Count and Non-count Nouns

pen, pens house, houses
furniture homework
information

English nouns are either count or non-count.

  1. Count nouns have singular and plural forms and can be counted.
    word, words baby, babies computer, computers
    pen, pens shoe, shoes house, houses
    box, boxes dish, dishes child, children

  2. Non-count nouns (mass nouns) don't take plural forms and are measureable but not countable. These nouns are always considered singular. The most common categories of non-count nouns are listed below with examples in each category.

    • Objects with no definite shape:
    coffee air wool
    baggage luggage furniture
    jewelry

    • Abstract ideas, qualities or concepts:
    beauty knowledge advice
    education information homework
    peace time help

    • Fields of activity or study:
    music dancing teaching
    mathematics physics basketball


  3. Be aware that in some cases, a noun may be used as a count or a non-count noun, depending on the intended meaning.

    Jose drinks coffee for breakfast each morning. (NC--general category)
    Juan ordered two coffees to go because he was in a hurry. (C--specific number)


If you are a CLC student and would like more practice with count and non-count nouns, stop by the Writing Center and ask for an exercise. Or, if you prefer, request an exercise via email (writingcenter@clconline.clc.cc.il.us), and we'll send it to you as an email attachment. Please include your name and CLC course when writing to us.


©1999 L. Holden
CLC Writing Center