Countable and Uncountable Nouns Countable and Uncountable

The “Required If …” Rule

Remember! Singular, countable nouns cannot be used by themselves; they must have a determiner! Article a/an, the Possessive my/your/his/her/etc Demonstrative this/that Quantifier Numbers/amounts

A reminder about Articles I saw a bird. A bird was beautiful. I saw a bird. The bird was beautiful. How many birds am I talking about? This means there are TWO different birds! How many birds am I talking about? This is one bird. It is the same bird in both sentences!

singular (one) or plural (many) Countable Nouns Countable nouns can be singular (one) or plural (many) car cars dog dogs phone phones child children man men woman women

Countable Nouns Because we can count countable nouns, it is possible to use number words to modify them. Number words: One, two, three, etc. i.e. There are two pens on the desk. We can also use words that imply number: a/an, pair, trio, dozen, a baker’s dozen i.e. There is a pen on the desk. (‘a’ means/implies the number ‘one’)

The “Required If …” Rule Incorrect: Dog is cute. Correct: 1. Article: The dog is cute. 2. Possessive: My dog is cute. Your dog is cute. Marissa’s dog is cute. 3. Demonstrative: That dog is cute. This dog is cute. 4. Quantifier: One dog is cute.

Note: It is possible to use plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns without a determiner. Correct: Dogs are cute. (plural, countable) Cars are expensive. (plural, countable) Water is the most refreshing drink. (uncountable) Coffee is delicious. (uncountable) No determiner

What’s the difference? Adding or omitting a determiner is not usually a matter of choice! The meaning changes! Coffee is delicious. This coffee is delicious. Coffee, in general. All coffee. The coffee I have with me now.

Students in general. All students. What’s the difference? Adding or omitting a determiner is not usually a matter of choice! The meaning changes! Student study hard. The students study hard. These students study hard. This student studies hard. Students in general. All students. The students have been mentioned, or the reader somehow knows which students. The group of students near me. The one student near me.

Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable Nouns Uncountable nouns are grammatically singular (they agree with singular verb forms and singular demonstrative adjectives): These water are cold. Those rice were delicious. This water is cold. That rice was delicious. But, in fact, it is very strange to think of the thing itself as singular. Uncountable nouns are neither singular nor plural.

unCountable Nouns Because we cannot count countable nouns, it is not possible to use number words or words that imply number to modify them. The most common mistake is using the indefinite article a/an with an uncountable noun: There is a water in the glass. She ate a rice for lunch. He is listening to a music on his phone. Please give me an advice about the exam. Etc.

A Few Examples of common Uncountable nouns Liquids Water, coffee, gasoline, petrol, oil, beer, wine, etc. Powders and grains Salt, rice, sugar, sand, etc. (one = a grain of salt/rice/sugar/sand) Abstract ideas Advice, chaos, motivation, freedom, etc. Natural Phenomenon Weather, rain, snow, fog, sunshine, wind, etc. Feelings/emotions Happiness, anger, sadness, etc. (can be used as countable nouns – see below) gases Air, carbon dioxide, etc. Mass nouns Equipment, furniture, luggage, hair, garbage, etc. Energy and force Electricity, heat, radiation, magnetism, etc.

Tricky examples … Uncountable music money furniture work homework Countable song coin/bill chair/desk/couch/etc. job assignment

Other common mistakes ‘Advice’ is always uncountable: Please give me an advice about the exam. ‘News’ is always uncountable: like to watch a news in the evening. (But ‘the news’ is very frequent)

Common Ways to express amounts with uncountable nouns A cup of coffee tea A bowl of soup rice cereal A piece of advice furniture paper equipment A glass of beer water milk A grain of salt sand rice A slice of cheese pizza cake pie These can also be plural: Two cups of coffee. Three bowls of soup. Five pieces of furniture.

‘Some’ We can use ‘some’ with both plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns. I bought some shoes and some milk. She ate some peanuts and some rice. Plural Countable Uncountable

Either Countable or Uncountable

Some Nouns Can be Countable or Uncountable The fact that some nouns can be either countable or uncountable means that we have to be very careful that we are expressing the correct meaning when we use them! For example: Animal (countable) Meat (uncountable) pig pork cow beef chicken

Countable or Uncountable Chicken I ate a chicken. I ate some chickens. I ate (some) chicken. Possible, but not likely. Highly unlikely! Very likely.

Countable or Uncountable Pizza I ate a pizza. I ate some pizzas. I ate (some) pizza. Possible. Highly unlikely! Very likely.

Countable or Uncountable Chocolate Some chocolates: (some) chocolate:

Countable or Uncountable Hair She has long hair. She has a long hair.

Nouns that are almost always plural

Often Plural, but could be singular arms, legs, hands, feet, shoes, gloves etc.

Almost Always Plural Eyes. She has a big, brown eye.

But Could be singular, depending on COntext She hurt her eye at work. She hurt only one eye.

But Could be singular, depending on COntext She hurt her eyes at work. She hurt both eyes!

More Nouns that are almost always plural Scissors Glasses Tweezers Shorts, pants, trousers, jeans Pliers Pyjamas Where are the scissors? Are these your glasses? Those are her tweezers. These jeans have a rip in them. I bought some new pliers. Those pyjamas don’t fit.

Almost Always Plural Noodles We had a spicy noodle for lunch. Just one?! Really?

Almost Always Plural Chopsticks Even though I am Canadian, I like to eat noodles with a chopstick. It is possible? Maybe, but not very easy!

L-one Interference? Be Careful!

Not Plural (unless you really mean more than one!) Shirt / T-shirt She wore a t-shirt.

Not Plural (unless you really mean more than one!) Shirt / T-shirt She wore t-shirts.

Not Plural (unless you really mean more than one!) This could be why this is such a common mistake: