COUNTABLE & UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
By Belinda Baardsen, American Ex Pat, TEFL Certified ESL Instructor, Juris Doctor, B.S., The University of Florida, and Endicott College
Some nouns are countable: A book ~ two booksAn egg ~ six eggs
A book.One
book.Book.The
book.Your book.
My book.Her book.
It.
Countable
Six books.Books = 6
There are six books on the shelf.
I have six books.She has six books.
We have six books. Those six books are for
his English class.Why do we need six
books?Six books?
How did you finish all six books so fast?
Where are those six books I was talking
about?Six books for sale!
Countable
Can I have one egg, please?
I need one egg for breakfast.
Would you like an egg?One egg.Egg = 1
Where is that egg?Where did you get that
egg?How did you find that
egg?Only one egg?
She wants one egg.
Countable = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Eggs = plural
She wants three eggs.He wants more eggs. I want a dozen eggs.
Where did you get those eggs?
How many eggs do you want?
Why can’t I find any eggs?Who wants eggs?
Countable – egg(s)
Some nouns are uncountable.
Bread
Rice
Water
Air
Hair
Rice
Water
Air
Hair
Countable Nouns Singular Plural
a bookOne book
BooksTwo books
Some booksA lot of booksMany booksA few books
A countable noun
Singular:A + noun
One + noun
Plural:
Noun + -s
Egg
Eggs
Pearl
Pearls
Non countable Noun ~
RiceSome riceA lot of riceMuch riceA little rice
Singular
Plurals?
None
A non countable noun ~
Singular ~Do not use a.
Do not use one.
Plural ~A non countable noun does not have
a plural form.
MoneyMail
HomeworkInformation
TrafficWeather
MilkMeatTea
WaterSaltSoup
Common non countable nouns
Work JewelryBread
CheeseFoodFruitRice
Pepper
Underline the noun. Is it noun countable, or non countable?
COUNTABLE --------- NONCOUNTABLE
1. He sits on a chair.2. He sits on furniture.3. She has a coin.4. She has some money.5. She has some letters.6. She has some mail. 7. The street is full of traffic.
Chair - countable
-s
Chairs