Why This Topic Matters
One of the most common mistakes learners make is mixing countable and uncountable nouns. Some words look plural but are not. Others seem singular but can’t take “a” or “one.” Mastering this difference will instantly make your English more natural.
How to Test Countability
- Countable nouns → you can count them: one apple, two apples.
- Uncountable nouns → you cannot count them directly: milk, advice, money.
👉 If you can say “one, two, three,” it’s countable. If not, it’s uncountable.
Using Articles and Quantifiers
Countable nouns:
- a book, two chairs, many cars, few people
Uncountable nouns:
- some water, much money, little time, a lot of sugar
❌ I need an information.
✔️ I need some information.
❌ She gave me two advices.
✔️ She gave me two pieces of advice.
Tricky Nouns to Remember
- Advice → uncountable (a piece of advice)
- Information → uncountable (some information)
- News → uncountable (good news, bad news)
- Furniture → uncountable (a piece of furniture)
- Money → uncountable (some money, a lot of money)
- Bread → uncountable (a loaf of bread, two slices of bread)
Quick Table
| Countable | Uncountable |
|---|---|
| an apple / two apples | bread → a loaf of bread |
| a chair / three chairs | furniture → a piece of furniture |
| a fact / many facts | information → a piece of information |
| a suggestion / several suggestions | advice → a piece of advice |
Mini Quiz
- I need ___ water.
- a / some / many
→ some
- a / some / many
- She told me two useful ___.
- advices / pieces of advice / informations
→ pieces of advice
- advices / pieces of advice / informations
- This is good ___.
- news / newses / informations
→ news
- news / newses / informations
FAQ
Q: Can I say “informations”?
A: No. “Information” is uncountable. Use pieces of information.
Q: Why is “bread” uncountable?
A: Because English treats bread as a substance. Use a loaf of bread or a slice of bread.
Q: Is “time” always uncountable?
A: Usually yes (I don’t have much time). But in “three times,” it becomes countable.
Final Tips
- Countables use numbers and plural “-s.”
- Uncountables need quantifiers like some, much, little, a piece of….
- Memorize the tricky nouns list — it saves time in real life.
Explore More
Read more about natural grammar choices in this article:
👉 Myth: Just Speak and You’ll Learn
© Author’s concept by Tymur Levitin — founder, director, and lead teacher of Levitin Language School (Start Language School by Tymur Levitin).