Countable and Uncountable

Nouns
 Contable vs Uncountable
• Countable nouns are things we can count, and
have both singular and plural forms:
e.g. A boy; two boys; a car; two cars

• Uncountable nouns are things that we cannot

count. They do not have a plural form:
e.g. Air, sand, ice, wisdom (NOT airs, sands,
ices, wisdoms).
 A/an
• You can use a/an before countable nouns.

• You cannot use a/an before an uncountable

noun. Instead, you can use a measurement and
the word of:
e.g. A breath of air
A grain of sand
A block of ice
A lot of wisdom
 Uncountable
• Uncountable nouns are followed by the
singular form of the verb:

e.g. The air is clean.

The sand feels hot.
This coffee tastes horrible.
 Uncountable Nouns
accommodation money
advice air
baggage water
behaviour coffee
bread tea
furniture milk
information juice
luggage rain
news wind
progress Oxygen
traffic money
travel hair
trouble noise
weather sand
work electricity
rice luck
 Quantifiers
Countable Uncountable
• How many? • How much?
• Many • Much
• No/ none • No/ none
• Some • Some
• Any • Any
• A few • A little
• Few • A bit
• A lot of • A lot of
• Lots of • Lots of
 Note
• Use Some and No in affirmative sentences.
e.g. I’ve got some money to spend.
You’ve got some friends.

• Use Any in negative sentences and questions.

e.g. Do you have any money?
I don’t know any singers.
 Practice…
• Complete with an appropriate Quantifier.
1.I always spend too________money when I go
shopping.
2.I have too________ bags. I don’t have enough
room for all of them.
3.I don’t have _____ pens today, I forgot my pencil
case.
4.There are still ________ carrots in the fridge, so
there’s no need to buy more.