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American English Grammar
Non-countable noun
Learning objectives
  • Learn the definition of a non-countable noun
  • Study examples of non-countable nouns
Definition of a non-countable noun
  • A non-countable noun:

    • is a word used to describe a something that cannot be counted

    • does not have a plural form

    • is also called a non-count noun, uncountable noun, or a mass noun

    • is similar to a collective noun and the opposite of a countable noun

Examples of non-countable nouns
  • I know the importance of learning English.

  • I would like the opportunity to study abroad.

  • Please check your baggage at the counter.

  • Coffee smells best in the morning.

  • She usually eats a lot of ice cream during the summer.

  • The fog became very thick.

  • The following words are non-countable nouns (abstract nouns)

    • advice, afterthought, anger, art, beauty, behavior, business, childhood, confidence, courage, crime, democracy, education, energy, enjoyment, entertainment, freedom, friendship, fun, grammar, hate, hatred, happiness, health, help, history, homework, honesty, importance, information, insurance, intelligence, interest, justice, knowledge, laughter, law, life, love, luck, music, news, noise, opportunity, patience, peace, permission, politics, practice, pride, progress, proof, responsibility, schizophrenia, secrecy, slang, sleep, time, traffic, travel, trouble, truth, unemployment, violence, vocabulary, wealth, work

  • The following words are non-countable nouns (mass nouns)

    • baggage, cash, change (money), clothing, equipment, food, fruit, furniture, garbage, homework, jewelry, junk, luggage, machinery, mail, make-up, money, postage, silverware, stuff, traffic, trash, vocabulary

  • The following words are non-countable nouns (liquid substances)

    • beer, coffee, cream, gasoline, honey, juice, ketchup, lotion, milk, oil, salad dressing, sauce, shampoo, soda, soup, syrup, tea, vinegar, water, wine

      • Note: liquid substances are non-countable nouns but can be counted with an appropriate unit of measure

        • ie: glasses of milk

  • The following words are non-countable nouns (solid substances)

    • bacon, beef, bread, broccoli, butter, cabbage, cake, candy, cereal, celery, chalk, cheese, chicken (meat), chocolate, corn, cotton, detergent, dirt, dust, film, fish, flour, food, garlic, glass, gold, grass, hair, hamburger (meat), ice, ice cream, lettuce, meat, paper, pasta, pepper, pizza, pork, rice, salt, sand, seafood, silver, spaghetti, spinach, soap, sugar, toothpaste, wheat, wood, yogurt

      • Note: solid substances are non-countable nouns but can be counted with an appropriate unit of measure

        • ie: spoonfuls of rice

  • The following words are non-countable nouns (natural and physical environment)

    • air, carbon dioxide, cold, darkness, electricity, fire, fog, heat, humidity, light, lightning, mist, oxygen, rain, scenery, smog, smoke, snow, sunshine, temperature, thunder, warmth, weather, wind

  • The following words are non-countable nouns (activities)

    • athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, billiards, bowling, boxing, camping, cards, chess, conversation, cooking, cycling, dancing, darts (game), driving, football, golf, gymnastics, hiking, jogging, poker, reading, running, sailing, singing, soccer, shopping, slating, skiing, studying swimming, surfing, tennis, traveling, volleyball, walking, wrestling

  • The following words are non-countable nouns (school majors)

    • accounting, art, astronomy, biology, business, chemistry, civics, economics, engineering, geography, geometry, history, journalism, linguistics, literature, mathematics, music, nutrition, physics, psychology, science, sociology, speech, writing

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