often feel very strongly about it).

Proper nouns issues

Up until now, we have only been focused on common nouns. But what about proper nouns ? In general, we treat all proper nouns as if they are uncountable nouns. Proper nouns almost always follow the rules of uncountable nouns in that it doesn’t make sense to precede them with a , an , or a number. We don’t buy cars made by “a Toyota” and we don’t speak “six Germans.”

However, it is accurate to say that England has had six King Georges . Is the plural noun King Georges a countable noun in this sentence? We cannot solve this debate right now, but the important thing to keep in mind is that some people may argue that proper nouns can be considered countable nouns.

Finally, let’s put everything you have learned about countable and uncountable nouns to the test. Each of the following sentences has one example of a countable and uncountable noun. Can you tell which is which?

• Dolphins are known for their intelligence.
• I need to get more oil for my car.
• The tiny house was made of gingerbread.
• There is a baseball sitting in the grass.
• My daughters love to play baseball.
• I really like grammar , but I still need to learn about nouns .

Sneaky nouns, be gone!

You can count on Thesaurus.com’s Grammar Coach™ . This writing tool  uses machine learning technology uniquely designed to catch grammar and spelling errors. Its Synonym Swap will find the best nouns, adjectives, and more to help say what you really mean, guiding you toward clearer, stronger, writing.

Are you ready for the official quiz on countable vs. uncountable nouns now? Take it here!

Answers: 1. Countable; uncountable 2. Uncountable; countable 3. Countable; uncountable 4. Countable; uncountable 5. Countable; uncountable 6. Uncountable; countable

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Two other nouns that go head-to-head are concrete and abstract nouns. Learn more about them here.

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• English Grammar
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• Countable And Uncountable Nouns

Countable and Uncountable Nouns - Meaning, Definition, Usage and Examples

Nouns , as you already know, are words that are used to name a person, place, animal, thing or idea. Having learnt about the types of nouns, singular nouns and plural nouns, you might be wondering what countable and uncountable nouns are. Is it any different from singular and plural nouns? Well, let’s find out. Go through the article to learn all about it, the meaning and definition of countable and uncountable nouns, and how they are formed and used in sentences along with examples.

Table of Contents

List of countable nouns, list of uncountable nouns, using countable nouns and uncountable nouns in sentences, examples of countable and uncountable nouns, check your understanding of countable and uncountable nouns, frequently asked questions on countable and uncountable nouns, what is a countable noun – meaning and definition.

A countable noun, as the name suggests, refers to nouns that can literally be counted. The number or quantity of countable nouns can be quoted exactly. To identify if a noun is countable, you can ask the question ‘how many’. A countable noun, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “a noun that has both a singular and a plural form and names something that can be counted because there can be one or more of it”. The Macmillan Dictionary defines a countable noun as “a noun that has singular and plural forms. In the plural, countable nouns usually add an ‘s’ or ‘es’, for example ‘mistakes’, ‘problems’, and ‘buses’. When it is singular, a countable noun usually comes after a determiner such as ‘a’, ‘this’, ‘any’, or ‘a lot of’, for example ‘this house, ‘a week’, and ‘the way’.”

A countable noun is also defined as “a noun (such as bean or sheet) that forms a plural and is used with a numeral, with words such as many or few, or with the indefinite article a or an”, by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, and “a noun such as ‘ bird’, ‘ chair’, or ‘ year’ which has a singular and a plural form and is always used after a determiner in the singular” by the Collins Dictionary.

Here is a list of a few countable nouns and its plural forms for your reference.

You can check out the articles on singular nouns and plural nouns for more examples.

What is an Uncountable Noun? – Meaning and Definition

Any noun that cannot be counted can be classified as an uncountable noun. Nouns like water, rice, oil, etc. belong to this category. Unlike countable nouns, uncountable nouns do not have a plural form. If the noun in a sentence does not have a specific quantity and answers the question ‘how much’, then it can be considered an uncountable noun. The definition of an uncountable noun according to the Cambridge Dictionary is “a noun that has one form with no plural and names something that there can be more or less of but that cannot be counted”. According to the Macmillan Dictionary, an uncountable noun is “a noun that has no plural form” and also those that “usually refer to abstract things such as ‘advice’, ‘luck’, and ‘information’, or to substances such as ‘milk’, ‘blood’, and ‘smoke’.” Furthermore, “a noun such as ‘ gold’, ‘ information’, or ‘ furniture’ which has only one form and can be used without a determiner” is classified as an uncountable noun by the Collins Dictionary.

Here is a table with some uncountable nouns for your reference.

Once you know what countable and uncountable nouns are, the next step is to learn how to use them in sentences. There is just one fact that makes the usage of countable and uncountable nouns different from each other. Countable nouns are always used with a determiner. Determiners include articles (a, an, the) and quantitative adjectives such as a number, collective nouns that indicate a particular number such as a dozen (12), a pair (2), a score (20), a baker’s dozen (13), etc. and words like a few, lots of, a number of, etc. On the other hand, uncountable nouns can appear with or without a determiner as there is no specific number being referred to. However, there are instances where you can combine an uncountable noun with a countable noun to indicate the exact quantity of the particular noun.

Let us look at a few examples of both countable and uncountable nouns and the different ways in which they are used in sentences.

First, let us look at how countable nouns work.

• I have a dog.
• My mom bought half a kilo of oranges and apples on her way to visit my grandmother in the hospital .
• I had to pick up two of my friends on the way.
• Banu found a few books that could help our research.
• Jason bought a dozen eggs .

Let us now check how uncountable nouns are used in sentences.

• Would you like to have some milk before you go to bed?
• Firoz asked his son to throw out the garbage before he went to college.
• Sanu had blood on her hand; nobody including her knew what had happened.
• Is there any water left in the jug?
• We were asked to collect information about the new education policy before noon.

As already mentioned, uncountable nouns can be combined with countable nouns at times. Let us look at some examples to see how it can be done.

• The doctor has asked me to drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
• We had only two packets of oil left.
• I guess I added an extra teaspoon of sugar to it.
• Veronica needed one more piece of equipment to work on her project.
• I found five packs of unused paper stashed in the top row of my shelf.

Go through the following sentences and identify if the underlined nouns are countable or uncountable.

1. All successful candidates will be notified within a week.

2. I don’t prefer to have tea in the morning.

3. Does anyone have an extra blue pen?

4. The students who had not completed their homework were asked to stay back after class and complete it.

5. My mom’s watch stopped working.

6. The soil used has to be really fertile if you want the plants to grow well.

7. Chitra broke her spectacles while playing volleyball.

8. You have to saute all the vegetables and add rice only after the vegetables are half cooked.

9. How many apples did you buy?

10. Will the food be enough for our guests?

Let us find out if you identified the nouns correctly. Check out the answers given below.

Candidates – Countable, Week – countable

Tea – Uncountable

Blue pen – Countable

Students – Countable

Watch – Countable

Soil – uncountable, Plants – Countable

Spectacles – Countable

Vegetables – – Countable, Rice – uncountable

Apples- Countable

Food – Uncountable

What is a countable noun?

A countable noun, as the name suggests, refers to nouns that can literally be counted. The number or quantity of countable nouns can be quoted exactly. To identify if a noun is countable, you can ask the question ‘how many’.

What is an uncountable noun?

Any noun that cannot be counted can be classified as an uncountable noun. Nouns like water, rice, oil, etc. belong to this category. Unlike countable nouns, uncountable nouns do not have a plural form. If the noun in a sentence does not have a specific quantity and answers the question ‘how much’, then it can be considered an uncountable noun.

Give some examples of countable nouns.

Nouns such as elephant, man, girl, baby, watermelon, tomato, onion, plant, bus, train, ticket, pencil, book, page, peacock, etc. are some examples of countable nouns.

Give some examples of uncountable nouns.

Rice, soil, oil, water, advice, hair, air, pressure, blood, pain, luggage, smoke, data, etc. are a few examples of uncountable nouns.

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• A1-A2 grammar

Countable and uncountable nouns

It’s the day of Oliver and Alfie’s cooking competition. Daisy is filming the chefs in action, and Mum is on her way home.

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of countable and uncountable nouns. They are in red in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, countable and uncountable nouns correctly.

Daisy: So, our first chef is Alfie. Alfie, let’s see your ingredients. Alfie: OK, well, I’ve got a lemon, an apple and some garlic, some butter and some chicken breasts ...  livers! Ah, chicken livers! Daisy: Mmm ... chicken livers ... an unusual choice. Are you feeling confident? Alfie: Well, sort of. It’s a challenge! Daisy: OK ... now to Oliver. Hi, Oliver. Oliver: Hello. Daisy: What ingredients have you got, Oliver? Oliver: OK, well I’ve got a steak, some red chilli peppers, some potatoes, cream, onions and some giant prawns. Daisy: Wow – an interesting selection. How do you feel about the competition? Oliver: I’m pretty confident.  I mean ... steak and prawns, or chicken livers ... I know which I prefer! Daisy: OK, well, we’ll be back later.

Mum: Hi, love. Daisy: Hi, Mum. Where are you? Mum: At the airport. What’s going on there? Daisy: Well, right now Alfie and Ollie are having their Master Chef cooking competition. Daisy: Only 53 minutes left! Mum: OK, love, see you soon. Daisy: Bye, Mum – if you’re lucky, you’ll arrive home in time to taste the dishes! Mum: Hmm ... shall I bring some fish and chips just in case?

Daisy: Let’s taste the pâté first, Mum. Mum: OK, it smells and looks delicious! Oliver: OK, OK. Try it first, judges. It’s all in the taste. Daisy and Mum: Oooooh, that’s amazing! Mum: Mmmm! I could eat it all! Alfie: Wow, thanks Sophie! Oliver: OK, leave some space for my dish! Daisy: Mmmm ... it’s tasty ... whoa! How many chili peppers? Mum: Wow, it’s good, Oliver! It’s a taste of Thailand! It’s going to be a difficult decision. Mum and Daisy: This year’s Master Chef champion is ...

Some nouns in English are countable – we can use them in singular and plural forms. Some are uncountable  –  they only have one form.

We often use a/an with singular countable nouns and some with plurals. We can also use some with uncountable nouns.

What are examples of countable nouns?

Here are a few:

I've got a steak, some red chilli peppers, some potatoes… OK, well, I've got a lemon, an apple … and some chicken breasts. I'd like a blue pen, please.

OK, so for things you can count, like one pen, two pens … Why did you say a pen , not one pen ?

We often use a/an before singular countable nouns. Before words that start with a vowel sound, we use an , and before words that start with a consonant sound, we use a .

So is one wrong? As in Would you like one drink?

It sounds as if you're saying one (not two). If you're offering someone a drink, you'd say  Would you like a drink?

But someone who works in a café might say, So that's one coffee and two lemonades.

So it's usually a or an for singular countable nouns and a number or some for plurals. How many is some ?

It can be any number more than one.

I got some new jeans at the weekend. (a pair of new jeans) Some teachers left at the end of the year. (we don't know how many)

Is some or a number always used with plurals?

No, have a look at these examples

I'm frightened of dogs . (dogs in general) Strawberries have a lot of vitamin C. (strawberries in general)

What about uncountable nouns?

These are nouns that don't have a plural form.

I've got some garlic and some butter . I'm looking for i nformation about early rock and roll. I haven't got enough paper . You have to get permission from the head teacher. Do you want some cake ?

So, I can use some with uncountables too?

Yes, we use some with both countables and uncountables.

How do I know whether a noun is countable or uncountable?

A dictionary will tell you. Usually dictionaries use symbols [C] for countable and [U] for uncountable.

Just a minute. You said cake was uncountable. What about  I made a cake this morning ?

Yes that's correct, but there's a difference in meaning.

I made a cake this morning. (a whole cake – countable) Do you want some cake ? (a piece of cake – uncountable) 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) Can you get some coffee ? (uncountable) I'll have a coffee , please. (a cup of coffee, countable)

Wow, so it's more complicated than I thought.

No, they're not really very difficult.

OK, they're easy. It's a piece of cake ! 

Yes, simple! A piece of cake !

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The expression a piece of cake means something is really easy. Is speaking English a piece of cake for you?

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