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Countable and Uncountable Nouns in English: How to Tell Them Apart
Countable nouns can be counted directly (one book, two books), uncountable ones can't (water, rice, money).
Written by Bryan López, Profesor de inglés · Updated
Countable nouns can be counted directly: one book, two books. Uncountable nouns have no plural and can't be counted one by one: water, rice, money. You never say "a water" or "two moneys."
Countable vs. uncountable
Uncountable nouns that surprise learners
Some and any work the same with both
Some and any don't change based on whether the noun is countable or uncountable: some apples (countable), some water (uncountable). What does change is the quantifier: many/few for countable, much/little for uncountable.
Common mistakes with countable and uncountable nouns
Words that are normally countable in many other languages ("an information," "a advice," "a furniture") are uncountable in English. Saying "an advice" or "an information" is incorrect; the correct form is "some advice," "a piece of advice," or just "information" with no article.
Practice countable and uncountable nouns with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
More uncountable nouns to know
- money (not 'moneys')
- bread (not 'a bread')
- homework (not 'homeworks')
- luggage (not 'luggages')
- traffic (not 'a traffic')
- weather (not 'a weather')
A common mistake with countable and uncountable nouns
Incorrect
I have two informations.
Correct
I have two pieces of information.
Nouns that can be both, with different meanings
Some nouns are countable in one meaning and uncountable in another. "Paper" is uncountable when it means the material ("I need some paper"), but countable when it means a newspaper or an essay ("I bought a paper this morning," "I wrote three papers this semester"). "Hair" is uncountable when it refers to all the hair on your head ("She has brown hair"), but countable when it refers to individual strands ("There's a hair in my soup"). Context tells you which one is being used. The same pattern happens with words like "time" (uncountable for the general concept, countable for occasions: "I've been there three times") and "work" (usually uncountable, unlike "job," which is always countable).
Quantifiers that work with both: a lot of, some, any
A lot of, lots of, some, and any work with both countable and uncountable nouns without changing form: a lot of books (countable), a lot of water (uncountable); some apples (countable), some rice (uncountable). This is different from much/many, which only work with one type each. When you're not sure whether a noun is countable or uncountable, a lot of, some, or any is usually a safe choice.
Countable and uncountable nouns in a real conversation
A: "Do we have any milk left?" B: "No, but I have some information about a new store nearby." A: "Great, can you give me some advice on how to get there?" B: "Sure, just take two buses."
Frequently asked questions
What are countable and uncountable nouns?
Countable nouns can be counted one by one and have a plural (book, books). Uncountable nouns have no plural and can't be counted directly (water, rice, money).
How do you know if a noun is countable or uncountable?
Ask yourself if you can count it with numbers: "one chair, two chairs" (countable). If it has no natural plural form, like water or rice, it's uncountable.
Can you use a/an with uncountable nouns?
No. A/an is only used with singular countable nouns: a book, an apple. Never "a water" or "an advice."
Is pizza countable or uncountable?
It depends on context: "I love pizza" talks about the food in general (uncountable), but "I ate a pizza" talks about one whole pizza (countable).
What are some examples of uncountable nouns?
Water, rice, money, information, advice, furniture, news, sugar, rain.
Why do information, advice, and furniture confuse learners?
Because they're normally countable in many other languages, but in English they're uncountable: you use "some" or "a piece of" instead of "a/an."
Is money countable or uncountable?
Uncountable. You don't say "a money" or "two moneys," you say "some money" or "a lot of money."
Is hair countable or uncountable?
It depends on the meaning. All the hair on your head is uncountable ("She has long hair"). A single strand is countable ("There's a hair on your shirt").
How do you make an uncountable noun plural?
You usually can't. Instead you add a countable expression in front of it: "two pieces of furniture," "three cups of coffee," "a bit of advice."
What quantifiers work with both countable and uncountable nouns?
A lot of, lots of, some, and any work with both: "a lot of books," "a lot of water," "some apples," "some rice."
Are 'fruit' and 'vegetable' countable or uncountable?
Vegetable is countable (a vegetable, two vegetables). Fruit is usually uncountable when talking about fruit in general ("I eat a lot of fruit"), but countable when talking about specific kinds ("three different fruits").
Is 'job' countable or uncountable?
Countable. You can say "a job" or "two jobs." This is different from "work," which is usually uncountable in the same context.
Is 'advice' singular or plural?
It's uncountable and grammatically singular, even though it can refer to more than one piece of guidance: "Her advice was very helpful," never "Her advices were helpful."
Practice countable and uncountable nouns with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
Keep learning
- How Much vs. How Many: Which One to Use and WhenHow much goes with uncountable nouns (money, water), how many goes with plural countable nouns (books, people).
- Quantifiers in English: Much, Many, A Lot Of, A Few, A LittleMuch and a little go with uncountable nouns, many and a few go with countable nouns, a lot of works with both.
- Some vs. Any: When to Use Each OneSome goes in affirmative sentences, any goes in negatives and questions. Both mean "some" or "any amount of."