How to Use Countable and Uncountable Nouns

English learners often have trouble understanding countable and uncountable nouns. It can be tricky, but knowing the difference is important.

To help you get familiar with these two groups of words, this article will highlight some of the most common uncountable nouns. We’ll also include example sentences using uncountable nouns and alternatives you can use to express the same idea in a different way.

Basic differences

Nouns in the English language can be separated into two major categories: countable nouns and uncountable nouns.

Choosing one or the other will affect the rest of the words you can use in your sentences. With countable nouns, you can add an “s” (or “es”) to it to talk about more than one thing. Additionally, you can use definite articles like "a," "an" and "the" with them. 

For example, “apple” is a countable known, as you can see in the following examples:

• I have an apple.
• He ate one apple.
• She bought six apples from the store.

In the first two sentences, the speaker is talking about only a single apple. But in the third example, the speaker is referring to more than one, and an “s” is added at the end to express a larger number. You can also have zero apples or one million apples.

However, look at this example:

• I bought milk from the store.

We cannot count milk (or other liquids), so it is an uncountable noun. We also cannot add an “s” to it — milk is just milk! Additionally, instead of using words like “a,” “few” or “many” to talk about it, we use "some," "a little," "a lot of" and (for negative sentences) "much."

• I need to buy a milk. > I need to buy (some) milk.
• We have many milks. > We have a lot of milk.
• We don't have much milk.

Examples of common uncountable nouns

Unfortunately, there is no major rule for knowing if a noun is countable or uncountable; you simply have to memorize them. However, below you can find a list of some common examples that may cause confusion. 

You will see in the examples below that instead of numbers, uncountable nouns often come after words like “some,” “a little” and “a lot."

Information

• He has much information. > He has a lot of information.

Although information is uncountable, you can count pieces of information.

• I have two pieces of information to share with you.

However, it is more common to simply use “some,” etc.

• I have some information to share with you.

Time

Time is a good example of an uncountable noun. Of course, we can count things like minutes, days and years, but we can’t count time itself.

• How many time do you need? > How much time do you need?
• We’ve been waiting many times. > We’ve been waiting a long time.

• We’ve been waiting for two hours.

You can count time when it refers to an instance in which something has happened.

• I visited Canada three times.
• How many times have you eaten at that restaurant?

Advice

• Do you have advices for me? > Do you have some/any advice for me?
• John had a lot of advices to share with us. > John had a lot of advice to share with us.

Like information, advice can be referred to as pieces.

• Can I give you a piece of advice?

Related article: “Advice” and “Advise”: What's the Difference?

Grammar

• I don’t understand these grammars. > I don't understand this grammar.
• I don't understand these grammar points.
• English grammars aren't difficult.  > English grammar isn't difficult.

Equipment

• The company owns many expensive equipments. > The company owns a lot of expensive equipment.
• Do you have any equipments? > Do you have any equipment?

Garbage/Trash

• Where can I throw away my garbages? > Where can I throw away my garbage?
• They left trashes in the living room. > They left (some/a lot of) trash in the living room.

Water/Liquids

• We bought two waters. > We bought (some) water. 
• We bought two bottles of water.

Art

• What kind of arts do you like? > What kind of art do you like?
• He has many arts on his wall. > He has a lot of art on his wall.

There are some cases in which you may see or hear it with an “s.” This is usually when referring to an industry or academic subject, such as in a Bachelor of Arts degree or “arts and crafts.”

• I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.
• My son is doing arts and crafts in his after-school program.

Nature

• We saw many beautiful natures during our trip. > We saw a lot of beautiful nature during our trip.
• Our cabin was surrounded by natures. > Our cabin was surrounded by nature.

Stuff

“Stuff” is a unique word because it can refer to almost anything. However, it is always uncountable.

• What kind of stuffs do you want to buy? > What kind of stuff do you want to buy?
• I have many stuffs in my apartment. > I have too much stuff in my apartment.

Related article: What Does "Stuff" Mean and How Do You Use It?

Knowledge

• I gained many knowledges from the lesson. > I gained a lot of knowledge from the lesson.

Furniture

• Do you have a lot of furnitures? > Do you have a lot of furniture?

Business

Sometimes a noun can be either countable or uncountable depending on how it is used. For example, if you use "business" to refer to a company, it can be counted.

• He started four different businesses over his long career.

However, when it refers to work/tasks/etc., it is uncountable.

• Our business has been doing very well in recent months.
• We have a lot of business to do today.

Clothes

"Clothes" is uncountable and always refers to more than one piece of clothing.

• She bought six clothes from the store. > She bought some clothes from the store.
• She bought six pieces of clothing from the store.
• I packed a lot of clothes for my trip.

Remember that the pronunciation never changes; it always sounds like "close" or "rows."

Food items

Things such as salt, sugar, mayonnaise, ketchup, etc. are uncountable.

• He never puts ketchup on his burgers.
• Can you pass the salt, please?
• I need to buy some flour from the grocery store.

Wrap-up

We hope these examples have given you a better idea of the different ways to use countable and uncountable nouns. Don't worry if you sometimes make mistakes with them — it takes time to get used to using them properly.

We encourage you to research more uncountable nouns to increase your knowledge and make your grammar as strong as it can be. If you want to practice in a real conversation, book a lesson with an Engoo tutor and have a chat!

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