Countable and Uncountable Nouns
Countable Nouns
Countable nouns are nouns that can be counted and thus have plurals.
Examples:
|
table/tables |
chair/chairs |
bed/beds |
pen/pens |
Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns are nouns that cannot be counted and thus have no plurals.
Certain materials, metals, foods, liquids, gases, powders, pastes, sports, feelings, subjects and diseases, etc. are considered to be uncountable nouns.
|
Category |
Example |
|
Metals |
gold, silver, steel, copper, bronze |
|
Materials |
wool, plastic, leather, cotton |
|
Food |
sugar, beef, mutton, rice, butter, pasta, bread, cheese, chocolate, garlic |
|
Liquids |
water, milk, coffee, tea, oil, vinegar, rain, blood, petrol |
|
Cases |
air, smoke, steam, fog, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon |
|
Powders |
flour, salt |
|
Feelings |
love, hate, hope, greed, fear, anger, courage, happiness, laughter, sadness |
|
Pastes |
honey, jam, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise |
|
Sports |
hockey, cricket, badminton, football, golf, tennis |
|
Subject |
chemistry, physics, biology, history, geography, literature |
|
Diseases |
flu, chickenpox, cancer, pneumonia, typhoid, malaria |
|
Miscellaneous |
art, news, music, furniture, grass, snow, luggage, equipment garbage, luck, cash, education, electricity, information, mail, time, pollution, jewelry, hair |
We use collective nouns to describe the quantities of uncountable nouns.
Examples:
- I will have a slice of bread and two boiled eggs.
- Will you please bring me a glass of water?
- Jane has gone to the shop to get a bar of soap.
- Please bring three bags of flour from the market.
- My cat drinks two liters of milk every day.
