1. Countable Noun
The nouns that can be counted are called countable nouns.
Coins, dogs, boys, birds, apples, etc.
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| one cat | two cats |
| one man | two men |
| one horse | two horses |
| one thing | two things |
| one shop | two shops |
| one car | two cars |
MORE EXAMPLES:
1. She has three cats.
2. I have a house.
3. I would like two books and one pen, please.
4. How many cars do you have?
2. I have a house.
3. I would like two books and one pen, please.
4. How many cars do you have?
2. Uncountable Noun
The nouns that cannot be counted, although we can measure or weigh them, are called uncountable nouns.
Bread, milk, water, gold, rice, etc.
Example in Sentence:
1. There is some tea in that cup.
2. That is the tool we use for the work.
2. That is the tool we use for the work.
| Things | Qualities | Actions | Fields of Study |
|---|---|---|---|
| water | sincerity | thinking/to think | biology |
| stuff | integrity | jumping/to jump | history |
| money | honesty | swimming/to swim | psychology |
| homework | loyalty | walking/to walk | economics |
| luck | dependability | typing/to type | social work |
| advice | - | - | philosophy |
| ink | - | - | anatomy |
| proof | - | - | English |
| information | - | - | religion |
| equipment | - | - | theology |
| fun | - | - | - |
| dust | - | - | - |
- We cannot use a/an with these nouns (tea, sugar, water, air, rice, knowledge, beauty, anger, fear, love, money, research, safety, evidence).
- To express a quantity of an uncountable noun, use a word or expression like some, a lot of, much, a bit of, a great deal of , or else use an exact measurement like a cup of, a bag of, 1kg of, 1L of, a handful of, a pinch of, an hour of, a day of.
- If you want to ask about the quantity of an uncountable noun, you ask How much?
FEW EXAMPLES:
1. He did not have much sugar left.
2. There has been a lot of research into the causes of this disease.
3. He gave me a great deal of advice before my interview.
4. Can you give me some information about uncountable nouns?
5. Measure 1 cup of water, 300g of flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
6. How much rice do you want?
2. There has been a lot of research into the causes of this disease.
3. He gave me a great deal of advice before my interview.
4. Can you give me some information about uncountable nouns?
5. Measure 1 cup of water, 300g of flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
6. How much rice do you want?
SOME EXAMPLES:
1. I didn't make much progress today.
2. I would like to give you some advice.
3. This looks like a lot of trouble to me.
4. How much bread should I bring?
5. We did an hour of work yesterday.
2. I would like to give you some advice.
3. This looks like a lot of trouble to me.
4. How much bread should I bring?
5. We did an hour of work yesterday.
MORE EXAMPLES:
1. The child's hair was curly.
2. She has long blond hair.
3. My father is getting a few grey hairs now. (refers to individual hairs)
4. I washed my hair yesterday.
5. I found a hair in my soup! (refers to a single strand of hair)
2. She has long blond hair.
3. My father is getting a few grey hairs now. (refers to individual hairs)
4. I washed my hair yesterday.
5. I found a hair in my soup! (refers to a single strand of hair)
Singular nouns and Plural nouns
The nouns which can be counted are further classified as: Singular nouns (one) and Plural nouns (two or more).
1. This characteristic of countable nouns is called 'number of a noun'.
2. Some nouns, like the word time, beauty, fire, death, gossip can be used as either a count noun, or a non-count noun.
2. Some nouns, like the word time, beauty, fire, death, gossip can be used as either a count noun, or a non-count noun.
