COUNT AND

NONCOUNT
NOUNS

TECHNICAL ENGLISH I
TEACHER JAIME
MORALES

BY: YANITZA DELGADO

AND
MAYIDA
ABDELRAHIM

RECOGNIZE COUNT
Many nouns have both singular and plural forms. f you can add
a number to the front of a noun and put ansat the end of it,
you have acountnoun. Check out these examples:
Beatrice offered Jeremy a chocolate-chip cookie.
Jeremy, an impolite pig, grabbed all seventeen cookies off of
the plate.

RECOGNIZE NONCOUNT
NOUN
Some nouns, however, have only a singular form; you cannot
add a number to the front or ansto the end of these words.
This group of nouns is callednoncount.
Read the following examples:
After two months of rainstorms, Fred carries his umbrella
everywhere in anticipation of more bad weather.
Rainstorms = count noun; weather = noncount noun.

USING QUANTITY ADJECTIVES

AND ARTICLES

Some, Any
The wordssomeandanyare used when the speaker cannot
specify or does not need/want to specify a number or an exact
amount.
There aresome applesin the table. (countable)
There issome milkon the refrigerator. (uncountable)
Did you eatany cake? (uncountable)

Much, Many
When we use themas adjective, we always put a noun
after them directly, which shows the quantity.
The school hasmanyactivitiesfor students.
Drunk driving causesmanyaccidents.
Teddy eats toomuchjunk food.

A lot of, Lots of

A lot ofandlots ofhave the same meaning: they both meana large amount
or number of people or things.
His boldness in business has won him lots of money, but cost him lots of
friends.(uncountable)
Nuclear power plants produce a lot of dangerous waste. (countable)

A little bit of, Quite a bit of

These informal phrases usually precede uncountable nouns.Quite a bitof
has the same meaning asquite a littleand is used more commonly.
Teddy eatsa little bitcheeseandbreadat breakfast.
George made quite a bit of money in his first business, but instead of
retiring young, he went on to make quite a lot more. (meaning "a large
amount")

Little, Quite a little, Few, Quite a few

Littleandquite a little modify only uncountable nouns.

Do you have have a little time to get out and go shopping?

Do you have have quite a little time to get out and go shopping?
Fewandquite a fewmodify only countable nouns.

Few of problems can be solved today.

Quite a few restaurantsin this town offer vegetarian dishes. (meaning
"a large number")

Enough
Enough can qualify an adjective or an adverb or it can go with a noun
or even act as a pronoun.

She isnt tall enough to be a ballet dancer.

Plenty of
We use plentyin informal styles to talk about quantities, amounts and
degree.
Dont worry, Ive gotplenty. (plenty of money).
Theres no need to rush. Weve gotplenty oftime.

No
A common words we use to indicate negation.We usenobefore a
noun phrase.
I have no time to waste it in love.

CATEGORIES OF UNCONTABLE
NOUN
Abstract

Material

Generic

Non-Plurals with
-s

advice
help
information
knowledge
trouble
work
enjoyment
fun
recreation
relaxation

meat
rice
bread
cake
coffee
ice cream
water
oil
grass
hair

fruit
wildlife
equipment
machinery
furniture
mail
luggage
jewelry
clothing
money

mathematics
economics
physics
civics
ethics
mumps
measles
news
tennis
(other games)