Countability

Uncountable nouns

Uncountable nouns are for example: gold, music, blood, excitement

They have no plural.

You cannot say "musics", "bloods", or "excitements".

Before uncountable nouns you can say the / some / any / much / this / his, etc.:

the music, some gold, much excitement, his blood

But you cannot use a / an before an uncountable noun.

So you cannot say "a music", "an excitement", or "a blood".

You can also use uncountable nouns alone, with no article:

This ring is made of gold.

Blood is red.


Many nouns can be used as countable or as uncountable nouns.

Usually there is a difference in meaning.

For example:

paper

I bought a paper.  (a newspaper – countable)

I bought some paper.  (material for writing on – uncountable)

hair

There's a hair in my soup!  (one single hair – countable)

She has beautiful hair.  (hair on her head – uncountable)

experience

We had many interesting experiences on our vacation.  (things that happened to us – countable)

You need experience for this job.  (knowledge of something because you have done it before – uncountable)


Some nouns are usually uncountable in English but often countable in other languages. Here are the most important of these:

Advice, bread, information, permission, traffic, weather, baggage, chaos, luggage, progress, travel, work, behavior, furniture, news, scenery, trouble


Notice these pairs of countable and uncountable nouns:

I'm looking for a job. – Countable but I'm looking for work. – Uncountable

What a beautiful view. – Countable but What beautiful scenery! – Uncountable

Countable nouns

Countable nouns are things we can count. We can make them plural:

two dogs, six jobs, some girls, many suggestions

Before singular countable nouns you can use a / an:

That's a good suggestion.

Do you need an umbrella?

You cannot use singular countable nouns alone (without a / the / my, etc.):

I'm looking for a job.  (not I'm looking for job)

Be careful of the dog.  (not Be careful of dog)

I've got a headache.

Would you like a cigarette?

We also use some with plural countable nouns. Some = a number of / a few of  (but we don't know or say exactly how many):

I've seen some good movies lately.

Some friends of mine are coming to stay for the weekend.

Do not use some when you are talking about things in general:

I love bananas.  (not some bananas)

Sometimes you can use some or leave it out:

There are (some) eggs in the refrigerator if you're hungry.

You have to use some when you mean some, but not all /not many, etc.

Some children learn very quickly.  (but not all children)

Some police officers in Britain carry guns, but most of them don't.