Count and noncount nouns
Count nouns
A count noun can be counted with numbers: one chair, two chairs, or five chairs. A count noun can be preceded by a/an in the singular form: a bag, an apple. A count noun has a plural form ending in s/es: chairs, churches, vases.
Noncount nouns
A noncount noun can't be counted with numbers: furniture, salt, sugar, money, jewelry, homework, four, sand. A noncount noun is not preceded by a/an. And finally, a noncount noun does not have a plural form (no final s)
Noncount nouns
Noncount nouns usually refer to a whole group of things that is made up of many individual parts, a whole category made up of different varieties. For example, furniture is a noncount noun; it describes a whole category of things: tables, beds, chairs, etc.
Mail, fruit and jewelry are other examples of nouncount nouns that refer to a whole category made up of individual parts. Mail is a noncount noun, and it is made up of some count nouns such as letters, postcards, bills, etc. Fruit is a noncount noun which is made up of some count nouns including oranges, apples, pears, bananas, etc. And jewelry is a noncount noun; it is made up of necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets, etc.
- clothing
- food
- fruit
- furniture
- jewelry
- money
- scenery
- stuff
- traffic
- homework
- housework
- advice
- information
- history
- literature
- music
- poetry
- grammar
- corn
- dirt
- flour
- hair
- pepper
- rice
- salt
- sand
- sugar
- Arabic
- Chinese
- English
- German
- Indonesian
- Spanish
- etc
a. Liquids
- coffee
- milk
- oil
- soup
- water
- tea
b. Gases
- air
- pollution
- smog
- smoke
c. Solids and semi-solids
- bread
- butter
- cheese
- ice
- beef
- meat
- chicken
- fish
- chalk
- glass
- gold
- iron
- paper
- soap
- toothpaste
- wood
d. Abstractions
- beauty
- courage
- experience
- fun
- generosity
- happiness
- health
- help
- honesty
- ignorance
- kindness
- knowledge
- luck
- patience
- progress
- selfishness
- time
- violence
e. Things that occur in nature
- weather
- rain
- snow
- darkness
- light
- sunshine
- thunder
- lightening
Using several, a lot of, many/much, a few/a little
Several is used only with countable nouns.
A lot of is used with both count and uncount nouns.
Many is used with count nouns, and much is used with uncount nouns.
A few is used with count nouns, and a little is used with uncount nouns.
Nouns that can be count or noncount
Quite a few nouns can be used as either count or uncount nouns.
- Glass
Windows are made of glass. (uncountable)
Can I have a glass of water? (countable)
- Hair
Sara has black hair. (uncountable)
There was a red hair on his jacket. (countable)
- Iron
Iron is a metal. (uncountable)
I pressed my scarf with an iron. (countable)
- Light
I opened the curtain to let in some light. (uncountable)
Please turn off the lights. (countable; here lights means lamps)
- Paper
I need some paper to write a note. (uncountable)
I bought a paper. (countable; here it means newspaper)
I wrote a paper to the professor. (countable)
- Time
How much time do you have? (uncountable)
How many times have you been to Canada? (countable)
- Work
I have some work to do right now. (uncountable)
The painting was a work of art. (countable)
- Coffee
I had some coffee in the morning. (uncountable)
Three coffees, please. (countable)
- Chicken/fish
I ate some chicken/some fish last night. (uncountable)
She drew a picture of a fish/ a chicken. (countable)
- Experience
I haven’t had much experience with phones. (uncountable; it means I don’t have much knowledge or skill in using phones.)
I had many interesting experiences when I was there. (countable; many interesting events happened to me.)
Using units of measure with noncount nouns
To mention a specific quantity of a nouncount noun, speakers use units of measure. A unit of measure usually describes the container ( a cup of, a bottle of), the amount (a pound of, a quart of), and the shape ( a bar of, a sheet of paper)
- I drank two cups of coffee.
- I ate one piece of toast.
- I had a bottle of water.
- I bought a bar of soap.
- I got a jar of jam.
- I had a bowl of soup.
- She bought a can of olives.
- I had a box of crackers.
- I drank a glass of herbal tea.
- She had a bowl of cereal for breakfast.
- Can I have a slice of cheese?
- I need a piece of paper.
- Please buy a bag of flour.
