COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

I. COUNTABLE NOUNS
 countable nouns name things we can count
 can be singular or plural

Singular Countable Nouns

→ articles a/an
 they never appear without an article (I want banana.)

Plural Countable Nouns

→ some, any, many, few
 can appear without a determiner (I like bananas. = in
general)

Countable Nouns with a/an/some

we use a/an - to say what kind of thing or person
something/somebody is (I am an optimist.)
- to describe someone's physical features (Jack has a big
nose.)
- talking about someone's job (Sandra is a nurse.)
 Talking about general facts, we use plural forms of countable nouns
without an article
(Dogs are animals.)
some is used as - a number of/a few of/a pair of (I've seen some good
films recently.)
- some but not all (Some children learn very quickly.)
 We never use some talking about things in general (I love
bananas.)

II. UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

 uncountable nouns name things we cannot count (one rice, two
rices,...)
 an uncountable noun has only one form (no plural)
 normally we do not use a/an with uncountable nouns;
instead we use expressions such as a glass of water (a water), a
piece of music (a music)
 they can appear without any determiner (Can you hear music?)
 we can use some/any/much/little with uncountable nouns

III. NOTES
 Some nouns can be used as both countable or uncountable,
usually with a difference in meaning:
/ Did you hear a noise just now? (= a particular noise; zvuk –
countable)
 \ I can't work here, there's too much noise. (hluk –
uncountable)

 Liquids are usually uncountable but can be used as countable:

Two coffees, please. (= two cups of coffee) X I don't drink
coffee. (= in general)

 Some nouns which are uncountable in English might be

countable in other languages:
accommodation, advice, baggage, behavior, bread, chaos,
damage, furniture, work, information, luck, luggage, news,
permission, progress, scenery, traffic, weather
We had a lot of bags. X We had a lot of luggage. (luggages)