Uncountable nouns and their countable equivalents
May 3rd, 2010 in English Grammar, English Learning
Uncountable nouns are the names of objects, liquids or abstract ideas which we do not see as separate objects. Most uncountable nouns are singular with no plural forms. We do not use numbers with uncountable nouns.
For example, we say water, but not a water or two waters. Similarly we say, gold, but not a gold or two golds.
Nouns which are countable in English may be uncountable in some other languages. Similarly, nouns which are uncountable in English may be countable in some other languages. For example, the noun grapes is countable in English, but uncountable in many other languages.
Here is a list of some common uncountable nouns. Corresponding countable equivalents are also given.
Accommodation (uncountable) – a place to live (countable equivalent) (NOT an accommodation)
Advice – a piece of advice (NOT an advice)
Baggage – a piece of baggage or a case / bag / trunk
Bread – a piece of bread or a loaf or a roll
Chess – a game of chess
Equipment – a piece of equipment or a tool
Furniture – a piece or article of furniture
Grass – a blade of grass
Information – a piece of information
Knowledge – a fact
Lightning – a flash of lightning
Luck – a bit of luck or a stroke of luck
Thunder – a clap of thunder
Work – a piece of work or a job
Research – a piece of research
Rubbish – a piece of rubbish
Money – a note, a coin or a sum
Progress – a step forward
Publicity – an advertisement
Poetry – a poem
News – a piece of news