Count / Noncount Nouns
Referring to Mass Nouns or Units
Count or Noncount Nouns?
A large number of nouns can be counted,
but others cannot because the item is too small, is too spread out,
is part of a group, or is abstract (exists in the mind.)
| Noncount Nouns (singular) | Count Nouns (singular or plural) |
|---|---|
A group or collective noun |
An item in the group |
|
|
Noncount nouns:
Not countable because they are too small to count, or they are particles, liquids, gases, concepts or activities.
| CATEGORIES | EXAMPLES WITHIN |
|---|---|
| fluids / liquids |
water, coffee, tea, milk, oil, gasoline, wine |
| solids |
ice, bread, butter, cheese, meat, gold, chalk silver, glass |
| gases |
air, oxygen, nitrogen, smoke, smog, pollution, steam |
| particles |
rice, corn, dirt, dust, flour, sugar, grass, hair, pepper, salt |
| collective nouns (grouped items) |
baggage, luggage, clothing, furniture, food, fruit, money, traffic, garbage, scenery, junk, mail, jewelry, homework, housework, work, grammar, slang, vocabulary |
| abstractions |
happiness, health, love, fun, help, honesty, peace, progress, beauty knowledge, justice, intelligence, luck music, time, space, energy, mass, gravity |
| languages |
Arabic, French, Spanish, English, Portuguese |
language study |
grammar, slang, vocabulary |
| fields of study |
chemistry, engineering, art, philosophy, science, law |
| recreation |
basketball, soccer, baseball, dance |
| activities (gerunds) |
sleeping, driving, writing, studying, swimming, studying, rock climbing, sky diving |
| natural phenomena |
weather, fog, heat, humidity, lightning, rain, snow, thunder, wind, darkness, light, sunshine, electricity, fire |
| varieties: |
They have four kinds of eggplants. All the fishes in the sea need clean water. |
| common mistakes: |
I
have a lot of homeworks to do. |
Fruit vs. Fruits
Dialectal
variations occur for the noun "fruit".
The same
variations occur with: grapefruit,
breadfruit and eggplant.
| SINGULAR PREFERENCE | DIALECTAL VARIATION |
|---|---|
Most speakers prefer the singular form (below): |
Preferences vary
with the phrase "fruit(s) and vegetables": |
Fruit
is delicious in the summertime. |
I
have to buy some fruit and
vegetables. |
The items within the category "fruit" are countable. (no variation)
| SINGULAR | PLURAL |
|---|---|
This cantaloupe is delicious. |
These cantaloupes are delicious. |
This grape is sweet. |
These grapes are sweet. |
Practice
Add the group noun or the singular noun depending on the context of the sentence.
- Select an answer from the menu.
- Then, check your answer.
The group noun "meat" may consist of several "steaks".
Meat is not countable.
A steak is / steaks are countable. (a chop, a roast, a slice, a cut)
Index Grammar-Quizzes | Previous Final -S Practice | Next Count / Noncount Practice