Countable and uncountable nouns

COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

It's important to distinguish between countable and uncountable nouns in English because their usage is different in regards to both determiners and verbs.

COUNTABLE NOUNS
Countable nouns are for things we can count using numbers. They have a singular and a plural form. The singular form can use the determiner "a" or "an". If you want to ask about the quantity of a countable noun, you ask "How many?" combined with the plural countable noun.

Singular Plural
one dog two dogs
one horse two horses
one man two men
one idea two ideas
one shop two shops
EXAMPLES

She has three dogs.
I own a house.
I would like two books please.
How many friends do you have?
UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
Uncountable nouns are for the things that we cannot count with numbers. They may be the names for abstract ideas or qualities or for physical objects that are too small or too amorphous to be counted (liquids, powders, gases, etc.). Uncountable nouns are used with a singular verb. They usually do not have a plural form.

EXAMPLES

tea
sugar
water
air
rice
knowledge
beauty
anger
fear
love
money
research
safety
evidence
We cannot use a/an with these nouns. To express a quantity of an uncountable noun, use a word or expression like some, a lot of, much, a bit of, a great deal of , or else use an exact measurement like a cup of, a bag of, 1kg of, 1L of, a handful of, a pinch of, an hour of, a day of. If you want to ask about the quantity of an uncountable noun, you ask "How much?"

EXAMPLES

There has been a lot of research into the causes of this disease.
He gave me a great deal of advice before my interview.
Can you give me some information about uncountable nouns?
He did not have much sugar left.
Measure 1 cup of water, 300g of flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
How much rice do you want?
TRICKY SPOTS
Some nouns are countable in other languages but uncountable in English. They must follow the rules for uncountable nouns. The most common ones are:
accommodation, advice, baggage, behavior, bread, furniture, information, luggage, news, progress, traffic, travel, trouble, weather, work

EXAMPLES

I would like to give you some advice.
How much bread should I bring?
I didn't make much progress today.
This looks like a lot of trouble to me.
We did an hour of work yesterday.
Be careful with the noun hair which is normally uncountable in English, so it is not used in the plural. It can be countable only when referring to individual hairs.

EXAMPLES

She has long blond hair.
The child's hair was curly.
I washed my hair yesterday.
My father is getting a few grey hairs now. (refers to individual hairs)
I found a hair in my soup! (refers to a single strand of hair)

English Grammar Concepts

ENGLISH GRAMMAR GUIDE

Do you have a question about the correct usage of the semicolon or how to place adverbs in a sentence? If so, you've come to the right place.www.facebook.com/Sir-Adnans-MCQs-World is a complete English grammar guide filled with the rules of English usage. Each grammatical rule is explained in plain English with several examples, and when needed, counter-examples. The grammatical rules covered by this guide are categorized below. English grammar is not always easy to understand, but by using this guide you should be able to remind yourself of the rules of English usage and speak or write English with confidence.

NOUNS

Nouns are people, places, or things, They tell us what we are talking about. The words cat, Jack, rock, Africa, & it are nouns.
ADJECTIVES

Adjectives modify, or describe, nouns. The words tall, beautiful, irresponsible, & boringare adjectives.
ADVERBS

Adverbs modify adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs. They tell us how, when, and where things happen. They express quantity, intensity, frequency, and opinions.

DETERMINERS

Articles, quantifiers, and other determiners modify nouns. They resemble adjectives in that way. Determiners help us say what we are talking about.
VERBS & VERB TENSES

Verbs are action words. They tell us what is happening and when (past, present, future). Verbs can also express possibilities and conditions.
SPEECH

When we report what someone says, we can cite the person directly or indirectly. Indirect speech rules are an important area of grammar.

PUNCTUATION

Punctuation is not part of oral grammar, but it is essential to master in written English.
RELATIVE CLAUSES

We use relative clauses in English to create more complex and more precise sentences.
GRAMMAR TEST

Test your English grammar skills in context, both listening and reading skills included.www.facebook.com/Sir-Adnans-MCQs-World