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Quantities, part 1 of 4
Countable and Uncountable Nouns in English
Countable nouns can be counted (an apple, two apples); uncountable nouns cannot (water, rice, money): no -s and no a.
The idea
What countable and uncountable mean
Countable nouns can be counted one by one: an egg, three eggs. Uncountable nouns are seen as a whole: some milk, with no -s and no a.
- You can count it. I have two cousins.
- You cannot count it. I have some time.
- To count it, use a unit. Three bottles of water.
When to use it
To order food and drinks, talk about shopping, and avoid saying informations or advices. These expressions go with it:
To count what you cannot count
- a glass of water
- a cup of coffee
- a piece of cake
- a bottle of juice
Uncountable in English, countable in Spanish
- some information
- great advice
- bad news
- my homework
Everyday uncountable nouns
- money
- furniture
- luggage
Examples
- One thing you can count
I want an egg.
- Something you cannot count
I want some orange juice.
- With a unit
Two cups of coffee, please.
- Advice
She gave me some good advice.
- The news
The news is on.
- Luggage
My luggage is heavy.
How to build it
3 steps
- Can you count it?Try a number: two apples works; two rices does not.two apples
- If you can count it: a, an, or pluralOne thing or more:an apple / three apples
- If you cannot: no a and no -sIt goes alone or with some:some rice
Countable
- verbI need
- a / an or a numbertwo
- noun (with -s for more than one)eggs.
Uncountable
- verbI need
- some or nothingsome
- noun (no -s)milk.
To count it
- verbI need
- a / two + unittwo cartons
- ofof
- nounmilk.
The rule
Countable or uncountable
| Question | Countable | Uncountable |
|---|---|---|
| Does it take a or an? | yes: a book | no: water |
| Does it take -s? | yes: two books | no: rice |
| With a number? | yes: three books | with a unit: three bags of rice |
Surprising uncountable nouns
| English | Meaning | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| information | facts | some information |
| advice | tips | a piece of advice |
| news | what is happening | the news is |
| furniture | chairs, tables, beds | some furniture |
How to pronounce it
piece
/pis/The ie is a long /i/: /pis/.
bottle
/ˈbɑtəl/In American English the tt sounds like a quick /d/.
glass
/ɡlæs/The a is open: /æ/.
Check
Can you give me (blank)? Which one goes in the blank?
Don't confuse it with the plural
two books
Countable: takes -s
some rice
Uncountable: no -s
The plural (books, boxes) is only for countable nouns. Uncountable nouns have no plural: rice, water, money.
Plural nounsIn real life
If you are not sure, put a number in front: two chairs sounds right, so chair is countable. It does not work with furniture: furniture is uncountable.
Frequently asked questions
Can a noun be countable and uncountable?
Yes, with a different meaning: a chicken (the animal) and some chicken (the meat); a coffee (one cup) and coffee (in general).
Is news plural?
No: it ends in s, but it takes is. The news is on.
Is money uncountable?
Yes: some money, a lot of money. What you count are bills or dollars: five dollars.
In short
- Countable: a, an, or -s: an egg, two eggs.
- Uncountable: no a and no -s: some milk.
- To count it, use a unit: a glass of water.
- Advice, information, and news are uncountable.