ESL by Joice Vidal: Countable and Uncountable Nouns

A noun is a word that is used to specify the name of a person, place, idea, animal, quality, or thing. Among the types of nouns, we have countable and uncountable nouns. See bellow for the difference between these two types of nouns.

Countable Nouns
Countable nouns are those that we can determine the number of.

1) We can use numbers in front of a countable noun

one book, two books, one apple, three apples, one banana, four bananas

2) A determiner is mandatory with a singular countable noun

I ate an apple; This book is really good.

3) A countable noun can be single or plural

I ate an apple yesterday.

Apples are delicious.

4) We can use determiners in plural countable nouns

The apples on the table look delicious.

Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns are those that we cannot determine the number of.

1) Common types of uncountable nouns:

Abstract ideas: hate, information, knowledge
Activities: swimming, exercising, running
Materials: cotton, satin, denim
Some foods: rice, broccoli, cereal
Liquids: milk, beer, coffee
Gases: oxygen, hydrogen

2) An uncountable noun is a noun that we cannot use numbers in front of

rice (NOT one rice, two rices), water (NOT one water), sugar (NOT two sugars)

3) Uncountable nouns are always in singular

rice (NOT rices), water (NOT waters), sugar (NOT sugars), information (NOT informations)

4) You do not use the indefinite articles with uncountable nouns

rice (NOT a rice), water (NOT a water), sugar (NOT a sugar), bread (NOT a bread)

ATTENTION 1: often, an "a ... of" is used with uncountable nouns to define them (a package of rice, a bottle of water, a grain of sugar, a loaf of bread, a piece of pizza)

ATTENTION 2: Usually, people will use phrases like "I want a water". "A water" is short for a glass or bottle of water. This seems like it breaks the rule, but it is a common abbreviation. This happens with a few uncountable nouns: Yesterday, I had two beers. Can you bring me two orange juices, please?

Nouns that are countable or uncountable
Some nouns can be countable or uncountable, it will depend on the context.