COUNT NOUNS AND NON-COUNT NOUNS

octubre 13, 2022

Count and non-count nouns vary from language to language. In some languages, there are no count nouns (e.g., Japanese). In addition, some nouns that are noncount in English may be countable in other languages (e.g., hair or information).

Errors with count and noncount nouns can result in errors with article usage and with subject verb agreement.

Count Nouns

What is a count noun?

Count nouns can be separated into individual units and counted. They usually have both a singular and a plural form. Most English nouns are count nouns.

one phone, two phones
one dog, two dogs
one shirt, two shirts

However, a few countable nouns only have a plural form in English. Here are a few examples:

clothes
pants
jeans
shorts
pajamas

These are often used with some sort of quantifier, or quantity word, to show how they are counted (e.g., "a pair of" pants, "two pairs of" pants, "some" pants).

How are count nouns made plural?

Count nouns are usually made plural by adding an "-s" or an "-es."

one boy, two boys
one folder, two folders
one box, two boxes
one church, two churches

If the noun ends in "-y," change the "-y" to "-ies" to make it plural.

one family, two families
one party, two parties

However, if a vowel precedes the "-y," add just an "-s" to make it plural.

one toy, two toys
one donkey, two donkeys

If the noun ends in "-o," add "-es" to make it plural.

one potato, two potatoes
one tomato, two tomatoes

If the noun ends in "-f" or "-fe," change the "-f" to a "-v" and add "-es."

one thief, two thieves
one hoof, two hooves

Some count nouns have irregular plural forms. Many of these forms come from earlier forms of English.

one foot, two feet
one person, two people
one tooth, two teeth
one criterion, two criteria

When unsure of the plural form, please consult the dictionary. An English learner’s dictionary (such as Merriam-Webster, Cambridge, Oxford, or Longman) may be the most useful.

Important: Singular count nouns must have a word in the determiner slot. This could be an article, a pronoun, or a possessive noun (i.e., "a," "an," "the," "this," or a possessive noun).

Non-count Nouns

What is a noncount noun?

Noncount (or uncountable) nouns exist as masses or abstract quantities that cannot be counted. They have no plural form. Although most English nouns are count nouns, noncount nouns frequently occur in academic writing.

Here are some common categories of noncount nouns. Like all things in English (and language in general), there may be exceptions.

A mass: work, equipment, homework, money, transportation, clothing, luggage, jewelry, traffic

A natural substance: air, ice, water, fire, wood, blood, hair, gold, silver

Food: milk, rice, coffee, bread, sugar, meat, water

An abstract concept: advice, happiness, health, education, research, knowledge, information, time

A game: soccer, tennis, basketball, hockey, football, chess, checkers

A disease: diabetes, measles, polio, influenza, malaria, hypothyroidism, arthritis

A subject of study: economics, physics, astronomy, biology, history, statistics

A language: Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, English

An activity (in the "-ing" form): swimming, dancing, reading, smoking, drinking, studying

Important: Noncount nouns do not use the indefinite articles "a" or "an." They can, however, use the definite article "the" if what is being referred to is specific. They can also use no article if what is being referred to is general (generic) or nonspecific.