Noncount 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/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. Please see our page on article usage for more information.

Quantity Words

With countable singular nouns (e.g., computer, pen, crayon) use:

• each
  • each computer
• every
  • every computer
• another
  • another computer

With countable plural nouns (e.g., printers, flashdrives, and keyboards) use:

• several
  • several printers
• a large/small number of
  • a large number of printers
  • a small number of printers
• (not/too) many
  • not many printers
  • too many printers
  • many printers
• a few*
  • a few printers
• (very) few*
  • very few printers
  • few printers
• fewer
  • fewer printers

With uncountable (non-count) nouns (e.g., paper or ink) use :

• a great deal of
  • a great deal of paper
• a large/small amount of
  • a large amount of paper
  • a small amount of paper
• (not/too) much
  • not much paper
  • too much paper
  • much paper
• a little*
  • a little paper
• (very) little*
  • very little paper
  • little paper
• less
  • less paper

With both countable (count) plural nouns and with uncountable (non-count) nouns (e.g., printers, flashdrives, keyboards; paper, or ink):

• some
  • some printers
  • some ink
• any
  • any printers
  • any ink
• a lot of
  • a lot of printers
  • a lot of ink
• hardly any
  • hardly any printers
  • hardly any ink
• (almost) all
  • (almost) all printers
  • (almost) all ink
• no
  • no printers
  • no ink
• none of
  • none of the printers
  • none of the ink
• not any
  • not any printers
  • not any ink
• other
  • other printers
  • other ink

*Note the difference between few/little (almost none) and a few/a little (some, but not many/much). Few/little tend to have a negative connotation. A few/a little tend to be more positive.

• There are few solutions. (There are not many solutions.)
• There are a few solutions. (There are some solutions.)
• He received little education. (He did not receive much education.)
• He received a little education. (He received some education.)

Download the text: Basic English Grammar. (It's a free download.)

Review sections 4-6 to 4-9 on pages 141 to 156.

Watch: http://www.azargrammar.com/materials/beg/BEG03_PowerPoint.html

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