Countable 

and 

uncountable 

Words

Uncountable Nouns 

Uncountable nouns are substances, concepts etc that we cannot divide into separate 
elements. We cannot "count" them. For example, we cannot count "milk". We can 
count "bottles of milk" or "litres of milk", but we cannot count "milk" itself. Here are 
some more uncountable nouns: 

•

music, art, love, happiness 

•

advice, information, news 

•

furniture, luggage 

•

rice, sugar, butter, water 

•

electricity, gas, power 

•

money, currency 

We usually treat uncountable nouns as singular. We use a singular verb. For example: 

•

This

 news 

is

 very important. 

•

Your luggage 

looks

 heavy. 

We do not usually use the indefinite article 

a/an

 with uncountable nouns. We cannot 

say "an information" or "a music". But we can say 

a something of

: 

•

a piece of

 news 

•

a bottle of

 water 

•

a grain of

 rice 

We can use 

some

 and 

any

 with uncountable nouns: 

•

I've got 

some

 money. 

•

Have you got 

any

 rice? 

We can use 

a little

 and 

much

 with uncountable nouns: 

•

I've got 

a little

 money. 

•

I haven't got 

much

 rice.