In English, we have Countable and Uncountable Nouns. This means some things we can count like apples, and some we cannot, like milk. This helps us talk and write more clearly.
Countable nouns refer to individual items that can be counted as separate units (e.g., “books,” “chairs”). Uncountable nouns are substances, concepts, or entities that are treated as a whole and cannot be counted as discrete units (e.g., “water,” “knowledge”). In this article we will learn countable and uncountable nouns with examples.
Countable and Uncountable Nouns
Countable Nouns
Countable nouns are nouns that can be counted and thus have plurals.
Examples:
| Category | Countable Nouns |
|---|---|
| Animals | Dogs, Cats, Birds, Horses |
| Fruits | Apples, Bananas, Oranges |
| Vehicles | Cars, Bicycles, Trucks |
| People | Students, Teachers, Doctors |
| Food | Burgers, Pizzas, Sandwiches |
| Drinks | Coffees, Teas, Sodas |
| Electronics | Laptops, Smartphones, TVs |
| Furniture | Chairs, Tables, Sofas |
| Books | Novels, Textbooks, Comics |
| Clothing | Shirts, Dresses, Shoes |
| Toys | Dolls, Action Figures, Balls |
| Buildings | Houses, Apartments, Offices |
| Tools | Hammers, Screwdrivers, Saws |
| Instruments | Guitars, Pianos, Violins |
| Coins | Pennies, Quarters, Dollars |
| Plants | Trees, Flowers, Shrubs |
| Languages | English, Spanish, French |
| Countries | USA, Canada, Australia |
| Cities | New York, Paris, Tokyo |
| Jobs | Engineers, Artists, Nurses |
| Movies | Action Films, Comedies, Dramas |
| Music | Songs, Albums, Concerts |
| Computers | Desktops, Laptops, Tablets |
| Desserts | Cakes, Ice Creams, Cookies |
| Sports | Tennis, Football, Swimming |
| Games | Board Games, Video Games |
| Insects | Ants, Bees, Butterflies |
| Seasons | Spring, Summer, Autumn |
| Shapes | Circles, Squares, Triangles |
| Planets | Earth, Mars, Venus |
| Vehicles | Motorcycles, Scooters, Trains |
| Occupations | Lawyers, Firefighters, Chefs |
| Appliances | Refrigerators, Microwaves, Blenders |
| Beverages | Juices, Smoothies, Lemonades |
| Holidays | Christmas, Halloween, Easter |
| Flowers | Roses, Tulips, Daisies |
| Containers | Boxes, Bottles, Jars |
| Colors | Reds, Blues, Greens |
| Buildings | Skyscrapers, Cottages, Warehouses |
| Mountains | Everest, Kilimanjaro, Rockies |
| Rivers | Nile, Amazon, Mississippi |
| Hobbies | Painting, Photography, Fishing |
| Weapons | Guns, Knives, Swords |
| Shapes | Circles, Squares, Triangles |
| Sweets | Chocolates, Candies, Gummies |
| Vehicles | Submarines, Helicopters, Balloons |
| Dinosaurs | Tyrannosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Stegosaurus |
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 | Uncountable Noun Examples |
|---|---|
| Food and Drinks | Water, Bread, Cheese, Coffee, Milk, Sugar, Butter, Tea, Rice, Chocolate, Juice, Pasta, Honey, Salt, Vinegar, Oil, Wine, Beer, Meat, Soup |
| Abstract Concepts | Love, Happiness, Knowledge, Wisdom, Beauty, Courage, Freedom, Information, Education, Music, Time, Justice, Patience, Peace, Hope, Trust, Faith |
| Materials | Wood, Plastic, Glass, Steel, Gold, Silver, Paper, Leather, Cotton, Wool, Silk, Fabric, Rubber, Clay, Concrete, Stone, Metal |
| Substances | Air, Oxygen, Gas, Water, Ice, Steam, Dust, Sand, Smoke, Mud, Oil, Sugar, Salt, Salt, Sulfur, Flour, Glue, Lava, Cement |
| Nature | Rain, Sunshine, Lightning, Thunder, Wind, Snow, Fog, Hail, Grass, Sand, Soil, Wildlife, Space, Oxygen, Atmosphere, Wilderness, Wilderness |
| Concepts | Information, Advice, Knowledge, Homework, Software, Research, Music, Progress, Feedback, Happiness, Evidence, Language, Traffic |
| Emotions | Love, Anger, Fear, Joy, Sadness, Happiness, Anxiety, Excitement, Enthusiasm, Jealousy, Disappointment, Contentment, Regret |
| Liquids | Water, Juice, Milk, Oil, Coffee, Tea, Wine, Beer, Soda, Lemonade, Soup, Vinegar, Syrup, Whiskey, Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise |
| Natural Phenomena | Lightning, Thunder, Rain, Snow, Hail, Wind, Fog, Mist, Sunshine, Darkness, Temperature, Climate, Gravity, Radiation, Atmosphere |
| Academic Subjects | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, Economics, Biology, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, Linguistics, Anthropology |
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.
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