English Grammar in Use With Answers » Unit 70: Countable and uncountable 2

Many nouns can be used as countable or uncountable nouns, usually with a difference in meaning. Compare:

CountableUncountable
Did you hear a noise just now? (= a specific noise)I can't work here. There's too much notse. (= noise in general)
I bought a paper to read. (= a newspaper)I need some paper to write on. (= material for writing on)
There's a hair in my soup! (= one single hair)You've got very long hair. (not hairs) (= all the hair on your head)
You can stay with us. There's a spare room. (= a room in a house)You can't sit here. There isn't room. (= space)
I had some interesting experiences while I was travelling. (= things that happened to me)They offered me the job because I had a lot of experience. (not experiences)
Enjoy your trip. Have a good time!I can't wait. I don't have time.

Coffee/tea/juice/beer etc. (drinks) are normally uncountable:
  • I don't like coffee very much.

But you can say a coffee (= a cup of coffee), two coffees (= two cups) etc. :
  • Two coffees and an orange juice, please.

The following nouns are usually uncountable:

  • accommodation
  • advice
  • baggage
  • behaviour
  • bread
  • chaos
  • damage
  • furniture
  • information
  • luck
  • luggage
  • news
  • permission
  • progress
  • scenery
  • traffic
  • weather
  • work

You cannot use a/an with these nouns:
  • I'm going to buy some bread. or ... a loaf of bread. (not a bread)
  • Enjoy your holiday! I hope you have good weather. (not a good weather)

These nouns are not usually plural (so we do not say 'breads', 'furnitures' etc.):
  • Where are you going to put all your furniture? (not furnitures)
  • Let me know if you need more information. (not informations)

News is uncountable, not plural:
  • The news was very depressing. (not The news were)

Travel (noun) means 'travelling in general' (uncountable). We do not say 'a travel' to mean a trip or a journey:
  • They spend a lot of money on travel.
  • We had a very good trip/journey. (not a good travel)

Compare these countable and uncountable nouns:

CountableUncountable
I'm looking for a job.I'm looking for work. (not a work)
What a beautiful view!What beautiful scenery!
It's a nice day today.It's nice weather today.
We had a lot of bags and cases.We had a lot of baggage/luggage.
These chairs are mine.This furniture is mine.
That's a good suggestion.That's good advice.

70.1 Which of the underlined parts of these sentences is correct?

  1. 'Did you hear noise / a noise just now?' 'No, I didn't hear anything.'
    • noise
    • a noise
  2. If you want to know the news, you can read paper / a paper.
    • paper
    • a paper
  3. I want to print some documents, but the printer is out of paper / papers.
    • paper
    • papers
  4. Light / A light comes from the sun.
    • Light
    • A light
  5. I thought there was somebody in the house because there was light / a light on inside.
    • light
    • a light
  6. I was in a hurry this morning. I didn't have time / a time for breakfast.
    • time
    • a time
  7. 'Did you have a good holiday?' 'Yes, we had wonderful time / a wonderful time.'
    • wonderful time
    • a wonderful time
  8. This is nice room / a nice room. Did you decorate it yourself?
    • nice room
    • a nice room
  9. Sue was very helpful. She gave us some very useful advice / advices.
    • advice
    • advices
  10. Did you have nice weather / a nice weather when you were away?
    • nice weather
    • a nice weather
  11. We were very unfortunate. We had bad luck / a bad luck.
    • bad luck
    • a bad luck
  12. Is it difficult to find a work / job at the moment?
    • work
    • job
  13. Our travel / journey from Paris to Moscow by train was very tiring.
    • travel
    • journey
  14. When the fire alarm rang, there was total chaos / a total chaos.
    • total chaos
    • a total chaos
  15. I had to buy a bread / some bread because I wanted to make some sandwiches.
    • a bread
    • some bread
  16. Bad news don't / doesn't make people happy.
    • don't
    • doesn't
  17. Your hair is / Your hairs are too long. You should have it cut.
    • Your hair is
    • Your hairs are
  18. The damage / The damages caused by the storm will cost a lot to repair.
    • The damage
    • The damages

70.2 Complete the sentences using the following words. Use the plural (-s) where necessary.

  • advice
  • chair
  • experience
  • expenence
  • furniture
  • hair
  • information
  • job
  • luggage
  • permission
  • progress
  • work
  1. I didn't have much - just two small bags.
  2. They'll tell you all you want to know. They'll give you plenty of __________ .
  3. There is room for everybody to sit down. There are plenty of __________ .
  4. We have no __________ , not even a bed or a table.
  5. 'What does Alan look like?' 'He's got a long beard and very short __________ .'
  6. Carla's English is better than it was. She's made __________ .
  7. Mike is unemployed. He can't get a __________ .
  8. Mike is unemployed. He can't get __________ .
  9. If you want to leave early, you have to ask for __________ .
  10. I didn't know what to do. So I asked Chris for __________ .
  11. I don't think Dan should get the job. He doesn't have enough __________ .
  12. Nicola has done many interesting things. She could write a book about her __________ .

70.3 What do you say in these situations? Use a word from Section B (luggage, weather etc.) in each sentence.

  1. Your friends have just arrived at the station. You can't see any cases or bags.
    You ask them: ?
  2. You go into the tourist office. You want to know about places to see in the town.
    You say: I'd like __________ .
  3. You are a student. You want your t eacher to advise you about which courses to do.
    You say: Can you give me __________ ?
  4. You want to watch the news on TV, but you don't know when it is on.
    You ask your friend : What time __________ ?
  5. You are at the top of a mountain. You can see a very long way. It's beautiful.
    You say: It __________ , isn't it.
  6. You look out of the window. The weather is horrible: cold, wet and windy.
    You say: What __________ !

Answer Key
Favorite Books
English Grammar Tests

PART A: 14 Elementary tests, 14 Pre-Intermediate tests, 8 Intermediate tests. Each test is specified on different grammar topics. PART B: 14 tests including Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate and Upper intermediate level grammar tests. Every test is focused on a different grammar topic. (2452 questions) PART C: 16 Multi-level grammar tests. Each test is specified on a different grammar topic. (1418 questions) PART D: 20 perfect multi-level grammar tests for assessment. (2000 questions) PART E: 6 Elementary, 5 Intermediate, 3 Advanced grammar tests. The formats of the tests are similar and the level gradually increases. (1400 questions)

Read more
Table of Contents