Countable Nouns and Uncountable Nouns
Countable and Uncountable Nouns * Nouns can be countable or uncountable. * Countable nouns are the names of separate objects, people, etc. which we can count; they have singular and plural forms.
e.g., one book two books a man some men * Uncountable nouns are the names of things which we do not see as separate, and which we cannot count; they do not have plural forms.
e.g., milk rice weather * Countable Nouns can take singular or plural verbs
This book is expensive. These books are expensive.
That man lives next door. Those men live next door. * Uncountable nouns always take singular verbs.
Milk is good for you.
The weather was very good yesterday. * Before countable nouns, we can use a/an and numbers.
e.g., a man one book two books * We do not use normally use a/an or a number directly before uncountable nouns.
e.g., we do not say a weather, two weather, etc.
But we sometimes use a/an and numbers with e.g., coffee, tea, beer, etc. when we order these things by the cup or glass in a restaurant.
e.g., Excuse me. Could we have two coffees and a tea, please? (two cups of coffee and a cup of tea) * We use a before consonant sounds e.g. a book, a man * We use an before vowel sounds e.g. an apple, an egg
Uncountable | Countable | Accommodation | A place to live/stay | Advice | A piece of advice | Bread | A loaf/slice/piece (of bread) a (bread) roll | Furniture | A piece of furniture | Information | A piece of information | Luggage | A piece of luggage; a suitcase/ bag | Money | A note/coin; a sum (of money) | News | A piece of news | Traffic | A car/bus etc. | Travel | A journey/trip | Work | A job; piece of work |
Exercise 1. I’d like some (information/informations) about hotels in London. 2. Sue is the woman with blonde (hair/hairs) who lives opposite. 3. Did you have a good (travel/journey) from Switzerland? 4. I’ve got a problem and I’d like some (advice/advices). 5.
e.g., one book two books a man some men * Uncountable nouns are the names of things which we do not see as separate, and which we cannot count; they do not have plural forms.
e.g., milk rice weather * Countable Nouns can take singular or plural verbs
This book is expensive. These books are expensive.
That man lives next door. Those men live next door. * Uncountable nouns always take singular verbs.
Milk is good for you.
The weather was very good yesterday. * Before countable nouns, we can use a/an and numbers.
e.g., a man one book two books * We do not use normally use a/an or a number directly before uncountable nouns.
e.g., we do not say a weather, two weather, etc.
But we sometimes use a/an and numbers with e.g., coffee, tea, beer, etc. when we order these things by the cup or glass in a restaurant.
e.g., Excuse me. Could we have two coffees and a tea, please? (two cups of coffee and a cup of tea) * We use a before consonant sounds e.g. a book, a man * We use an before vowel sounds e.g. an apple, an egg
Uncountable | Countable | Accommodation | A place to live/stay | Advice | A piece of advice | Bread | A loaf/slice/piece (of bread) a (bread) roll | Furniture | A piece of furniture | Information | A piece of information | Luggage | A piece of luggage; a suitcase/ bag | Money | A note/coin; a sum (of money) | News | A piece of news | Traffic | A car/bus etc. | Travel | A journey/trip | Work | A job; piece of work |
Exercise 1. I’d like some (information/informations) about hotels in London. 2. Sue is the woman with blonde (hair/hairs) who lives opposite. 3. Did you have a good (travel/journey) from Switzerland? 4. I’ve got a problem and I’d like some (advice/advices). 5.