Countable and Uncountable Nouns

I. Uncountable Nouns – they have no plural form:

- common nouns that are usually uncountable:

* accommodation, information, advice, behaviour;
* all the metals;
* English (and all other languages);
* furniture, health, knowledge, luggage;
* maths (and all other school subjects);
* rice (and all other grains and cereals);
* salt (and all other condiments);
* water (and all other liquids);
* traffic, transport, trouble

Use: a slice, a lump, a piece with countable nouns for food

II. Nouns that can be countable and uncountable

1. Nouns we can thing of a single think or substance:

* chocolate, paper, hair, stone;
* iron (ca metal- uncountable; countable cu sensul de fier de calcat).

2. Nouns which are used to refer to a particular varieties:

* wine;
* country;

3. Some drinks
* coffee;
* beer;

4. time, space, room

III. Uncountable nouns ending in –s, followed by a singular vb

* maths, genetics, arobics, athletics, news
* The news is good.

IV. Nouns ending in –s that are always plural

* trousers, clothes, scissors (foarfeca)

To refer to a singular item, use a pair of.

V. Irregular plural forms: nouns which have the same form in the singular and plural
* aircraft, crossroads, species, sheep, series

VI. Collective nouns:

* My family is very big. All of my family are coming to the wedding.

Nouns which only take a plural verb: cattle, the people, the police.

Determiners used with countable and uncountable nouns:

a) lots/ a lot of + countable/uncountable nouns

b) much + uncountable nouns

c) many + plural countable nouns

d) little, a little, a bit + uncountable nouns

* little= almost none; a little/ a bit = at least some

e) few, a few + plural countable nouns (=some but not many)

f) some + uncountable nouns and plural nouns (between a little and a lot)

g) hardly any + uncountable and plural countable nouns

h) no/ not any + uncountable and plural nouns