Countable vs Uncountable Nouns

Understanding count nouns (a book, two books) vs mass nouns (water, information)

beginner

When to Use

•Countable: individual items you can count (a book, two chairs, three apples).
•Uncountable: substances, concepts, or mass nouns (water, information, advice).
•Use a/an with singular countable: a car, an apple.
•No a/an with uncountable: water (not a water), advice (not an advice).
•Quantify uncountable with units: a glass of water, a piece of advice.

How to Form

Affirmative (+)

Countable: a/an + singular or number + plural. Uncountable: no article or some/much + noun

Negative (-)

Countable: not many + plural. Uncountable: not much + noun

Question (?)

Countable: How many...? Uncountable: How much...?

💡 Some nouns can be both depending on meaning: coffee (substance) vs a coffee (cup).

Examples

✓I need some information.

✗I need an information.

Information is uncountable; no a/an.

✓She gave me good advice.

✗She gave me a good advice.

Advice is uncountable.

✓I'd like a coffee, please.

✗I'd like coffee, please (if ordering one cup).

A coffee = a cup of coffee (countable use).

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

• Ask: Can I count it? One book, two books = countable.
• Common uncountables: water, money, information, advice, furniture, luggage, news.
• Use a piece of, a bit of, a glass of to quantify uncountables.
• Some nouns change meaning: paper (material) vs a paper (document).

some-any-no much-many-lot articles-definite-indefinite 📝 nouns-beginner 📝 countable-uncountable-quiz

Countable vs Uncountable Nouns

Understanding count nouns (a book, two books) vs mass nouns (water, information)

beginner

When to Use

•Countable: individual items you can count (a book, two chairs, three apples).
•Uncountable: substances, concepts, or mass nouns (water, information, advice).
•Use a/an with singular countable: a car, an apple.
•No a/an with uncountable: water (not a water), advice (not an advice).
•Quantify uncountable with units: a glass of water, a piece of advice.

How to Form

Affirmative (+)

Countable: a/an + singular or number + plural. Uncountable: no article or some/much + noun

Negative (-)

Countable: not many + plural. Uncountable: not much + noun

Question (?)

Countable: How many...? Uncountable: How much...?

💡 Some nouns can be both depending on meaning: coffee (substance) vs a coffee (cup).

Examples

✓I need some information.

✗I need an information.

Information is uncountable; no a/an.

✓She gave me good advice.

✗She gave me a good advice.

Advice is uncountable.

✓I'd like a coffee, please.

✗I'd like coffee, please (if ordering one cup).

A coffee = a cup of coffee (countable use).

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

• Ask: Can I count it? One book, two books = countable.
• Common uncountables: water, money, information, advice, furniture, luggage, news.
• Use a piece of, a bit of, a glass of to quantify uncountables.
• Some nouns change meaning: paper (material) vs a paper (document).

some-any-no much-many-lot articles-definite-indefinite 📝 nouns-beginner 📝 countable-uncountable-quiz

Countable vs Uncountable Nouns

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

Related

Countable vs Uncountable Nouns

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

Related

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

✗I have many informations.

✗Can you give me an advice?

✗I bought three furnitures.

💡 Practice Tips

Related

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

✗I have many informations.

✗Can you give me an advice?

✗I bought three furnitures.

💡 Practice Tips

Related