Countable and Uncountable Nouns in English
Learn the difference between countable and uncountable nouns, which words go with each, tricky nouns like advice and news, and how to count the uncountable.
By LearnLingo Team · Updated · 6 min read
Quick Answer: Countable nouns are things you can count one by one, so they have a plural and can take a or an: "a book, two books." Uncountable nouns are substances or ideas, so they have no plural, take a singular verb and never take a or an: "water, advice, information." To count them, add a unit: "a glass of water, a piece of advice."
Key takeaways
- Countable nouns use many, a few and a number of; uncountable nouns use much, a little and an amount of.
- A lot of, some, any, enough and the work with both types.
- Advice, information, furniture, luggage, news, homework and equipment are uncountable in English.
- News ends in -s but takes a singular verb: "The news is good."
- Count uncountable nouns with units: a cup of tea, a slice of bread, a piece of information.
- Some nouns change meaning: time (in general) vs three times (occasions), glass (material) vs two glasses.
Turkish-speaker note: Turkish can say "bir bilgi" or "tavsiyeler," but English cannot say "an information" or "advices." Use "some information" and "some advice" instead.
What Are Countable Nouns?
Countable nouns are people, animals, objects and units that we can count.
- one apple, three apples
- a chair, ten chairs
- a child, two children
- an idea, many ideas
Rules for countable nouns:
- In the singular they need a determiner: a, an, the, my, this. You cannot say "I have car." Say "I have a car."
- They have a plural form: books, boxes, people, mice.
- Use many, a few and a number of with them.
What Are Uncountable Nouns?
Uncountable nouns are substances, materials, abstract ideas and some categories.
| Group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Liquids | water, milk, coffee, juice, oil |
| Food in mass | rice, bread, sugar, salt, cheese, meat |
| Materials | wood, glass, paper, gold, plastic |
| Abstract ideas | love, happiness, time, freedom, fun |
| Categories | furniture, luggage, money, equipment, homework |
| Weather | rain, snow, weather, sunshine |
| Learning | information, advice, knowledge, research, news |
Rules for uncountable nouns:
- No a or an: "water," not "a water."
- No plural: "information," not "informations."
- They take a singular verb: "The news is good." "Your advice was helpful."
- Use much, a little and amount of with them.
Words That Go With Each Type
| Countable | Uncountable | Both |
|---|---|---|
| a, an | (no a or an) | the, some, any |
| many | much | a lot of, lots of |
| a few, few | a little, little | no, more, most |
| a number of | an amount of | enough |
- How many apples do we need? How much sugar do we need?
- I have a few friends in Canada. I have a little time today.
For a full guide to quantity words, see much, many or a lot of and some vs any.
Tricky Nouns That Learners Get Wrong
These nouns are countable in many other languages but uncountable in English.
| Uncountable in English | Countable alternative |
|---|---|
| advice | a piece of advice, a tip, a suggestion |
| information | a piece of information, a fact |
| furniture | a piece of furniture, a chair, a table |
| luggage, baggage | a suitcase, a bag |
| news | a piece of news, a story, a report |
| homework | an exercise, a task |
| equipment | a tool, a machine |
| money | a coin, a note (American English: a bill), a dollar |
| travel | a trip, a journey |
| work | a job |
- Wrong: She gave me many advices. Right: She gave me a lot of advice.
- Wrong: I have a lot of homeworks. Right: I have a lot of homework.
- Wrong: I need a work. Right: I need a job.
Note that news ends in -s but is singular: "The news is on at nine."
How Do You Count Uncountable Nouns?
To count uncountable nouns, add a unit or container.
| Unit | Examples |
|---|---|
| a glass of | water, milk, juice |
| a cup of | tea, coffee |
| a bottle of | water, wine, oil |
| a piece of | cake, paper, advice, information |
| a slice of | bread, cheese, pizza |
| a loaf of | bread |
| a bar of | chocolate, soap |
| a kilo of | rice, meat, sugar |
| a bowl of | soup, rice |
These are especially useful when shopping and ordering food. Our guide to food and drink vocabulary has many more.
Nouns That Can Be Both
Some nouns change meaning depending on how we use them.
| Uncountable meaning | Countable meaning |
|---|---|
| I don't have time. (time in general) | I've been there three times. (occasions) |
| The window is made of glass. (material) | Can I have two glasses? (drinking cups) |
| I need paper for the printer. (material) | I bought a paper. (a newspaper) |
| She has gray hair. (all hair) | There's a hair in my soup! (one hair) |
| I love chicken. (meat) | They keep chickens. (animals) |
| Two coffees, please. (in a cafe, cups of coffee) | Coffee is popular. (the drink in general) |
In cafes and restaurants, people often treat drinks as countable: "Two teas and a water, please." This is normal spoken English.
Common Mistakes
- Plural on uncountable nouns. Wrong: "informations, advices, furnitures." Right: "information, advice, furniture."
- A with uncountable nouns. Wrong: "a good news." Right: "good news" or "a piece of good news."
- Many with uncountable nouns. Wrong: "many money." Right: "a lot of money" (or "much money" in negatives and questions: "I don't have much money.")
- Plural verb with news. Wrong: "The news are bad." Right: "The news is bad."
- Singular countable without a determiner. Wrong: "I bought new phone." Right: "I bought a new phone."
Practice Quiz
Countable (C) or uncountable (U)? Then correct any mistakes.
- She gave me some useful advices.
- How many luggage do you have?
- I need an information about the train.
- We bought three chairs.
- There is too much traffic today.
- The news are very surprising.
Answers: 1. U, "some useful advice" 2. U, "How much luggage" 3. U, "some information" 4. C, correct 5. U, correct 6. U, "The news is"
Want to build this instinct with lots of examples? Explore the LearnLingo grammar hub for short, focused lessons with Sage the Turtle.
People Also Ask
What is an uncountable noun?
An uncountable noun is something we see as a mass or an idea, not as separate items. Examples are water, rice, money, information and advice. They have no plural form and do not take a or an.
Is money countable or uncountable?
Money is uncountable, so we say much money, not many moneys. The units of money, such as dollars, coins and notes, are countable.
How can I count an uncountable noun?
Use a unit or container word with of, such as a glass of water, a piece of advice, a loaf of bread or two kilos of rice.
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