Countable and uncountable

Nouns

1. Countable and uncountable nouns

COUNTABLE

Countable nouns are those elements that can be counted one by one using numbers.

3 magazines

UNCOUNTABLE

Uncountable nouns are those elements that we cannot count using numbers but we can count using quantifiers or partitives.

Sand

2. How are countable and uncountable nouns used?

• Countable nouns have singular and plural form. When they are in singular, they can be preceded by the indefinite article a/an.
  

  I need an umbrella.

  

  This is a parrot.
• Uncountable nouns only have singular form. They can't be preceded by the indefinite article a/an. They can be preceded by some/any.
  

  I need milk.

  

  I can give you some advice.
• To express a specific amount of an uncountable element we will use a partitive, that is a group of words that act as a unit of measure. The structure would be: quantity + measure word + of
  
  A bag of 

  

  Flour

  

  Pasta

  

  Rice

  A slice of

  

  Bread

  

  Meat

  

  Cheese

  A carton of

  

  Milk

  

  Juice

  

  Ice cream

  A jar of

  

  Jam

  

  Honey

  

  Tomato sauce

  A can of

  

  Tuna

  

  Sweet corn

  

  Coke

  A drop of

  

  Water

  

  Wine

  

  Oil

  A tube of

  

  Toothpaste

  

  Glue

  

  Shampoo

  A bit of/A piece of

  

  Advice

  

  Information

  

  News

  A pinch of

  

  Salt

  

  Sugar

  

  Pepper

  A roll of

  

  Toilet paper

  

  Tape

  

  Cling film
• Some of these partitives can also be applied to countable nouns such as
  
  

  A can of pineapple.

  

  A bag of crisps.

  

  A jar of olives.
• There are some countable nouns that only have plural form. To designate a unit we use a pair of.
  
  

  A pair of glasses.

  

  A pair of trousers.

  

  A pair of scissors.

  Pay attention to the difference between a pair of and a couple of.

  	Use	Examples
  A PAIR OF	To refer to two things of the same type that are used together so they are considered as one unit.	A pair of shoes.	A pair of gloves.
  PAIRS OF	If we want to designate more than one unit by adding a number.	Two pairs of shoes.	Four pairs of gloves.
  A COUPLE OF	To refer to two units of something.	A couple of CDs.	A couple of ideas.

• Drinks are usually treated as uncountable but we can refer to them as if they were countable as in a cup of , a glass of...
  
  COUNTABLE

  

  Three (cups of) coffees, please.

  UNCOUNTABLE

  

  I don't like coffee.
• Some nouns can be both countable and uncountable. In these cases, there is usually a difference in meaning.
  
  COUNTABLE

  

  There are 5 rooms in my house.

  UNCOUNTABLE

  

  There isn't room for another table.

  COUNTABLE

  

  How many lights do you need?

  UNCOUNTABLE

  

  My bedroom gets a lot of light.

  COUNTABLE

  

  Can I read this paper?

  UNCOUNTABLE

  

  Give the boy some paper to draw on.

Remember!