1. Countable and Uncountable
Nouns
Countable and Uncountable

2. The “Required If …” Rule

3. 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

4. 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!

5. 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

6. 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’)

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. Uncountable Nouns

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

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

16. 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)

17. 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.

18. ‘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

19. Either Countable or Uncountable

20. 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

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

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

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

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

25. Nouns that are almost always plural

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

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

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

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

30. 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.

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

32. 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!

33. L-one Interference?
Be Careful!

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

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

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