Countables and uncountable nouns

 

The major division of English nouns is into "countable" and "uncountable".

Countable nouns are easy to recognize. They are things that we can count. For example: "pen". We can count pens. We can have one, two, three or more pens. Here are some more countable nouns:

• dog, cat, animal, man, person
• bottle, box, litre
• coin, note, dollar
• cup, plate, fork
• table, chair, suitcase, bag

Countable nouns can be singular or plural:

• My dog is playing.
• My dogs are hungry.

We can use the indefinite article a/an with countable nouns:

• A dog is an animal.

Tip: Countable nouns are also called "count nouns".

When a countable noun is singular, we must use a word like a/the/my/thiswith it:

• I want an orange. (not I want orange.)
• Where is my bottle? (not Where is bottle?)

When a countable noun is plural, we can use it alone:

• I like oranges.
• Bottles can break.

We can use some and any with countable nouns:

• I've got some dollars.
• Have you got any pens?

We can use a few and many with countable nouns:

• I've got a few dollars.
• I haven't got many pens.

 Tip: 

"People" is countable. "People" is the plural of "person". We can count people:

There is one person here.
There are three people here.

Uncountable Nouns

Unlike countable nouns, uncountable nouns are substances, concepts etc that we cannot divide into separate elements. We cannot "count" them. For example, we cannot count "milk". We can count "bottles of milk" or "litres of milk", but we cannot count "milk" itself. Here are some more uncountable nouns:

• music, art, love, happiness
• advice, information, news
• furniture, luggage
• rice, sugar, butter, water
• electricity, gas, power
• money, currency

1. Uncountable nouns cannot be counted. These nouns are concepts, substances, information, feelings, materials, etc. Uncountable nouns are not individual objects and thus do not take a plural form. For example: work, water, anger, metal, sleep...

We usually treat uncountable nouns as singular. We use a singular verb. For example:

• This news is very important.
• Your luggage looks heavy.

We do not usually use the indefinite article a/an with uncountable nouns. We cannot say "an information" or "a music". But we can say a "something" of:

• a piece of news
• a bottle of water
• a grain of rice

we can break the uncountable nouns in categories:

- Furniture = 2 chairs, 3 tables, 5beds, 1 desk.......

-Clothes= 2 bras, 2 pairs of jeans, 3 blouses, 5 t-shirts

- money= 3dollars, 10 dollars.

In general don't count :

- Food/drink = milk - q glass of milk

                           mustard - a pinch of mustard, a spoon of mayonnaise.

                           Juice - a glass of juice, 3 glasses of milk.

* Because you can't count!

Tip: Uncountable nouns are also called "mass nouns".

Here are some more examples of countable and uncountable nouns:

Countable	Uncountable
dollar	money
song	music
suitcase	luggage
table	furniture
battery	electricity
bottle	wine
report	information
tip	advice
journey	travel
job	work
view	scenery

When you learn a new word, it's a good idea to learn whether it's countable or uncountable.

Partitive Structure with Uncountable Nouns

To count or quantify an uncountable noun we use a unit of measurement - a measure word. For example, we cannot usually say “two breads” because “bread” is uncountable. So, if we want to specify a quantity of bread we use a measure word such as “loaf” or “slice” in a structure like “two loaves of bread” or “two slices of bread”. We call this structure a partitive structure.

partitive structure:	quantity	measure word	of	uncountable noun
examples:	two	cups	of	coffee
	several	games	of	tennis
	a	drop	of	water

We can use the same uncountable noun in different partitive expressions with different meanings. For example, a loaf of bread and a slice of breadare partitive expressions with different meanings. A loaf of bread is what we call a whole unit of bread that we buy from a baker. A slice of bread is what we call a smaller unit of bread after it has been cut from a loaf. 

Here are some more examples:

• Don't forget to buy a bag of rice when you go shopping.
• Can I have one cup of coffee and two cups of tea.
• The police found some items of clothing scattered around the floor.
• I need a truck that will take at least three pieces of furniture.
• You'd think a tablespoon of honey would be more than enough.

The word "partitive" indicates that only "part" of a whole is being referred to. The partitive structure using a measure word is common with uncountable nouns, but it can also be used with countable nouns, for example: a series of accidents, two boxes of matches, a can of worms.

Measure Words with Uncountable Nouns

This list shows some common measure words like "a bar of" or "a piece of"that we use to "measure" uncountable nouns.

• a bag of flour | rice | gold dust
• a bar of chocolate | gold | soap
• a bottle of Coke | milk | water | wine
• a bowl of cereal | rice | soup
• a box of cereal | paper
• a can of cream | meat | tuna
• a carton of ice-cream | orange juice | milk 
• a cup of hot chocolate | coffee | tea
• a drop of blood | oil | water
• a glass of beer | juice | water | wine
• a grain of rice | sand | truth
• an item of clothing | expenditure | news
• a jar of honey | jam | peanut butter
• a piece of advice | furniture | paper
• a roll of paper | tape | toilet paper | Scotch tape
• a slice of bread | cheese | meat | toast
• a spoonful of sugar | syrup | whisky
• a tablespoon of butter | honey | ketchup
• a teaspoon of cinnamon | medicine | salt
• a tube of glue | lipstick | toothpaste

Measure words are common with uncountable nouns, but some of them can also be used with countable nouns, for example: two boxes of matches, a can of worms

Choose the correct measure word for each sentence: 

1. I always carry a ______________ of water in my bag. 

 drop  bottle  glass

2. There's a new ______________ of toilet paper in the bathroom cupboard. 

 piece  bag  roll

3. Can you get a one-litre ______________ of orange juice, please? 

 carton  jar  cup

4. Let's open this ______________ of tuna and make tuna sandwiches. 

 can  box  tube

5. How many ______________ of wine did we have with dinner? 

 spoonfuls  bowls  glasses

6. There's a ______________ of strawberry jam in the fridge.

 slice  jar  bar

7. Squeeze the ______________ of toothpaste gently or too much comes out. 

 box  tube  bag

8. I wonder how many ______________ of sand there are on this beach.

 grains  items  drops

9. I'll have a ______________ of cereal and some toast, please. 

 tablespoon  piece  bowl

10. How many ______________ of salt did you put in the soup? 

 teaspoons  grains  boxes

Choose the correct measure word for each sentence: 

1. How many ______________ of cheese should I cut? 

 items  cans  slices

2. Can I offer you a ______________ of advice? 

 piece  grain  drop

3. I always have a ______________ of tea with breakfast. 

 box  jar  cup

4. We give second-hand ______________ of clothing to homeless people. 

 bags  items  cartons

5. Firstly, melt two ______________ of butter in a frying pan. 

 tablespoons  bowls  tubes

6. There's a ______________ of blood on your shirt.

 piece  drop  grain

7. I'll get a ______________ of matches from the store. 

 box  can  carton

8. This ______________ of flour's nearly empty.

 bottle  bag  roll

9. The spare ______________ of soap are in the cupboard. 

 bars  pieces  items

10. She likes it sweet, so put two ______________ of sugar in her tea. 

 jars  slices  spoonfuls

Partitive Expressions with Uncountable Nouns

This is a list of one hundred partitive expressions containing a partitive + uncountable noun, each with an example sentence. The expressions are in alphabetical order based on the uncountable noun.

See also: the grammar of partitives and uncountable nouns

partitive expression	example sentence
a torrent of abuse	The manager was so angry that he let loose a torrent of abuse at his workers.
a piece of advice	Can I offer you a piece of advice about investing your savings?
a fit of anger	Harry slapped his girlfriend in a fit of anger.
a work of art	Everyone says her garden’s a work of art, it’s so beautiful.
a rasher of bacon	How many rashers of bacon would you like with your breakfast?
a glass of beer	The police wanted to know how many glasses of beer he had drunk.
a drop of blood	There were two or three drops of blood on the carpet.
a spot of bother	I’m in a spot of bother because I can’t find my car keys, and I’m already late.
a loaf of bread	How much does a loaf of bread cost in Japan?
a pat of butter	Could I have three pats of butter and some jam, please?
a game of chess	We played three games of chess, and Bobby won all of them.
a bar of chocolate	If you’re a good boy, I’ll give you a bar of chocolate.
an item of clothing	Put any items of clothing you no longer need into this box.
a lump of coal	The kids found some lumps of coal beside the railway tracks, and took them home.
a cup of coffee	The first thing I do when I get to work is have a cup of coffee.
an ear of corn	Ears of corn are usually steamed or boiled and then served with butter.
a scrap of difference	Writing letters to corrupt politicians won’t make a scrap of difference to the way they behave.
a speck of dust	They have no kids, and you won't find a speck of dust in their home.
a scrap of evidence	There wasn’t a scrap of evidence to prove he’d done it, but he was still sent to jail for life.
an item of expenditure	You must have a receipt for every item of expenditure you want to claim.
an article of faith	Freedom of expression is an article of faith among truly democratic people.
a morsel of food	There wasn’t a morsel of food left in the house, so we had to go out for dinner.
a breath of fresh air	The room was crowded and I felt faint so I went outside for a breath of fresh air.
a piece of fruit	Everyone should eat at least three pieces of fruit a day.
a bit of fun	After working hard all day, we felt like having a bit of fun.
a piece of furniture	We need a piece of furniture that will look good in that empty corner.
a clove of garlic	Take two cloves of garlic, crush them, and then add them to the soup.
a pane of glass	You have to be very careful when transporting panes of glass.
a blade of grass	The ant walked all the way up the blade of grass, and then all the way down again.
a pang of guilt	When I saw my brother being punished for what I’d done, I felt a pang of guilt.
a lock of hair	He kept a lock of her hair in a small tin box with his other most precious possessions.
a jar of honey	She stuck her fingers into the jar of honey, and then slowly licked them clean.
a glimmer of hope	The president gave us a glimmer of hope when he promised to look into the issue.
a sense of humour	He lacks a sense of humour, and his laughter never sounds real.
a pang of hunger	I felt a pang of hunger, and knew it must be getting close to lunchtime.
a block of ice	How long do you think it’d take for this block of ice to melt?
a scoop of ice cream	You don’t really need three scoops of ice cream on your apple pie, do you?
a piece of information	There was an important piece of information missing from the report.
a plea of innocence	He maintained his plea of innocence, even though everyone said he was guilty.
a touch of irony	There was often a touch of irony in his voice when he spoke.
a jar of jam	If you leave a jar of jam open on the bench, the ants will find it.
a glass of juice	I’d like a glass of juice, but only if the juice is freshly squeezed.
an act of kindness	A simple act of kindness to a stranger is a wonderful thing.
a piece of land	My grandfather bought this piece of land over a hundred years ago.
a peal of laughter	We heard peals of laughter coming from her bedroom.

Partitive Expressions with Uncountable Nouns

This is a list of one hundred partitive expressions containing a partitive + uncountable noun, each with an example sentence. The expressions are in alphabetical order based on the uncountable noun.

See also: the grammar of partitives and uncountable nouns

partitive expression	example sentence
a torrent of abuse	The manager was so angry that he let loose a torrent of abuse at his workers.
a piece of advice	Can I offer you a piece of advice about investing your savings?
a fit of anger	Harry slapped his girlfriend in a fit of anger.
a work of art	Everyone says her garden’s a work of art, it’s so beautiful.
a rasher of bacon	How many rashers of bacon would you like with your breakfast?
a glass of beer	The police wanted to know how many glasses of beer he had drunk.
a drop of blood	There were two or three drops of blood on the carpet.
a spot of bother	I’m in a spot of bother because I can’t find my car keys, and I’m already late.
a loaf of bread	How much does a loaf of bread cost in Japan?
a pat of butter	Could I have three pats of butter and some jam, please?
a game of chess	We played three games of chess, and Bobby won all of them.
a bar of chocolate	If you’re a good boy, I’ll give you a bar of chocolate.
an item of clothing	Put any items of clothing you no longer need into this box.
a lump of coal	The kids found some lumps of coal beside the railway tracks, and took them home.
a cup of coffee	The first thing I do when I get to work is have a cup of coffee.
an ear of corn	Ears of corn are usually steamed or boiled and then served with butter.
a scrap of difference	Writing letters to corrupt politicians won’t make a scrap of difference to the way they behave.
a speck of dust	They have no kids, and you won't find a speck of dust in their home.
a scrap of evidence	There wasn’t a scrap of evidence to prove he’d done it, but he was still sent to jail for life.
an item of expenditure	You must have a receipt for every item of expenditure you want to claim.
an article of faith	Freedom of expression is an article of faith among truly democratic people.
a morsel of food	There wasn’t a morsel of food left in the house, so we had to go out for dinner.
a breath of fresh air	The room was crowded and I felt faint so I went outside for a breath of fresh air.
a piece of fruit	Everyone should eat at least three pieces of fruit a day.
a bit of fun	After working hard all day, we felt like having a bit of fun.
a piece of furniture	We need a piece of furniture that will look good in that empty corner.
a clove of garlic	Take two cloves of garlic, crush them, and then add them to the soup.
a pane of glass	You have to be very careful when transporting panes of glass.
a blade of grass	The ant walked all the way up the blade of grass, and then all the way down again.
a pang of guilt	When I saw my brother being punished for what I’d done, I felt a pang of guilt.
a lock of hair	He kept a lock of her hair in a small tin box with his other most precious possessions.
a jar of honey	She stuck her fingers into the jar of honey, and then slowly licked them clean.
a glimmer of hope	The president gave us a glimmer of hope when he promised to look into the issue.
a sense of humour	He lacks a sense of humour, and his laughter never sounds real.
a pang of hunger	I felt a pang of hunger, and knew it must be getting close to lunchtime.
a block of ice	How long do you think it’d take for this block of ice to melt?
a scoop of ice cream	You don’t really need three scoops of ice cream on your apple pie, do you?
a piece of information	There was an important piece of information missing from the report.
a plea of innocence	He maintained his plea of innocence, even though everyone said he was guilty.
a touch of irony	There was often a touch of irony in his voice when he spoke.
a jar of jam	If you leave a jar of jam open on the bench, the ants will find it.
a glass of juice	I’d like a glass of juice, but only if the juice is freshly squeezed.
an act of kindness	A simple act of kindness to a stranger is a wonderful thing.
a piece of land	My grandfather bought this piece of land over a hundred years ago.
a peal of laughter	We heard peals of laughter coming from her bedroom.

Nouns that are Count and Noncount

Some nouns can be both countable and uncountable, usually with a different meaning for each. This page lists the most common such nouns. Click on each noun for more information, including countable and uncountable meanings, example sentences and a quick test.

accommodation

uncountable: a place to live in or stay at
countable: an agreement between opposing people or organisations

aid

uncountable: money or help given to those who need it
countable: something that helps you to do something

air

uncountable: the mixture of gases surrounding the earth
countable: (old-fashioned) a tune or a melody

art

uncountable: paintings, sculpture, drawings, etc.
countable: an activity that needs special training or knowledge

ballet

uncountable: a style of dancing that tells a story
countable: a particular work of classical dance

beauty

uncountable: the quality that makes someone or something beautiful
countable: a beautiful woman, or an excellent thing

beer

uncountable: an alcoholic drink made with malt and hops
countable: a glass of beer

blood

uncountable: the red liquid inside our bodies
countable: (old-fashioned) a rich man who likes to show off

bread

uncountable: a common food that's made from wheat or other grains
countable: a particular variety or type of bread

business

uncountable: the activity of making, buying or selling things for money
countable: a particular company or other commercial organisation

cheese

uncountable: a solid dairy food
countable: a particular kind or variety of cheese

cinema

uncountable: the making and marketing of films and movies
countable: a place in which films are shown on a big screen ("movie theater" is more common in American English)

coffee

uncountable: a drink made with ground, roasted seeds
countable: one cup of coffee

currency

uncountable: the banknotes and coins used in a country
countable: the monetary unit of a particular country

danger

uncountable: the possibility of something very bad happening
countable: a person or thing that can harm or kill

delight

uncountable: a feeling of great happiness
countable: something or someone that makes us happy

depression

uncountable: a feeling of great sadness that can require medical treatment to cure
countable: a period of little economic activity when many people lose their jobs

dessert

uncountable: sweet food eaten at the end of a meal
countable: a particular type or category of dessert

distribution

uncountable: the transportation and delivery of goods to shops and buyers
countable: the geographic range of a species, a language, a disease, etc.

employment

uncountable: the giving of work to someone, or the state of having work
countable: an exchange of labour for payment, usually under contract

enjoyment

uncountable: the pleasure you get from something
countable: an activity or experience that gives pleasure

entertainment

uncountable: films, concerts, sports, TV shows, etc. that an audience can enjoy  
countable: a particular performance or activity that people enjoy

failure

uncountable: lack of success in doing something
countable: a person or thing that is not successful

faith

uncountable: strong belief in someone or something
countable: a particular religion

food

uncountable: things that people or animals eat
countable: a particular type or category of food

freedom

uncountable: the state of being free to do what you want
countable: the right to do what you want to do

fruit

uncountable: food that contains seeds, like apples, oranges, pears, etc.  
countable: a particular kind or category of fruit

fuel

uncountable: something that's burned for heat or power, like wood, oil, gas, etc.
countable: a particular kind of fuel

gas

uncountable: any substance like air that's neither solid nor liquid
countable: a particular type of gas

glass

uncountable: the material used to make windows, bottles, fishbowls, etc.
countable: a drinking vessel made of glass

gold

uncountable: a valuable metal that's used to make jewellery
countable: a gold medal, or a colour that's similar to gold

gossip

uncountable: stories about other people's private lives, often untrue or exaggerated
countable: a person who likes telling and hearing gossip

grammar

uncountable: the rules of a language
countable: a book that describes the rules of a language

grass

uncountable: a common plant that's eaten by horses, cows, sheep, etc.
countable: any particular type of grass

ground

uncountable: the surface of the Earth
countable: an area of land used for a particular purpose

hair

uncountable: the mass of fibres on your head
countable: a single strand of hair

heat

uncountable: the quality of being hot
countable: a qualifying race or game at the start of a competition

height

uncountable: how high something is, or how tall someone is
countable: a high place or position

ice cream

uncountable: a sweet frozen food made from milk
countable: a small amount of ice cream on a stick, in a cone, or in a small container

injustice

uncountable: unfair treatment or mistaken legal judgement
countable: a particular action, judgement or situation that's unfair

intelligence

uncountable: the ability to understand and think about complex ideas
countable: a particular type or class of intelligence

iron

uncountable: a strong, hard metal
countable: a household appliance for smoothing out wrinkles in clothes

irony

uncountable: humour in which someone says the opposite of what they really mean
countable: an event or situation that involves a contradiction of some sort

jam

uncountable: sweet food that's made from fruit and usually spread on bread or toast
countable: many vehicles stuck together in traffic, or a difficult situation

jealousy

uncountable: unhappiness felt when you think someone you like wants somebody else, or when someone else has something you want 
countable: an action or comment that shows jealousy

joy

uncountable: a feeling of great happiness
countable: something that makes you feel very happy

juice

uncountable: liquid that's squeezed from fruit or vegetables
countable: one glass of juice, or a particular kind of juice

kindness

uncountable: the quality of being kind to people or animals
countable: a kind act

land

uncountable: the earth's surface, or part of this surface
countable: a country or region

love

uncountable: a strong affection for someone 
countable: a person, thing or activity that you love

marble

uncountable: a type of stone often used in buildings
countable: a small glass ball used for playing games

meat

uncountable: animal or bird flesh eaten as food
countable: a particular type of meat

metal

uncountable: a solid material that can be mined, like iron, tin, gold, etc.
countable: a particular kind or category of metal

nature

uncountable: all living things and the habitats that sustain them
countable: the basic character of a person or an animal, or a basic feature of something

noise

uncountable: loud or unpleasant sound 
countable: a particular sound

oil

uncountable: a thick liquid, such as the dark liquid from underground that's used to make fuel, or a thick liquid that's used for cooking food 
countable: a particular type of oil

paper

uncountable: a material that's used for writing on, printing on, or wrapping things in
countable: a newspaper

passion

uncountable: very strong feeling or emotion
countable: a very strong interest in something or someone

power

uncountable: the ability to control people, places or things
countable: a country with a lot of political, economic or military power

pride

uncountable: positive emotion felt when you or someone you know achieves something special
countable: a group of lions

production

uncountable: the process of making or growing things
countable: a film, play, television or radio programme

pronunciation

uncountable: the sounds made when speaking a language or saying a word
countable: a particular way of pronouncing a word or a language

quality

uncountable: the standard of something, or how good it is
countable: a particular feature of someone or something

quantity

uncountable: the amount of something
countable: a particular amount of something or number of things

room

uncountable: the space needed for something
countable: a space inside a building with walls, a floor and a ceiling

salad

uncountable: raw vegetables like lettuce, tomato, cucumber, etc. mixed together
countable: one serving of salad, or a particular type of salad

satire

uncountable: humour used to criticize someone or something
countable: a movie, book, play, etc. that uses satirical humour

silence

uncountable: total quiet, or no sound at all
countable: a period of time when nobody's speaking

sleep

uncountable: a natural state of rest
countable: a particular period of sleep

smoke

uncountable: clouds that rise from fires, chimneys, etc.
countable: a cigarette, or the act of smoking

soil

uncountable: the top layer of earth in which plants can grow
countable: a particular type or category of soil

sorrow

uncountable: a feeling of great sadness
countable: an event that causes great sadness

space

uncountable: empty area, or the unused part of something 
countable: a particular area that has nothing in it

speed

uncountable: how fast something or someone moves
countable: a particular speed

spelling

uncountable: the ordering of letters to form a word
countable: a particular way of spelling a word

sport

uncountable: physical activities in which players compete individually or in teams
countable: a particular kind of sport

strength

uncountable: physical power, or how strong someone or something is
countable: an important ability or feature

success

uncountable: the achievement of a goal
countable: a successful person, event or result

sugar

uncountable: sweet crystals added to drinks like tea and coffee
countable: one teaspoon of sugar, or a particular type of sugar

tea

uncountable: a drink made by adding boiling water to dried plant parts
countable: one cup of tea, or a particular type of tea

time

uncountable: duration as measured by clocks
countable: a particular occasion or time when something happened

toast

uncountable: sliced bread that's been heated and browned in a toaster
countable: the act of drinking to someone's happiness or success

trade

uncountable: the buying and selling of goods and services
countable: a type of skilled work, or a particular type of business

trust

uncountable: the belief that someone or something is honest or won't cheat you
countable: a legal arrangement or organization that manages someone's money or property

understanding

uncountable: comprehension of the facts about something, or comprehension of someone's situation or feelings
countable: an informal agreement

usage

uncountable: the way that words are used in spoken or written language
countable: a particular meaning or usage of a word

vision

uncountable: the sense of sight, or the ability to see 
countable: an idea of what the future could be like

weight

uncountable: how heavy someone or something is
countable: a heavy object that's used to build muscle mass and strength

whisky

uncountable: a strong alcoholic drink
countable: one glass of whisky

width

uncountable: how wide something is
countable: a measured piece of cloth, or the width of a swimming pool

wine

uncountable: an alcoholic drink made from grapes, or a similar drink made from rice, elderberries, etc.
countable: a glass of wine, or a particular type of wine

wood

uncountable: the hard material in trees
countable: a particular type of wood

work

uncountable: a job done for money, or any productive activity
countable: something created by a writer, painter, musician, or other artist

youth

uncountable: the time in someone's life when they're young
countable: a young man