16 Countable and Uncountable Nouns
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Introduction
Nouns refer to a person, place, thing, event, substance or quality.
Countable nouns are nouns considered as separate objects that can be counted with numbers.
Uncountable nouns refer to things we consider as a mass, and not as separate objects.
Form
There is not a fixed rule for the formation of countable and uncountable nouns.
Countable nouns
Countable nouns have both singular and plural forms. They can be used with indefinite articles (a/an) and numbers.
Uncountable nouns
Uncountable nouns cannot be used with the indefinite article (a/an) or numbers. They can have:
- Only the singular form that cannot be made plural (advice, baggage, information, energy, furniture, homework, money…);
- Only the plural form that cannot be made singular (the Spanish, news, groceries, clothes, thanks, regards…).
Example
Countable nouns
- I have a dog at home.
- He is so rich that he owns five houses.
- We want to play a tennis match.
Uncountable nouns
- His advice was very important. /
His advices were very important. - There is information in this guide. /
There are informations in this guide. - I have some news about Bulgaria. /
I have a new about Bulgaria.
Use
Countable nouns are used as separate objects and could be counted with numbers.
Uncountable nouns are objects considered as a mass and cannot be separated (words about weather, liquids, materials or abstract nouns).
Summary
There is not a fixed rule for the formation of countable or uncountable nouns:
- Countable nouns refer to separate objects that can be counted with numbers. They can be used with the indefinite article (a/an).
- Uncountable nouns refer to abstract nouns, mass objects that cannot be separated. They cannot be used with the indefinite article (a/an) and usually only have the singular form with no plural or the plural form with no singular.
For example:
— “There is a mobile phone on the table.” = Mobile phone is a countable singular noun, that’s why we use indefinite article a.
— “There are two mobile phones on the table.” = Mobile phones is a countable plural noun so we can count them with the number two.
— “My teacher bought furniture for her house.“ / “My teacher bought furnitures for her house.” = Furniture is an uncountable singular noun that does not have a plural form.
— “The police catch killers.” / “The police catches killers.” = The police is an uncountable plural noun that does not have a singular form.
Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.
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