COUNTABLE AND

UNCOUNTABLE
NOUNS
WHAT IS A NOUN?

• A noun is a word that refers to a person, place, thing, event,

substance, or quality.

Examples:
• Girl
• Santiago
• Bread
• Money
COUNTABLE NOUNS
• Things that can be separated as items.
• They can be singular or plural.
• We can use numbers with them.

Examples:
• There’s a nice beach near here.
• It wasn’t your fault. It was an accident.
• I’d like to eat two mangoes.
SINGULAR COUNTABLE NOUNS

• Nouns (in singular form) that can be counted.

• We can use a/an with singular countable nouns:

• A beach.
• A student.
• An umbrella.
SINGULAR COUNTABLE NOUNS

Restrictions
We cannot use singular countable nouns alone.
× I want banana. → I want a banana.
× There’s been accident. → There’s been an accident.
PLURAL COUNTABLE NOUNS
• Nouns (in plural form) that can be counted.
• We can use some, any, many and few with plural countable nouns:

• We sang some songs.

• Did you buy any apples?
• We didn’t take many photographs.
• I have a few things to do.
UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
• Things that cannot be separated, they are a whole thing.
• We cannot use numbers with them.
• We can use uncountable nouns alone.

Examples:
• Kate was listening to some music.
• Do you have any money?
• I eat rice everyday.
UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

• We can use some, any, much and little with uncountable nouns:

• We listened to some music.

• Did you buy any apple juice?
• We didn’t do much shopping.
• I have a little work to do.
UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
Restrictions
We cannot use a/an with uncountable nouns.
× A rice.
× A music.

However...
You can often use a … of

• a bowl / a packet / a grain of rice

EXERCISES
• Joe goes everywhere by bike. He hasn’t got __ car.
• Helen was listening to __ music when I arrived.
• We went to __ very nice restaurant last weekend.
• Can you tell me if there’s __ bank near here?
• I don’t like __ violence.
• I like volleyball. It’s __ good game.
• Jane was wearing __ beautiful necklace.