assignment is countable noun

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Definition of assignment noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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• 2 [ uncountable ] the act of giving something to someone; the act of giving someone a particular task his assignment to other duties in the same company

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• Nouns and pronouns
• How to Tell If a Noun Is Countable or Uncountable | Examples

How to Tell if a Noun is Countable or Uncountable | Examples

Published on June 21, 2019 by Fiona Middleton . Revised on April 18, 2023.

Uncountable nouns , also known as mass nouns or noncount nouns, refer to a mass of something or an abstract concept that can’t be counted (except with a unit of measurement). In contrast, countable nouns can be counted as individual items.

The main rules to remember for uncountable nouns are that they cannot be pluralized , and that they never take indefinite articles (“a” or “an”).

Table of contents

Countable noun or uncountable noun, are uncountable nouns singular or plural, using articles with uncountable nouns, numbers and amounts, “research” and “data”, other interesting language articles.

Some nouns in English, like those in the table above, are always (or nearly always) uncountable. Many other nouns, however, can be countable or uncountable depending on the context.

To identify whether a noun is countable or uncountable in a particular context, consider whether you are referring to a single tangible item, entity or type of something, or if you are describing a general mass or idea of something.

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Uncountable nouns should be treated as singular, and thus should always be used with singular verbs to ensure correct subject-verb agreement .

• Knowledges are power.
• Knowledge are power.
• Knowledge is power.

Singular countable nouns generally require an article or other determiner (e.g., “the interview ,” “a participant,” “my hypothesis “). Uncountable nouns, in contrast, can usually stand alone without an article.

Because uncountable nouns can’t be counted as a single item,  indefinite articles (“a” or “an”) should never be used with them.

• The admissions office can provide an advice about arranging accommodation.
• The admissions office can provide advice about arranging accommodation.

The definite article “the” can be used when you are referring to a particular instance or specific mass of an uncountable noun.

• All living things require water to survive.
• We wanted to swim but the water was too cold.

Many uncountable nouns are associated with words that break them up into countable units. This is helpful when you want to refer to a single or numbered instance or unit.

• A piece of advice .
• A head of broccoli.
• A bolt of lightning.
• Ten items of feedback.

Finding the correct term to describe amounts can be tricky. Many terms that describe amount (e.g., “some,” “ a lot of” and “most”) can be used with both uncountable and countable nouns (although note that these terms are often  too vague to use in academic writing).

• Uncountable: Some vegetation has started to grow over the study site.
• Countable: Some desserts can be very healthy.
• Uncountable: After 5 minutes most of the calcium carbonate should be dissolved.
• Countable: Most of the chemicals are not easy to obtain.

However, there are certain terms that can only be used with either uncountable or countable nouns. Make sure to choose correctly between “less vs. fewer,” “much vs. many,” and “amount vs. number.”

In academic writing , “research” and “data” are two uncountable nouns that are notoriously difficult to use correctly.

Never add “s” to pluralize “research” or “data”. (Note that the word “researches” is only correct when used as the third-person singular of the verb “to research.” )

• We review researches about the financial crisis of 2007.
• We review research about the financial crisis of 2007.
• The experiments produced a large amount of datas .
• The experiments produced a large amount of data .

Always use “research” as a singular noun.

• Research are lacking in this area.
• Research is lacking in this area.

Data, however, can be used as a singular or plural noun.

• Data was collected through semi-structured interviews .
• Data were collected through semi-structured interviews.

If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns , verbs , and other parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations and examples.

Nouns & pronouns

• Common nouns
• Types of nouns
• Collective nouns
• Personal pronouns
• Proper nouns
• Verb tenses
• Phrasal verbs
• Types of verbs
• Active vs passive voice
• Subject-verb agreement
• Interjections
• Determiners
• Prepositions

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

Middleton, F. (2023, April 18). How to Tell if a Noun is Countable or Uncountable | Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/nouns-and-pronouns/uncountable-nouns/

Aarts, B. (2011).  Oxford modern English grammar . Oxford University Press.

Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015).  Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage  (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Garner, B. A. (2016).  Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

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Nouns: countable and uncountable

Countable nouns.

Some nouns refer to things which, in English, are treated as separate items which can be counted. These are called countable nouns. Here are some examples:

a car , three cars

my cousin , my two cousins

a book , a box full of books

a city , several big cities

Singular and plural

Countable nouns can be singular or plural. They can be used with a/an and with numbers and many other determiners (e.g. these, a few ):

She’s got two sisters and a younger brother .

Most people buy things like cameras and MP3-players online these days .

These shoes look old now.

I’ll take a few magazines with me for the flight .

Determiners ( the, my , some , this )

Singular and plural nouns

Uncountable nouns

In English grammar, some things are seen as a whole or mass. These are called uncountable nouns, because they cannot be separated or counted.

Some examples of uncountable nouns are:

Ideas and experiences: advice, information, progress, news, luck, fun, work

Materials and substances: water, rice, cement, gold, milk

Weather words: weather, thunder, lightning, rain, snow

Names for groups or collections of things: furniture, equipment, rubbish, luggage

Other common uncountable nouns include: accommodation, baggage, homework, knowledge, money, permission, research, traffic, travel .

These nouns are not used with a/an or numbers and are not used in the plural.

We’re going to get new furniture for the living room.

Not: We’re going to get a new furniture for the living room . or We’re going to get new furnitures for the living room .

We had terrible weather last week.

Not: We had a terrible weather last week .

We need rice next time we go shopping.

Some nouns always have plural form but they are uncountable because we cannot use numbers with them.

I bought two pairs of trousers .

Not: I bought two trousers .

Other nouns of this type are: shorts, pants, pyjamas, glasses (for the eyes), binoculars, scissors .

Some nouns which are uncountable in English are countable in other languages (e.g. accommodation, advice, furniture, information ):

They can give you some information about accommodation at the tourist office.

Not: They can give you some informations about accommodations at the tourist office .

Can you give me some advice about buying a second-hand car?

Not: Can you give me some advices about buying a second-hand car?

A good learner’s dictionary will tell you whether a noun is countable or uncountable.

Quantity expressions ( a bit/piece )

To refer to one or more quantities of an uncountable noun , expressions such as a bit of, a piece of , an item of or words for containers and measures must be used:

He bought a very expensive piece of furniture for his new apartment.

Maggie always has some exciting bits of news when she comes to see us.

I think we’ll need five bags of cement for the patio.

There’s a litre of milk in the fridge for you. And I bought you a bar of chocolate .

Determiners ( my, some, the )

Uncountable nouns can be used with certain determiners (e.g. my, her , some, any , no , the, this, that ) and expressions of quantity (e.g. a lot of, (a) little ):

They gave me some information about courses and scholarships and things.

Have you heard the news ? Fran’s getting engaged.

She’s been studying hard and has made a lot of progress .

There’s no work to do here, so you can go home if you like.

This milk ’s a bit old, I’m afraid.

Countable phrases for uncountable nouns

We can sometimes use countable noun phrases to talk about an individual example of the thing an uncountable noun refers to.

Finding a place to live is difficult if you’re a student and you’ve got no money. (or Finding accommodation … )

Not: Finding an accommodation …

She brought two big suitcases and a rucksack with her.

Not: She brought two big luggages …

I read a poem once about someone riding a horse at night.

Not: I read a poetry …

We went on a trip to the Amazon when we were in Brazil.

Not: We went on a travel …

Countable and uncountable nouns with different meanings

Some nouns can be used either countably or uncountably, but with different meanings.

Uncountable nouns used countably

Measures and examples.

Sometimes uncountable nouns are used countably, to mean ‘a measure of something’ or ‘a type or example of something’:

Can I have two teas and one coffee , please? (two cups of tea and one cup of coffee …?)

A: How many sugars do you want in your tea? (How many spoonfuls/lumps of sugar?) B: Just one, please .

To some degree we tend to eat the foods that we ate as children. (i.e. types of food)

Abstract nouns

Some abstract nouns can be used uncountably or countably. The uncountable use has a more general meaning. The countable use has a more particular meaning.

Nouns of this type include: education, experience, hatred, help, knowledge, life, love, sleep, time, understanding .

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Grammar: Count and Noncount Nouns

Introduction to count and noncount nouns.

Count and noncount nouns vary from language to language. In some languages, there are no count nouns (e.g., Japanese). In addition, some nouns that are noncount in English may be countable in other languages (e.g., hair or information).

Errors with count and noncount nouns can result in errors with article usage and with subject verb agreement .

Count Nouns

What is a count noun.

Count nouns can be separated into individual units and counted. They usually have both a singular and a plural form. Most English nouns are count nouns.

• one phone, two phones
• one dog, two dogs
• one shirt, two shirts

However, a few countable nouns only have a plural form in English. Here are a few examples:

These are often used with some sort of quantifier, or quantity word , to show how they are counted (e.g., "a pair of" pants, "two pairs of" pants, "some " pants).

How are count nouns made plural?

Count nouns are usually made plural by adding an "-s" or an "-es."

• one boy, two boy s
• one folder, two folder s
• one box, two box es
• one church, two church es

If the noun ends in "-y," change the "-y" to "-ies" to make it plural.

• one family, two famil ies
• one party, two part ies

However, if a vowel precedes the "-y," add just an "-s" to make it plural.

• one toy, two toy s
• one donkey, two donkey s

If the noun ends in "-o," add "-es" to make it plural.

• one potato, two potato es
• one tomato, two tomato es

If the noun ends in "-f" or "-fe," change the "-f" to a "-v" and add "-es."

• one thief, two thiev es
• one hoof, two hoov es

Some count nouns have irregular plural forms. Many of these forms come from earlier forms of English.

• one foot, two feet
• one person, two people
• one tooth, two teeth
• one criterion, two criteria

When unsure of the plural form, please consult the dictionary. An English learner’s dictionary (such as Merriam-Webster, Cambridge, Oxford, or Longman) may be the most useful.

Important: Singular count nouns must have a word in the determiner slot. This could be an article, a pronoun, or a possessive noun (i.e., "a," "an," "the," "this," or a possessive noun). Please see our page on article usage for more information.

Noncount Nouns

What is a noncount noun.

Noncount (or uncountable) nouns exist as masses or abstract quantities that cannot be counted. They have no plural form. Although most English nouns are count nouns, noncount nouns frequently occur in academic writing.

Here are some common categories of noncount nouns. Like all things in English (and language in general), there may be exceptions.

A mass: work, equipment, homework, money, transportation, clothing, luggage, jewelry, traffic

A natural substance: air, ice, water, fire, wood, blood, hair, gold, silver

Food: milk, rice, coffee, bread, sugar, meat, water

An abstract concept: advice, happiness, health, education, research, knowledge, information, time

A game: soccer, tennis, basketball, hockey, football, chess, checkers

A disease: diabetes, measles, polio, influenza, malaria, hypothyroidism, arthritis

A subject of study: economics, physics, astronomy, biology, history, statistics

A language : Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, English

An activity (in the "-ing" form): swimming, dancing, reading, smoking, drinking, studying

Important: Noncount nouns do not use the indefinite articles "a" or "an." They can, however, use the definite article "the" if what is being referred to is specific. They can also use no article if what is being referred to is general (generic) or nonspecific. Please see our page on article usage for more information.

Double Nouns

Some nouns can be both count and noncount. When they change from a count to a noncount noun, the meaning changes slightly. In the noncount form, the noun refers to the whole idea or quantity. In the count form, the noun refers to a specific example or type. When the noun is countable, it can be used with the indefinite article "a" or "an" or it can be made plural.

Check the published literature in your field of study to determine whether specific nouns are used in a countable or an uncountable way. Sometimes, a noun that is generally countable becomes uncountable when used in a technical way.

Here are a few examples:

• Life is a gift. (noncount)
• She leads a very fulfilling life . (count = This specifies the type of life. It could be a boring life, a dangerous life, and so on.)
• I like cheese . (noncount)
• The cheeses of France are my favorite. (count = This specifies the type of cheese.)
• The study of language is called linguistics. (noncount)
• English is often considered an international language . (count)

Quantity Words

Quantity words are used to add information about the number or amount of the noun. Some quantity words can only be used with countable singular nouns (e.g., computer, pen, and crayon), some can only be used with countable plural nouns (e.g., printers, flashdrives, and keyboards), some can only be used with uncountable nouns (i.e., paper, ink), and some can be used with both plural countable nouns and with uncountable nouns.

With countable singular nouns (e.g., computer, pen, crayon):

• each computer
• every computer
• another computer

With countable plural nouns (e.g., printers, flashdrives, and keyboards):

• several printers
• a large number of printers
• a small number of printers
• not many printers
• too many printers
• many printers
• a few printers
• very few printers
• few printers
• fewer printers

With uncountable nouns (e.g., paper or ink):

• a great deal of paper
• a large amount of paper
• a small amount of paper
• not much paper
• too much paper
• a little paper
• very little paper
• little paper

With countable plural nouns and with uncountable nouns (e.g., printers, flashdrives, keyboards; paper, or ink):

• some printers
• any printers
• a lot of printers
• a lot of ink
• hardly any printers
• hardly any ink
• (almost) all printers
• (almost) all ink
• no printers
• none of the printers
• none of the ink
• not any printers
• not any ink
• other printers

Note the difference between "few/little" (almost none) and "a few/a little " (some, but not many/much). "Few/little" tend to have a negative connotation. "A few/a little" tend to be more positive.

• There are few solutions. (There are not many solutions.)
• There are a few solutions. (There are some solutions.)  
• He received little education. (He did not receive much education.)
• He received a little education. (He received some education.)

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• 1.1 Etymology
• 1.2 Pronunciation
• 1.3.1 Hyponyms
• 1.3.2 Derived terms
• 1.3.3 Translations
• 1.4 References
• 2.1 Alternative forms
• 2.2 Etymology
• 2.3 Pronunciation
• 2.4.1 Synonyms
• 2.5 References

English [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ].

From Middle English assignement , from Old French assignement .

Pronunciation [ edit ]

• Rhymes: -aɪnmənt

Noun [ edit ]

assignment ( countable and uncountable , plural assignments )

• The act of assigning ; the allocation of a job or a set of tasks . This flow chart represents the assignment of tasks in our committee.
• ( LGBT ) The categorization of persons as belonging to the male or female sex .
• An assigned task . The assignment the department gave him proved to be quite challenging.
• A position to which someone is assigned. Unbeknownst to Mr Smith, his new assignment was in fact a demotion.
• ( education ) A task given to students, such as homework or coursework . Mrs Smith gave out our assignments , and said we had to finish them by Monday.
• ( law ) A transfer of a right or benefit from one person to another. The assignment of the lease has not been finalised yet.
• ( law ) A document that effects this transfer. Once you receive the assignment in the post, be sure to sign it and send it back as soon as possible.
• ( programming ) An operation that assigns a value to a variable .

Hyponyms [ edit ]

• ( programming ) : augmented assignment

Derived terms [ edit ]

• assignment operator
• frequency assignment
• Procrustean assignment
• time-assignment speech interpolation
• understand the assignment

Translations [ edit ]

References [ edit ], chinese [ edit ], alternative forms [ edit ].

• asm ( pseudo-acronym )

From English assignment .

• Cantonese ( Jyutping ) : aa 6 saai 1 man 4
• Jyutping : aa 6 saai 1 man 4
• Yale : ah s ā ai màhn
• Cantonese Pinyin : aa 6 saai 1 man 4
• Guangdong Romanization : a 6 sai 1 men 4
• Sinological IPA ( key ) : /aː²² saːi̯ ⁵⁵ mɐn ²¹ /
• ( Hong Kong Cantonese ) assignment ; homework ; coursework ( Classifier : 份 c )

Synonyms [ edit ]

• Bauer, Robert S. (2021) ABC Cantonese-English Comprehensive Dictionary , Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, →ISBN , page 10
• English Loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese

• English terms inherited from Middle English
• English terms derived from Middle English
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• Rhymes:English/aɪnmənt/3 syllables
• English lemmas
• English nouns
• English uncountable nouns
• English countable nouns
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• en:Education
• en:Programming
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Word parts [ change ]

assign  +  -ment

Pronunciation [ change ]

• ( US ) IPA ( key ) : /əˈsʌɪnm(ə)nt/

Noun [ change ]

• ( countable ) An assignment is a task that is given to somebody for them to complete . The teacher gave Joe an assignment to complete while he is away on vacation.

Related words [ change ]

• Terms suffixed with -ment
• Countable nouns
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Countable Nouns

What are countable nouns.

Table of Contents

Examples of Countable Nouns

Examples of non-countable nouns, more about countable and non-countable nouns, some nouns can be countable and non-countable, some interesting countable nouns, why countable nouns are important.

• There are three faithful friends : an old wife , an old dog , and ready money. (Founding Father Benjamin Franklin)
• You can learn many things from children – how much patience you have, for instance. (Writer Franklin Jones)
• Do we have much coffee left? I need a coffee in the morning.
• Apparently, Israel is famous for its baby cheeses .
• Most works of art, like most wines , ought to be consumed in the district of their fabrication. (French philosopher Simone Weil)

(Issue 1) Use fewer with plurals and less with non-countable nouns.

(Issue 2) Be careful with "number of," "amount of," and "quantity of."

(Issue 3) If you precede your noun with a term like "a lot of" or "a pound of," check you've aligned your verb.

• Use "fewer" with plural nouns. Use "less" with singular nouns. Use "less" with numbers when they quantify dates or measurements.
• Use "number of" with plural nouns. Use "amount of" with singular nouns. Use "quantity of" with either, especially if your concept is measurable and you want to allude to accuracy in counting.
• When you use an expression in the format "A of B," remember that A governs the verb.

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Definition of 'assignment'

Video: pronunciation of assignment

assignment in British English

Assignment in american english, examples of 'assignment' in a sentence assignment, cobuild collocations assignment, trends of assignment.

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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.

• 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.

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?"

• 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

• 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.

• 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)

Course Curriculum

• NOUN GENDER 15 mins
• Singular and Plural Nouns 25 mins
• Countable and Uncountable nouns 30 mins
• Compound Nouns 25 mins
• Capitalisation Rules 25 mins
• Nationalities 30 mins

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English With Ashish

Countable and uncountable nouns masterclass

This lesson helps us understand what countable and uncountable nouns are, how to identify them, and learn what the difference between countable and uncountable nouns are.

What are countable nouns in English?

Countable nouns are words that refer to people, things, places, or other noun names that we can count. Though most countable nouns have a physical existence, they don’t have to have a physical nature to be able to fall into this category. They can be concrete or abstract in quality.

Note that we can use numbers of quantifiers before countable nouns only because they are countable, meaning they can be in both singular and plural forms.

NOTE : Some countable nouns are concrete in nature, meaning they have a physical existence, and some countable nouns are abstract/nonphysical in nature.

Countable nouns that are concrete in nature

Countable nouns that are abstract in nature.

An abstract noun is a word that refers to something that does not have a physical existence. It refers to an idea, concept, subject, emotion, state, etc. Note that some abstract nouns are countable and some are not. Let’s study some examples of countable and uncountable abstract nouns.

Some abstract nouns (shown in the last column) are uncountable in nature and considered singular. They simply don’t have a plural form.

Examples (countable):

• You were given many opportunities to prove your caliber .
• She is taking advantage of you.
• I had a bad dream last night.
• What are your thoughts on this new system, Ashish?
• Everyone likes compliments .
• Your losses never define you. It’s how you act in them.

Examples (uncountable):

• Your determination and courage help you in winning any battle.
• What most people crave in life is love .
• His growth has been exceptional.
• Ashish said, “I don’t feel pain .”
• He needs to learn how to control his anger .
• Your ego can do worse for you than you can imagine.
• All the guys on the team have shown immense maturity in their actions.

What are uncountable nouns in English?

Uncountable nouns are words that refer to something that can’t be counted. These are concepts, emotions, subjects, ideas, qualities, materials, etc. Since we can’t count these nouns, they don’t have a plural form and are considered singular.

• Democracy gives everyone the right and liberty to voice their opinions.
• Ashish doesn’t like water in his tea .
• I find joy and happiness in small things.
• Some of these guys are going to prison for doing corruption .
• Why is there water on the floor?
• I appreciate your honesty .
• Meditation can change your life.
• She was awarded for her  loyalty .
• You don’t seem to have a lot of  passion  about it.
• The man has so much  wisdom  to pass on.
• Control your  mind  to control the outcome of your  life .

Countable and uncountable nouns (physical and nonphysical)

The infographic below shows some countable and uncountable nouns that are in physical and nonphysical (abstract) forms.

More countable and uncountable nouns (physical and nonphysical)

Countable nouns (physical)

Countable nouns (nonphysical/abstract)

Uncountable nouns (physical)

Uncountable nouns (nonphysical/abstract)

• entertainment
• brotherhood

Practice set!

Choose if the underlined words are countable or uncountable nouns in the following sentences:

• Don’t act like my father !
• The government has only made false promises and done corruption .
• There is no problem in the world that can’t be solved with love .
• Alan is in need of some blood .
• The growth of this company has been exceptional.
• Everyone needs a little admiration .
• All of the boxes got damaged in the accident .
• You are not a stranger to me.
• I left the job for my dignity .
• The city has so much to offer.

How can I teach countable and uncountable nouns?

The first thing to do while trying to find out whether a noun is countable or uncountable is to see if refers to an object (something physical or nonphysical). Once that is identified, see if you can count it.

What is an example of a countable and uncountable noun in a sentence?

“My parents have filled this place with love and respect.” There are 4 nouns in the sentence, two countable and two uncountable. Countable nouns: parents (plural), place (singular) Uncountable nouns: love , respect

Is milk countable or uncountable?

Milk is an uncountable noun. It is a name of a liquid, which we can’t count. Mass nouns can’t be counted; they can be weighed.

Is money an uncountable noun?

Money is an uncountable noun. We can’t count money; it is a general idea. It does not have a physical existence. What we can count are coins and notes.

Why is bread uncountable?

The noun ‘bread’ refers to a material a lot of objects (like pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, pancakes, etc.) are made of. We can’t count the material that is bread. We, though, can count objects made from it, like slices of bread, burgers, chapatis, pizzas, etc.

Is oil a countable noun?

No, oil is an uncountable noun. We can’t count oil as it is a material in a liquid form. We can weigh it or count the bottles, barrels, cans, glasses, and bowls it can be put in.

Is sugar a countable noun?

Sugar is a mass noun. It is a material that is used in many objects.

What are countable and uncountable nouns in questions?

Here are some examples of countable and uncountable nouns in questions: 1. Are you interested in a job ? (countable) 2. When is he giving my laptop back? (countable) 3. Should the company pay for your traveling expenses ? (countable) 4. Do you want some money ? (uncountable) 5. Why do children love drinking milk ? (uncountable) 6. Why do I lack discipline ? (uncountable)

Now, we know what countable and uncountable nouns are and everything about them. Feel free to share your question, doubt, or feedback in the comment section, and also, share the post with the people that need it.

For one-on-one classes, contact me at  [email protected] .

Ashish Sharma

Ashish found his first love—the English language—a few years back. Since then, he has been immersed in the language, breaking down the language and teaching it to passionate English learners. He has a flair for listening to the English language (podcasts, sitcoms, stories), observing the nuances, and making it easy for English learners. He is known for breaking down complex English topics and making them easy to be understood.

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Count and Noncount Nouns: Basic Rules

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This handout discusses the differences between count nouns and noncount nouns. Count nouns can be pluralized; noncount nouns cannot.

Adjectives with Countable and Uncountable Nouns

The basic rules: count and noncount nouns.

A count noun is one that can be expressed in plural form, usually with an "s." For example, "cat—cats," "season—seasons," "student—students."

A noncount noun is one that usually cannot be expressed in a plural form. For example, "milk," "water," "air," "money," "food." Usually, you cannot say, "He had many moneys."

Count and Noncount Nouns with Adjectives

Most of the time, this does not matter with adjectives. For example, you can say, "The cat was gray" or "The air was gray." However, the difference between a countable and uncountable noun does matter with certain adjectives, such as "some/any," "much/many," and "little/few."

Some/Any : Some and any countable and uncountable nouns.

• "There is some water on the floor."
• "There are some students here."
• "Do you have any food?"
• "Do you have any apples?"

Much/Many : Much modifies only uncountable nouns. Many modifies only countable nouns.

• "We don't have much time to get this done."
• " Many Americans travel to Europe."

Little/Few : Little modifies only uncountable nouns.

• "He had little food in the house."
• "The doctor had little time to think in the emergency room."

Few modifies only countable nouns.

• "There are few doctors in town."
• " Few students like exams."

Other basic rules

A lot of/lots of : A lot of/lots of are informal substitutes for much and many . They are used with uncountable nouns when they mean much and with countable nouns when they mean many .

• "They have lots of (much) money in the bank."
• "A lot of (many) Americans travel to Europe."
• "We got lots of (many) mosquitoes last summer."
• "We got lots of (much) rain last summer."

A little bit of : A little bit of is informal and always precedes an uncountable noun.

• "There is a little bit of pepper in the soup."
• "There is a little bit of snow on the ground."

Enough : Enough modifies both countable and uncountable nouns.

• "There is enough money to buy a car."
• "I have enough books to read."

Plenty of : Plenty of modifies both countable and uncountable nouns.

• "They have plenty of money in the bank."
• "There are plenty of millionaires in Switzerland."

No : No modifies both countable and uncountable nouns.

• "There is no time to finish now."
• "There are no squirrels in the park."

Countable and Uncountable Nouns in English

Are you looking to understand nouns in English and learn to use them properly? You’ve come to the right place. In this reference, we will explore the differences between countable and uncountable nouns , explore common examples, and even how to make uncountable nouns countable!

Countable vs Uncountable Nouns

The difference between countable and uncountable nouns lies in their ability to be counted. Countable nouns, or count nouns, are words that we can easily put a number next to. They have a singular and plural forms and can be used with the numbers one, two, etc.

On the other hand, uncountable nouns, also known as non-count nouns, are nouns that cannot be counted. They do not have a plural form and they cannot be used with numbers.

For example, the word 'apple' is a countable noun. You can say "I have one apple" or "I have two apples". The word 'information' is an uncountable noun. You cannot say "I have one information" or "I have two informations".

Countable and uncountable nouns are further classified into collective nouns, proper nouns, concrete nouns, abstract nouns , and mass nouns.

• Collective nouns  are nouns that refer to groups of people or things, such as "team" or "family".
• Proper nouns refer to a specific person, thing, or place, such as "John" or "London".
• Concrete nouns are nouns that refer to physical objects, such as "chair" or "building".
• Abstract nouns  are nouns that refer to ideas, feelings, or qualities, such as "happiness" or "honesty".

Common Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Now that you understand the difference between countable and uncountable nouns, let’s take a look at some common examples.

Common countable nouns include "person", "book", "pen", "dog", "cat", "flower", and "car". Common uncountable nouns include "water", "air", "information", "money", "advice", "energy", and "love".

It is important to note that some nouns can be both countable and uncountable. For example, the word "bread" can be countable ("I have two slices of bread") or uncountable ("I have some bread").

Context is key when determining whether a noun is countable or uncountable. If you are unsure, consult a dictionary for clarification.

Making Uncountable Countable

Now that you understand differences between countable and uncountable nouns, let’s take a look at how you can make uncountable nouns countable.

One way to make an uncountable noun countable is to add a word that is used for counting. For example, you can add "piece" or "slice" to "bread" to make it countable ("I have two pieces of bread"). You can also add "cup" or "bottle" to "water" to make it countable ("I have two bottles of water").

Another way to make an uncountable noun countable is to add a measurement word. For example, you can add "gram" or "pound" to "sugar" to make it countable ("I have two pounds of sugar"). You can also add "mile" or "hour" to "distance" to make it countable ("I have two miles of distance").

Here are some more useful words for you to use:

• Counting words : piece, slice, cup, bottle, box, bag
• Measurement words : gram, pound, ounce, mile, hour

Common Mistakes with Noun Count

One of the most common mistakes is using a plural verb with an uncountable noun. For example, "information" is an uncountable noun and it should be used with a singular verb, such as "The information is useful".

Another common mistake is using "many" with an uncountable noun. For example, "happiness" is an uncountable noun and it should not be used with "many", such as "I have many happiness". Instead, you should say "I have a lot of happiness".

Finally, be aware that some nouns can be both countable and uncountable. For example, the  noun "time" can be used as both countable and uncountable. If you are talking about a specific amount of time, it is countable ("I have two hours of time"), but if you are talking about an indefinite amount of time, it is uncountable ("I have a lot of time").

We explored the difference between countable and uncountable nouns, common countable and uncountable nouns, how to make uncountable nouns countable, and common mistakes with noun count, and provided many helpful tips to help you understand the concept. Now, it's time to practice and work with your own countable and uncountable nouns!

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