B2 Grammar: Countable and uncountable nouns

Countable and uncountable nouns

Nouns can be either countable (C) or uncountable (U).

Some nouns can be both countable (C) and uncountable (U), but with a difference in meaning: They say it’s healthy to drink tea (U) (tea in general). Would you like a tea (C) (a cup of tea)? Living in a large house is a lot of work (U). That picture is a work (C) of art.

The grammar for countable nouns is different from the grammar for uncountable nouns.

Countable nouns: Use a our an in the singular, e.g. a job, an animal Can be made plural, e.g. cars, books Use some and any in the plural, e.g. some friends, any answers. Use few and man in the plural, e.g. few students, many years

Uncountable nouns: Do not use a or an Cannot be made plural, e.g. work, music Use verbs in the singular, e.g. the news is good, music helps me relax Use some and any in the singular, e.g. some food, any advice Use little and much, e.g. little information, much homework Use other words to refer to a quantity, e.g. a piece of advice, an amount

Some common uncountable nouns in English Accommodation        advice          behaviour       countryside       damage             equipment Experience                 food             furniture         homework        housework        information Knowledge                luggage        media             music                news                 paper Pollution                    research       scenery           smoke               software           stuff Transport                   work

Articles

The indefinite article A or an are used: ·         With singular, countable nouns mentioned for the first time: A blue car came round the corner. A strange man with a black beard walked through the door. ·         To express rates: He drove at 50 kilometres an hour. She earns €50,000 a year. A or an are not used with uncountable nouns or plural countable nouns: More women go to university in Spain that men. Knowledge makes people powerful. ·         Use an before vowels: an email (but not when “u” or “e” produces a “y” sound: a useful tool, a European student, a university). ·         When “h” is silent, use an: an hour, an honest man. The definite article The is used: ·         With things we have mentioned before or it’s clear who or what we are referring to from the context: I’ve got a new teacher. The teacher is from California. Cold you go to the bank for me, please? (i.e. the bank we always use). ·         With things which are unique: the internet, the Moon ·         With adjectives to express groups: In this country, the rich are growing richer and the poor are growing poorer. ·         With nationalities the French, the Spanish, the Italians (Note: Nationality adjectives ending in –sh, -ch, -ese and –ss have a singular form but are plural in meaning: the English, the Dutch, the Chinese, the Swiss; the English drink a lot of tea, the Chinese are very hard-working. Other nationality adjectives have a plural form and a plural meaning: the Americans, the Poles; I think the Brazilians are going to win the World Cup again. ·         With superlatives: the best,  the longest, etc. ·         With the firs, the second, the third used as adjectives: Manolo won the first prize and Igor won the second. ·         With names of countries which include these words Republic, Kingdom States or Emirates: The United States, The Czech Republic, The United Kingdom, etc. ·         With names of rivers, mountain ranges, seas and oceans: the Nile, the Alps, the Mediterranean, the Pacific. Do not use the: ·         When talking in general and in the plural: Teachers are not paid enough. I can’t imagine offices without computers. Life is hard. Everyone needs love. ·         With many common expressions: In/to bed        to church     at home In/to hospital     in/to prison     at/to school At/to university     at/to work He’s in bed. I’m at university. What time do you go to work? She’s been taken to hospital.