Uncountable Nouns vs. Countable Nouns

‘Noun’ is a term that is used to refer to a person, location, object, event, substance, or quality. Nouns can be classified in a variety of ways. One of the classifications is division nouns into countable nouns and uncountable ones. When learning a new noun, make a note of whether it is countable or uncountable, as well as how it should be used in a sentence.

How to Tell If a Noun Is Countable or Uncountable

Countable nouns refer to the things that can be counted. Uncountable nouns (or mass nouns) name things that cannot be counted. Countable nouns can take both singular and plural forms, while uncountable nouns can only be singular.

Depending on the context or situation, some nouns can be both countable or uncountable (look at the table). As a rule, some uncountable nouns can become countable if they imply a specific subject, number of things, etc.

Let’s take closer look at a difference between countable and uncountable nouns.

Noun	Uncountable	Countable
Coffee	Can we get two coffees (cups), please?	I love coffee more than anything.
Drink	Last night we went to get some drinks (glasses).	Make sure we have food and drink for the party.
Light	I switched on the lights (lamp).	Light bounces off the mirror.
Paper	I need you to read the papers (documents) carefully.	Mom asked me to buy more paper for the printer.
Religion	Next year we will have a class about three religions (different kinds).	Religion is a powerful tool of control.
Talk	We took part in some interesting talks (a certain number of them) at the conference.	Small talk annoys me.

Articles and Quantity Adjectives with Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Articles in the English language can be definite and indefinite. The main function of the indefinite article (a, an) is to introduce something new. The main function of the definite article (the) is to point to something that the reader is familiar with.
e.g.,

✔️ A new book by Leigh Bardugo has been published.
The book is really popular, and the author did a great job once again.

Nota bene: singular countable nouns must have a determiner. This could be a possessive noun, a pronoun, or an article (i.e., a, an, the, this, or a possessive noun).

Countable nouns take an indefinite or definite article in the singular form: a, an, or the. Also, when the noun is plural and if it is used to refer to something specifically, the definite article is used. If it is used in a generic sense – no article is used.
e.g.

✔️ The guests at your party were very rude to me. But I guess guests are welcome in your house, no matter what.

In the plural form, we can use such nouns with quantity adjectives like few, many, and these, but not with much or less. Uncountable nouns are used with words like every and each in the singular form. Consider the following examples:

• ✔️ My friend has many books on dog breeds.
• ❌ My friend has much books on dog breeds.
• ✔️ She poured warm green tea in every cup.
• ❌ She poured warm green tea in every cups.

Two things you have to remember about uncountable nouns: they do not have a plural form (but there can be exceptions, e.g., a good knowledge of Italian), and they never take indefinite articles (a or an) as countable nouns do. Consider the following examples:

• ✔️ I had to write an essay about air pollution.
• ❌ I had to write an essay about an air pollution.

Uncountable nouns usually serve as names for material, substance, or process. They are usually abstract. They are either difficult or impossible to count as individual elements. Uncountable nouns are rarely used with an article, and they can be used with quantity adjectives, such as much or less but not with many and few.

• ✔️ In the winter we get less sunshine.
• ❌ In the winter we get few sunshine.
• ✔️ You do not need much experience to start working there.
• ❌ You do not need many experience to start working there.

Uncountable nouns are occasionally used in the same manner that plural countable nouns are, i.e., to refer to a specific object, group, or idea. Consider the following examples:

• ✔️ People have been using salt since the beginning of times.
• ❌ Pass me the salt, please.

The Difference Between Number and Amount

The terms "number" and "amount" are used to refer to the quantitative aspect of anything present and answer the questions of how many or how much. So, what is the distinction between these two terms in terms of our topic?

The difference between countable and uncountable nouns in English provides the answer. Although the terms 'number' and 'amount' are interchangeable, 'number' refers to items that can be counted, whilst amount refers to those that cannot be counted. How do you know when to use either? Pay close attention to the noun described.

The word ‘number’ is used to describe the quantitative aspect of countable nouns.

And as we already know, countable nouns name things that can be counted, e.g., a cup, a building, a dog. Accordingly, you can count the number of cups in a cupboard, talk about the number of buildings on the block, or count the number of cars on the street, etc.

The word ‘amount’ is used to describe the quantitative aspect of uncountable nouns.

Uncountable nouns are used for naming things that cannot be easily counted, e.g., water, money, creativity, wood, etc. For example, you can estimate the amount of money in your wallet or the amount of work you have to do for a project. Also, we usually use the word ‘number’ with plural nouns and the word ‘amount’ with singular nouns. Consider the following examples:

• ✔️ My friends bought tickets for a number of concerts.
• ❌ My friends bought tickets for an amount of concerts.
• ✔️ Richard had a small amount of money in his back pocket.
• ❌ Richard had a small number of money in his back pocket.
• ✔️ The amount of information I had to learn was overwhelming.
• ❌ The number of information I had to learn was overwhelming.

You should be able to tell the difference between countable and uncountable nouns by now. It is fine if you make a few mistakes at first. Just keep practicing on a daily basis, and you will see a lot of improvement!