Countable and Uncountable Nouns
Singular and Plural Nouns
Most singular nouns are made plural by adding an-s to their endings. It is very important to
distinguish between singular and plural nouns in your writing and ensure that if you are
referring to a plural noun, you have added the proper plural ending.
daughter
daughters
noun nouns
meaning
meanings
There are many exceptions to the “add –s” rule. Review the exceptions to keep them fresh in
your memory, particularly before handing in a writing assignment. This site provides a good
overview: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/plurals.htm
Note that there are some nouns that do not have the plural “s” attached to them to become
plural:
medium
media
-um changes to –a
atum
data
-um changes to –a
phenomenon
phenomena
-on changes to –a
Some nouns have the same form in both the singular and plural:
Deer
deer
Sheep
sheep
Moose
moose
fish
fish (fishes is also correct)
Some nouns appear to be plural in form but take a singular verb:
The news is good.
Gymnastics is hard on the body.
Economics/mathematics/statistics is said to be difficult.
Countable and Uncountable Nouns
Countable Nouns
Most countable nouns are separate things that can be counted:
apples
oranges
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Countable nouns have a singular and a plural form. When they are in the singular form, they
must always have a determiner preceding them, such as a, the, both, each.
When they are in the plural, they usually don’t need the determiner preceding them, unless you
think one will add necessary meaning:
Singular: I’m having a lesson.
Plural: I’m having lessons. I’m having several lessons.
Uncountable Nouns
Some uncountable nouns are things that are thought of as making up a quantity or a mass:
water
time
liquid
carbon
ice
land
There are some nouns that seem to be separate things that are countable, but they are not:
luggage
baggage
furniture
bureaucracy administration terrorism
information
research
equipment
nationalism
Uncountable nouns have only one form. They don’t need a determiner unless you think one will
add necessary meaning or you are being very specific:
The room is filled with furniture.
The furniture you bought last week has arrived.
Practice Sentences
A. Make the following nouns plural.
1. Datum
2. Fish
3. Cave
4. Box
5. Story
B. Indicate whether the following nouns are countable or uncountable
1. Tea
2. Office
3. Bread
4. Music
5. Hour
Answer Key
A. 1. Data
2. Fish or Fishes
B. 1. Tea-uncountable
4. Music –uncountable
3. Caves
2. Office – countable
5. Hour – countable
4. Boxes
5. Stories
3. Bread- uncountable
(Note: in everyday speech, uncountable nouns that refer to drinks, such as coffee, tea, juice,
etc. are sometimes used as countable nouns: “I ordered two teas.” This is a short form for
“two orders of tea” or “two cups of tea”. )
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