count and noncount nouns: basic rules
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Count and Noncount Nouns: Basic Rules
A count noun is one that can be expressed in plural form, usually with an "s." For
example, "cat—cats," "season—seasons," "student—students."
A noncount noun is one that usually cannot be expressed in a plural form. For example,
"milk," "water," "air," "money," "food." Usually, you can't say, "He had many moneys."
Some/Any: Some and any can be used with countable and uncountable nouns.
• "There is some water on the floor."
• "There are some students here."
• "Do you have any food?"
• "Do you have any apples?"
Much/Many: Much modifies only uncountable nouns. Many modifies only countable
nouns.
• "We don't have much time to get this done."
• "Many Americans travel to Europe."
Little/Few: Little modifies only uncountable nouns. Few modifies only countable
nouns.
• "He had little food in the house."
• "The doctor had little time to think in the emergency room."
• "There are few doctors in town."
• "Few students like exams."
Generally speaking, noncount nouns refer to things that can't be counted because they
are thought of as wholes that can't be cut into parts. They often refer to abstractions and
occasionally have a collective meaning (for example, furniture).
Examples:
anger
courage
progress
furniture
education
weather
warmth
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leisure
precision
Example sentences:
• I dove into the water. (How many waters did you dive into? The question doesn't
make any sense; therefore, water is noncountable.)
• I saw the milk spill. (How many milks? Milk cannot be counted.)
• I admired the foliage. (How many “foliages”? Foliage cannot be counted.)
Think of the batter from which a cake is made. Before you put the batter into the oven, it
can't be divided into parts because it's a thick liquid. Once it has been baked, it becomes
solid enough to be cut into pieces. Noncount nouns are like cake batter; count nouns
are like pieces of cake.
An Exception to the Rule
For a number of nouns, the rule needs slight revision. Certain nouns in English belong
to both classes: they have both a noncount and a count meaning. Normally the noncount
meaning is abstract and general and the count meaning concrete and specific. Compare:
Count
• I've had some difficulties finding a job. (refers to a number of specific problems)
• The talks will take place in the Krannert building. (refers to a number of specific
lectures)
• The city was filled with bright lights and harsh sounds. (refers to a number of
specific lights and noises)
Noncount
• She succeeded in school with little difficulty. (refers to the general idea of
school being difficult)
• I dislike idle talk. (refers to talking in general)
• Light travels faster than sound. (refers to the way light and sound behave in
general)
Note: A special case of the use of noncount nouns in a count sense has to do with
classification. Sometimes a usually noncount noun can be understood as one item separate
and distinct from other items of the same category. The nouns that function in this way
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often denote foods and beverages: food(s), drink(s), wine(s), bread(s), coffee(s), fruit(s),
and so on. Examples:
• There are several French wines to choose from. (= kinds of wine)
• I prefer Sumatran coffees to Colombian. (= kinds of coffee)
• We use a variety of different batters in our bakery. (= kinds of batter)
Pluralizes with -s Doesn't Pluralize
Count Noun XX
Count Use XX
Noncount Noun XX
Noncount Use XX
Articles
The following chart shows which articles go with which kinds of nouns. Notice that this,
that, these, and those have been included because, like the, they mark the noun that they
modify as definite, which means that the noun refers 1) to a unique individual or 2) to
some person, event, or object known to both the writer and reader from their general
knowledge or from what has been previously mentioned in a piece of writing.
a, an the this, that these,
those no article
Count singular XX XX XX
Count plural XX XX XX
Noncount XX XX XX
Examples:
Count Singular:
I ate an apple.
I rode the bus.
Does she live in this house? No, she lives in that house over there.
Count Plural:
I like to feed the birds.
Do you want these books? No, I want those books up there.
Cats are interesting pets.
Noncount:
The water is cold.
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This milk is going sour.
Music helps me relax.
Quantity Terms
The following chart shows which quantity words go with which kinds of nouns. Note that
quantity words can be used in combinations such as many more, many fewer, much more,
and much less, any of which can be preceded by how to form questions or relative clauses.
Negatives like not and no can also be applied to many of these terms.
much, less,
little, a
little, very
little
some, any,
most, more,
all, a lot of,
no, none of
the
many, both,
several,
few/fewer/fewest,
a few, one of the,
a couple of
each, every,
any, one
Count singular XX
Count plural XX XX
Noncount XX XX
Examples:
Count Singular:
I practice every day.
I'd like one donut, please.
Count Plural:
Can I have some chips?
She has a lot of books, and many are autographed.
I have fewer pencils than you.
Noncount:
Can I have some water?
She has a lot of strength, and much is due to her upbringing.
I have less courage than you.
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Abstract nouns are uncountable.
The price of freedom is constant vigilance.
Her writing shows maturity and intelligence.
Some concrete nouns are uncountable (when understood in their undivided sense).
The price of oil has stabilized recently.
May I borrow some rice?
While uncountable nouns do not generally take a plural form, sometimes they may be
pluralized when used in a countable sense. The difference between the uncountable and
countable meanings of nouns that are used in either sense can be seen in the following
chart:
Uncountable Sense Countable Sense
Art is often called limitation of
life.
I read a book aout the
folkarts of Sweden.
Life is precious. A cat has nine lives.
Religion has been a powerful
force in history.
Many religions are practiced in
the United States.
She has beautiful skin. The hull of a kayak is made of
animal skins.
Dr. Moulton is an expert in
ancient Greek sculpture.
We have several sculptures in
our home.
We use only recycled paper in
our office.
Where are those
important papers?
Categories of Uncountable Nouns
Abstract Material Generic Non-Plurals with -s
advice
help
information
knowledge
trouble
work
enjoyment
fun
meat
rice
bread
cake
coffee
ice cream
water
oil
fruit
wildlife
equipment
machinery
furniture
luggage
jewelry
mathematics
economics
physics
civics
ethics
mumps
measles
news
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recreation
relaxation
grass
hair
clothing
money
tennis
(other games)
Plurals of English nouns taken from Latin or Greek
Words with two plurals
English has borrowed many common words from Latin and Greek, such
as amoeba, appendix, aquarium, criterion, referendum, syllabus, and virus. In
their original language the plurals of such words followed that language’s rules:
the Latin plural of aquarium is aquaria, the Greek plural of criterion is criteria, and
so forth. However, most of these words also form regular plurals in English by
adding an -s, e.g. aquariums, referendums, syllabuses.
Which form to use?
As a rule of thumb, the Latin-style plural is appropriate to formal, scientific, or
technical writing, while the English plural is better suited to everyday language.
Rock guitarists use plectrums, and might be ridiculed if they called them plectra.
Choosing to use the Latin plural form when an English one is also available
can smack of pretentiousness or pomposity, as when talking of online fora rather
than forums.
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Common words with both forms
When deciding which to choose, it is important to bear in mind the context in
which it will appear, as outlined above.
SINGULAR PLURAL
addendum addendums or addenda
aquarium aquariums or aquaria
gymnasium gymnasiums or gymnasia
maximum maximums or maxima
memorandum memorandums or memoranda
minimum minimums or minima
moratorium moratoriums or moratoria
referendum referendums or referenda
Though both curricula and curriculums are used, the first is found rather more
frequently.
Common words with plural in -uses
SINGULAR PLURAL
caucus caucuses
f(o)etus f(o)etuses
hiatus hiatuses
phallus phalluses
prospectus prospectuses
sinus sinuses
virus viruses
Both syllabuses and syllabi are used, but the first is used more often in World
English, while the second is often used in American English.
The plural of octopus is another special case.
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Latin plurals only
The following words always take the Latin plural:
• alga => algae
• desideratum => desiderata
• larva => larvae
• nucleus => nuclei
Special cases
For a very small group of words, the choice of plural depends on the subject
field: e.g. appendixes in surgery and zoology but appendices in books. In
scientific work foci, formulae, indices, and vortices are regularly used, but in
general writing the ordinary plural forms in -sand -es are more usual.
Be careful with...
Three words have plurals which are regularly used as singulars in a way that
many people will consider a mistake:
SINGULAR PLURAL
criterion criteria
stratum strata
phenomenon phenomena