Countable and uncountable

nouns
 Countable nouns refer to nouns that we can count using numbers. They have singular
and plural forms.
Examples: one letter/two letters; one child/two children; one mistake/ two mistakes.
-We can use a/an with singular countable nouns.
Examples: a man –a school – an umbrella – an apple.
 Uncountable nouns refer to nouns that we cannot count with numbers. They have only
one form (usually singular).
Examples: money – water – knowledge – information -- safety – anger.
- We can NOT use a/an with uncountable nouns
Examples: a water – an information
- Here are some kinds of nouns that are often uncountable:
 Abstract nouns (nouns that talk about ideas): love, happiness, peace, democracy.
 Subjects of school or university: Math, French, history.
 Materials : metal, wood, plastic.
 Liquids : water, milk.
 Gases : air, oxygen, carbon dioxide.
 Things that are made up of lots of small pieces: sand, rice, salt, sugar.

Quantifiers

1. people are exposed to many advertisements Many and few are used with
2. few children pay attention to the amount of fast food they countable nouns

consume.
3. How much money have you spent?
Much and little are used with
4. Hurry up! We have little time left uncountable nouns
5. Would you like some tea? A lot of, some, not any, no, enough
6. There is not any sugar on the table. are used with both countable and
uncountable nouns
7. People eat a lot of sweets between meals.

 The words many, some, not any, much, a little, little and few are called quantifiers. A
quantifier is a word or a phrase that comes before a noun to indicate/describe the number or
quantity of that noun.
 lq
Large Small
quantity quantity

ww
A lot of many a few few not many not any no Countable nouns
A lots of Some

A lot of much a little little not much not any no Uncountable

A great deal of Some nouns
Note: we use “too many” to express the excessive quantity of a countable noun and we use “too
much” to express the excessive quantity of an uncountable noun.
Practice: Observe the pictures and fill in the blanks with the right quantifier; many, a few,
much,
a little, a lot of.

1.She is putting ……… sugar in her coffee. / 2. There are …..… photos on the wall
3.There are ……… people in the elevator. / 4. There is ……... snow on the car.
5. He has …..…… friends on Facebook. / 6. There is not ……… traffic.