Archive for May, 2010

Uncountable nouns and their countable equivalents

May 3rd, 2010 in English Grammar, English Learning

Uncountable nouns are the names of objects, liquids or abstract ideas which we do not see as separate objects. Most uncountable nouns are singular with no plural forms. We do not use numbers with uncountable nouns.

For example, we say water, but not a water or two waters.  Similarly we say, gold, but not a gold or two golds.

Nouns which are countable in English may be uncountable in some other languages. Similarly, nouns which are uncountable in English may be countable in some other languages. For example, the noun grapes is countable in English, but uncountable in many other languages.

Here is a list of some common uncountable nouns. Corresponding countable equivalents are also given.

Accommodation (uncountable) – a place to live (countable equivalent) (NOT an accommodation)

Advice – a piece of advice (NOT an advice)

Baggage – a piece of baggage or a case / bag / trunk

Bread – a piece of bread or a loaf or a roll

Chess – a game of chess

Equipment – a piece of equipment or a tool

Furniture – a piece or article of furniture

Grass – a blade of grass

Information – a piece of information

Knowledge – a fact

Lightning – a flash of lightning

Luck – a bit of luck or a stroke of luck

Thunder – a clap of thunder

Work – a piece of work or a job

Research – a piece of research

Rubbish – a piece of rubbish

Money – a note, a coin or a sum

Progress – a step forward

Publicity – an advertisement

Poetry – a poem

News – a piece of news