Transcription
Countable and uncountable nouns.
Jessica eats an apple every day. She loves apples. Apple is a countable noun. We can count apples. We can say: an apple, two apples, three apples...
Countable nouns are nouns we can count. They have a singular and a plural form: apple, apples. We use "a", "an" or a number before a countable noun: an apple, three apples. With countable nouns we can use a singular verb or a plural verb: This apple is delicious. These apples are delicious.
Emily drinks milk every morning. She likes milk. "Milk" is an uncountable noun. We can not count milk. We can not say: a milk or ten milks.
Uncountable nouns we can't count. Uncountable nouns are also called non-countable nouns, non-count nouns and mass nouns. They have only a singular form. We can't use "a", "an" or a number before an uncountable noun. Uncountable nouns always use a singular verb. Milk is white. Milk is uncountable, so we must use a singular verb.
To count or quantify an uncountable noun we use a unit of measurement. A measure word. For example, we can not usually say two breads because bread is uncountable. But we can say two loaves of bread or two slices of bread. "Loaf" and "slice" are two measure words we can use for bread.
We can measure sugar and other powders in kilograms: a kilogram of sugar. We can also measure sugar in packets: two packets of sugar. Other measure words you can use with uncountable nouns are:
* piece: a piece of cake.
* spoon: two teaspoons of sugar.
Liquids and gases can also be made countable by counting the containers they are in or by using a unit of measure. For example: a glass of water, two bottles of juice. Water and juice are uncountable nouns. We are not counting them; we are counting the containers they are in.
I've already drunk two coffees this morning. The country produces hundreds of different cheeses. Sometimes an uncountable noun is used in plural form. This is usually connected to drinks or materials. It usually means: cups of, bottles of or types of. Cups of coffee, different types of cheese.
Countable nouns can be grouped as follows:
* Powder or grains: rice, salt, flour, sand, cheese, cake etc...
* Liquids and gases: soup, tea, coffee, water, smoke, fog.
* Materials: wood, steel, gold, paper, wool, cotton.
* Data and abstracts: love, luck, education, intelligence, information, advice.
* Grouped ideas or concepts: fruit, money, food, news, luggage.
* Subjects: maths, science, economics, English.
* Energy: heat, cold, light, sunshine.