Understanding Countability
In English, nouns are divided into two categories based on whether they can be counted as individual units. This distinction affects which articles, quantifiers, and verb forms you can use with them.
The Two Types
Countable Nouns
Things you can count individually
Can be singular or plural
Examples:
- one book, two books
- a dog, three dogs
- one idea, many ideas
Uncountable Nouns
Things you cannot count individually
Only singular form (no plural)
Examples:
- water (not "waters")
- information (not "informations")
- furniture (not "furnitures")
✓ Yes → Countable (one apple, two apples)
✗ No → Uncountable (water, not "one water")
Can you make it plural by adding -s/-es?
✓ Yes → Countable (book → books)
✗ No → Uncountable (advice, not "advices")
Countable Nouns
Individual items you can count: 1, 2, 3...
Countable Nouns Beginner
Countable nouns refer to things that exist as separate units. You can count them (one, two, three...) and they have both singular and plural forms.
✓ Use "a/an" with singular countable nouns
✓ Use numbers (one, two, three...)
✓ Add -s, -es, or irregular plural ending
✓ Use "many" and "few" (not "much" or "little")
Common Countable Nouns
Using Countable Nouns
I bought a book.
She has an idea.
There is one apple left.
The dog is sleeping.
I bought three books.
She has many ideas.
There are two apples left.
The dogs are sleeping.
✓ "I need a pen" or "I need the pen"
✗ "I need pen" ← WRONG!
Uncountable Nouns
Substances, concepts, and masses you cannot count individually
Uncountable Nouns Intermediate
Uncountable nouns (also called mass nouns or non-count nouns) refer to things that cannot be separated into individual units. They have no plural form and are always treated as singular.
✓ Use singular verbs (is, has, was)
✗ Cannot use "a/an" directly
✗ Cannot use numbers directly
✓ Use "much" and "little" (not "many" or "few")
✓ Can use "some," "any," "a lot of"