English Grammar Guide

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Countable nouns are things we can count, like apples. Uncountable nouns are things we can't count, like air.

Countable nouns

Countable nouns are used to name things we can count.

  • One apple

  • Two dogs

  • Three children

  • Four boys, etc.

Countable nouns have a singular and a plural form.

  • A dog

  • Two dogs

  • Some dogs

  • An apple

  • The apples

  • Many apples

Remember!
The article 'A' is used with a noun that begins with a consonant, and the article 'An' is used with a noun that begins with a vowel sound.
Examples:

  • An apple

  • An orange

  • An hour

Uncountable nouns

Uncountable nouns are used to name things we can not count:

  • Money (we can count dollars, euros, but not money)

  • Sugar

  • Water

  • Luck, etc

Uncountable nouns do not usually take the indefinite article 'A' or 'An'. They are often used without an article and they do not usually have a plural form.
Examples:

  • (some) money

  • (some) electricity

  • (some) fruit

Some words can be countable and uncountable, depending on what they refer to. For example, 'Hair'.

  • Paul has brown hair.  (This refers to his hair in general and is uncountable)

  • There is a hair in my dinner.  (This refers to individual hairs, and is countable)

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