English Grammar

Countable / Uncountable Nouns

A noun can be countable or uncountable. Countable nouns can be "counted", they have a singular and
plural form .
For example:
A book, two books, three books .....
An apple, two apples, three apples ....
Uncountable nouns (also called mass nouns or noncount nouns) cannot be counted, they are not
seperate objects. This means you cannot make them plural by adding -s, because they only have a
singular form. It also means that they do not take a/an or a number in front of them.
For example:
Water
Work
Information
Coffee
Sand
Countable
(use a/an or a number in front of countable
nouns)
Uncountable
(there is no a/an or number with
uncountable nouns)
An Apple / 1 Apple Rice
I eat an apple every day. I eat rice every day. (not I eat a rice every day.)
Add (s) to make a countable noun plural
There is no plural form for an uncountable
noun
apples rice
I eat an apple every day. Apples are good for
you.
I eat rice every day. Rice is good for you.
A computer= Computers are fun.
To make uncountable nouns countable add a
counting word, such as a unit of
measurement, or the general word piece. We
use the form "a ....... of ......."
An elephant=Elephants are large. Rice=a grain of rice
Water=a glass of water
Rain=a drop of rain
Music=a piece of music
You can use some and any with countable
nouns.
Some dogs can be dangerous.
I don't use any computers at work.
You can use some and any with uncountable
nouns.
I usually drink some wine with my meal.
I don't usually drink any water with my wine.
You only use many and few with plural
countable nouns.
So many elephants have been hunted that
they are an endangered species.
There are few elephants in England.
You only use much and little with
uncountable nouns.
I don't usually drink much coffee.
Little wine is undrinkable though.
You can use a lot of and no with plural
countable nouns.
No computers were bought last week.
A lot of computers were reported broken the
week before.
You can use a lot of and no with uncountable
nouns.
A lot of wine is drunk in France.
No wine is drunk in Iran.
Making uncountable nouns countable
You can make most uncountable noun countable by putting a countable expression in front of the noun.
For example:-
A piece of information.
2 glasses of water.
10 litres of coffee.
Three grains of sand.
A pane of glass.
Sources of confusion with countable and uncountable nouns
The notion of countable and uncountable can be confusing.
Some nouns can be countable or uncountable depending on their meaning. Usually a noun is
uncountable when used in a general, abstract meaning (when you don't think of it as a separate object)
and countable when used in a particular meaning (when you can think of it as a separate object).
For example:-
glass - A glass of water. (Countable) | A window made of glass. (Uncountable)
Some supposedly uncountable nouns can behave like countable nouns if we think of them as being in
containers, or one of several types.
This is because 'containers' and 'types' can be counted.
Believe it or not each of these sentences is correct:-
Doctors recommend limiting consumption to two coffees a day.
(Here coffees refers to the number of cups of coffee)
You could write; "Doctors recommend limiting consumption to two cups of coffee a day."
The coffees I prefer are Arabica and Brazilian.
(Here coffees refers to different types of coffee)
You could write; "The types of coffee I prefer are Arabica and Brazilian."
You can put something into a container to count it, but the thing you're counting doesn't
take the plural form. The container takes the plural form:-
bag A bag of money.

barrel Two barrels of beer.

bottle Three bottles of wine.

bowl Four bowls of sugar.

box Five boxes of cereal.

bucket Six buckets of water.

can Seven cans of Coke.

carton Eight cartons of milk.

cup Nine cups of coffee.

glass Ten glasses of water.

jar Eleven jars of honey.

packet A dozen packets of butter.

a saucepan Thirteen pans of rice.

tank Fifteen tanks of petrol.

tin Sixteen tins of custard.

tub Seventeen tubs of margarine.

tube Eighteen tubes of toothpaste.


You can measure something to count it, but it
still doesn't take the plural form. The
measurement takes the plural form:-
For example:-
litre
1 and a half litres
of milk.

pint
Two pints of
beer.

pound / ounce / kilo etc...
Two pounds /
ounces / kilos of
butter.


You can measure uncountable nouns in other
ways, using shapes or portions. Again the
measurement takes the plural form.

ball
Ten balls of
wool.

bar
Three bars of
soap.

pinch
Two pinches of
salt.

slice
Five slices of
cake.

spoon
Fourteen
spoonfuls of
sugar.

square
Ten squares of
chocolate.

Unit 8 - Lesson 38 - Countable vs Uncountable Nouns
Some, Any, A few, A little, Many, Much
Remember It

How much ....? = uncountable nouns
For example: How much coffee do you drink?
How many ....? = countable nouns
For example: How many cups of coffee do you drink?
How much? How many?
Countable Nouns Uncountable Nouns
In
questions:
We use how many with
plural countablenouns:-
We use how
much with uncountablenouns:-

"How many newspapers do you
read every day?"
"How much paper is in the printer?"
"How many Euros have you got?" "How much money have you got?"
Revise It - How much and How many Lesson 36
Learn It
Some, Any
Countable Uncountable
There are some
people.
cups.
books.
newspapers.
chairs.
shoes.
Euros.
There is some
money.
traffic.
paper.
time.
coffee.
food.

Countable Uncountable
Statements:
We can use some in positive
sentences with
plural countable nouns:-
We can use some in positive
sentences withuncountable nouns:-
Positive:
I read some books. I would like some coffee.

Countable Uncountable
There aren't any
people.
cups.
books.
newspapers.
chairs.
shoes.
Euros.
There isn't any
money.
traffic.
paper.
time.
coffee.
food.

Statement:
We can use any in negative sentences
with plural countable nouns:-
We can use any in negative
sentences withuncountable nouns:-
Negative:
I don't read any books. I don't want any coffee.

Countable Uncountable
Are(n't) there any
people?
cups?
books?
newspapers?
chairs?
shoes?
Euros?
Is(n't) there any
money?
traffic?
paper?
time?
coffee?
food?

Questions:
We can use any in questions with
pluralcountable nouns:-
We can use any in questions with
pluraluncountable nouns:-
Positive Q:
Are there any books? Do you need any coffee?
Negative
Q:
Aren't there any books? Don't you need any coffee?
!Note! When you expect the answer to be "Yes." to an offer or polite request, you
can ask a question using some.
Countable Uncountable
Question:
Can I have some books, please? Would you like some coffee?
A few, A little
There are a few
people
cups
books
newspapers
chairs
shoes
Euros
There is a little
money
traffic
paper
time
coffee
food

Countable Uncountable
Statements:
Positive: "I meet a few people every day." "There is a little paper in the printer."
"I only have a few Euros." "I only have a little money."
Many, Much
There aren't many
people
cups
books
There isn't much
money
traffic
paper
newspapers
chairs
shoes
time
coffee
food

Countable Uncountable
Statements:
Negative:
I don't read many books. I don't drink much coffee.
Questions:

Positive Q:
Are there many books? Do you need much coffee?
Negative Q:
Aren't there many books? Don't you need much coffee?