English nouns divide into countable and uncountable groups. Countable nouns are things you can count: one book, two books. Uncountable nouns name materials, ideas and collections that you measure rather than count: water, advice, information.
The grammar follows the group. Countable nouns take a or an in the singular and a plural ending. Uncountable nouns take no a or an and no plural ending: "some advice", never "an advice" or "advices".
This page lists the common uncountable nouns, the quantifiers that go with each group, the nouns that change meaning, and 20 drill sentences with a rule under every answer.
The rule
Countable nouns
- Countable nouns have a singular and a plural form: a cup, two cups; a child, three children.
- They take a or an in the singular: a table, an apple, an hour.
- They take many, few, a few and how many: "How many chairs do we need?"
- A singular countable noun cannot stand alone: "I bought table" is wrong; use "a table" or "the table".
Uncountable nouns
- Uncountable nouns have one form: water, rice, money, music, work, traffic.
- They take no a or an and no plural -s: "some water", never "a water" or "waters".
- They take much, little, a little and how much: "How much sugar do you want?"
- They agree with a singular verb: "The news is good", "Money is not everything".
The everyday uncountable list
- Food and drink: bread, rice, cheese, meat, butter, milk, coffee, tea.
- Ideas and information: advice, information, news, knowledge, research, progress, homework.
- Materials and things in mass: furniture, luggage, baggage, equipment, money, cash, traffic, weather.
- Subjects and activities: music, art, work, health, help, time (in general).
Measures make uncountables countable
- Use a piece of, a slice of, a bottle of, a cup of, a loaf of to count uncountable things.
- A piece of advice, two pieces of information, a slice of bread, a bottle of water.
- The measure word becomes plural, not the uncountable noun: "three pieces of furniture".
- Some nouns are plural only: clothes, trousers, scissors, glasses, police. They take a plural verb.
Nouns with two meanings
- Paper is uncountable as a material, countable as a newspaper: "a paper".
- Glass is the material; a glass is the drinking object; glasses are spectacles.
- Time is uncountable in general, countable as an occasion: "We had a good time."
- Work is uncountable; a work means a piece of art or writing.
- Coffee and tea are uncountable as drinks but countable as orders: "Two coffees, please."
Examples
- I bought two chairs for the kitchen.Chairs are countable, so they take a plural.
- We need some new furniture.Furniture is uncountable and takes no plural.
- She gave me a piece of advice.A piece of makes advice countable.
- How much rice shall I cook?Rice is uncountable, so it takes how much.
- How many eggs are in the fridge?Eggs are countable, so they take how many.
- The news is good today.News is uncountable and takes a singular verb.
- My trousers are too long.Trousers are plural only and take are.
- I need a new pair of glasses.A pair of makes the plural-only noun countable.
- The teacher gave us some homework.Homework is uncountable.
- We had a lovely time at the beach.A time means an occasion, so it is countable here.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: She gave me an advice. Right: She gave me a piece of advice.
- Advice is uncountable. Use a piece of advice, or just some advice.
- Wrong: I need some informations. Right: I need some information.
- Information is uncountable and never takes -s.
- Wrong: The news are bad. Right: The news is bad.
- News is uncountable and takes a singular verb.
- Wrong: We bought a new furniture. Right: We bought a new piece of furniture.
- Furniture is uncountable. Count it with a piece of.
- Wrong: How many money do you have? Right: How much money do you have?
- Money is uncountable, so it takes how much.
Practice drill
Answer all 20 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
She gave me a useful piece of ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. advice Advice is uncountable; a piece of makes it countable.
I need some ___ about the course.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. information Information is uncountable and never takes -s.
How ___ chairs do we need for the meeting?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. many Chairs are countable, so the question uses how many.
How ___ sugar should I add?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. much Sugar is uncountable, so the question uses how much.
We bought two new ___ for the living room.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. pieces of furniture Furniture is uncountable, so the measure word becomes plural.
The news ___ very good today.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. is News is uncountable and takes a singular verb.
My trousers ___ too tight.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. are Trousers are plural only and take a plural verb.
I bought ___ paper to read on the train.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. a A paper means one newspaper, so it is countable in this meaning.
Can I have two ___, please?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. coffees Coffee becomes countable when it means one cup per order.
There is not ___ bread left.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. much Bread is uncountable, so it takes much.
There are not ___ eggs in the fridge.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. many Eggs are countable, so they take many.
She needs a new pair of ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. glasses A pair of glasses counts the plural-only noun for spectacles.
We had ___ time at the beach yesterday.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. a good A good time means one pleasant occasion, so time is countable here.
The teacher gave us too ___ homework.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. much Homework is uncountable, so it takes much.
There were too ___ people on the bus.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. many People is countable, so it takes many.
Could I have a ___ of water, please?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. glass A glass of water is the usual measure word for a drink.
Could you give me ___ help with this box?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. some Help is uncountable, so it takes some, not a or an.
The report needs two more pieces of ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. equipment Equipment is uncountable; the piece carries the plural.
The ___ outside was terrible.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. weather Weather is uncountable and has no plural form.
She has made a lot of ___ in English this year.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. progress Progress is uncountable and takes no plural.
Drill complete
You answered every question.
Next topic: Present perfect vs past simpleTake the level test
Questions learners ask
How do I know if a noun is countable or uncountable?
Check whether you can say a or an before it and use a plural: a chair, two chairs (countable). If the noun names a material, a mass or an idea, it is usually uncountable: water, furniture, advice, information. A dictionary marks uncountable nouns with [U] and countable nouns with [C].
Why is "informations" wrong?
Information is uncountable in English, so it has no plural form. To count it, use a piece of information, two pieces of information, or a bit of information. Other nouns in the same group include advice, news, furniture, luggage, equipment and homework.
Can an uncountable noun ever be countable?
Yes, some nouns change meaning. Paper (material) becomes a paper (a newspaper). Glass (material) becomes a glass (a drinking object) and glasses (spectacles). Coffee (the drink) becomes a coffee (one cup). The grammar follows the meaning, so the same word can belong to both groups.
More grammar topics
Present perfect vs past simple
The classic contrast: finished time takes the past simple, a link to now takes the present perfect.
Irregular verbs
The three forms (go, went, gone) grouped by pattern, with the mistakes to avoid.
Phrasal verbs
Verb plus particle, three types, and the pronoun rule that learners break most often.
Take the free A1 to C2 level test to find your starting point.