Countable and incountable

A noun can be countable or uncountable.

Countable
- I eat a banana every day
- I like bananas


Banana is countable noum

A countable noun can be singular –banana- or plural –bananas.

We can use numbers with countable nouns. So we can say “one banana” “two bananas” etc

Examples of nouns ussually countable

- Kate was singing a song
- There’s a nice beach near here
- Do you have a ten-pound note?
- It wasn’t your fault. It was an accident
- There are no batteries in the radio
- We haven’t got enough cups.


We can use “a” or “an” with singular countable nouns.

- a beach
- a student
- an umbrella

You can not use singular countable nouns alone (without a/the/my etc)

- I want a banana (never I want banana)
- There’s been an accident ( never there’s been accident)

You can use plural countable nouns alone

- I like bananas
- Accidents can be prevented

You can use some and any with plural countable nouns

- We sang some songs
- Did you buy any apples?

We use many and few with plural countable nouns

- We didn’t take many photographs
- I have a few things to do


Uncountable nouns

- I eat rice every day
- I like rice

Rice is an uncountable noun

An uncountable noun has oonly one form – rice-

We cannot use numbers with uncountable nouns. We cannot say “one rice” “two rice”

Exemples of nouns usually uncountable:

- Kate was listening to music
- There’s sand in my shoes
- Do you have any money?
- It wasn’t your fault. It ws bad luck
- There is no electricity in this house
- We haven’t got enough water

You cannot normaly use a/an with uncountable nouns.
We dont say “a sand” “a music” “a rice”

But you can often use a ... of
For exemple
A bowl- a packet- a grain of rice

You can use uncountable nouns alone – without the-my-some

- I eat rice every day
- There’s blood on your shirt
- Can you hear music?

You can use some and any with uncountable nouns

- We listened to some music
- Did you buy any apple juice?

We use much and little with uncountable nouns

- We didn’t do much shopping
- I hava a little work to do