Nouns name people, places, things, and ideas: , , , . Almost every English sentence is built around nouns, so we begin here.
Countable and uncountable nouns
English divides nouns into two great families, and this division controls which articles, determiners, and verb forms you can use with them.
- Countable nouns
-
name things you can count. They have a singular and a plural form: ; .
- Uncountable (mass) nouns
-
name substances, materials, and abstract ideas that English treats as an undivided mass: . They have no plural and take a singular verb:
Uncountable nouns never take and never add . To count them, use a measure word: , , , .
Some nouns that are countable in other languages are uncountable in English. Learn these as a set:
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
Many nouns can be both countable and uncountable with different meanings: (= a cup of coffee) vs. (= the substance); (= a newspaper or an academic article) vs. (= the material); (= an event) vs. (= accumulated knowledge).
Regular and irregular plurals
Regular spelling rules
@L4.2cmL4.2cmL4.2cm@ Rule & Examples & Notes
Add & & the default
After : add & & adds a syllable: /iz/
Consonant + : change to & & but vowel + :
Many nouns in : change to & & but
Some nouns in : add & & but
Irregular plurals
Learned and borrowed words often keep foreign plurals, at least in formal writing: , , , , , , , .
is historically a plural (), and formal scientific writing often keeps it plural. In general and business English, singular () is now standard and unremarkable. Choose one pattern and be consistent.
The articles: , , and
Articles are the most frequent words in English, and among the hardest to master. The system rests on two questions: Is the noun specific and identifiable to the listener? Is it countable singular?
The indefinite article
Use with singular countable nouns when the listener does not yet know which one you mean, or when which one does not matter:
First mention:
Classifying / describing:
Meaning “any one”:
In measurements:
Choose or by sound, not spelling. Use before a vowel sound: . Use before a consonant sound: ( begins with the sound /j/, with /w/).
The definite article
Use when both speaker and listener can identify the exact referent:
Already mentioned:
Unique in context: (of our office), .
Defined by a following phrase: , .
With superlatives and ordinals: .
With some classes of proper names: rivers, seas, mountain ranges, deserts, and plural countries (), plus hotels, cinemas, newspapers ().
Zero article
Use no article (the ) with:
Plural and uncountable nouns used generally:
Most proper names:
Meals, languages, academic subjects, sports:
Institutions used for their purpose: (BrE), . Compare: (the building, not the institution).
\(\to\) (general abstract nouns take no article)
(meaning dogs in general) \(\to\)
\(\to\) (professions need )
(BrE, as a patient) \(\to\) (AmE keeps : )
Possession: and
Add to singular nouns and irregular plurals: (or — both are acceptable; be consistent).
Add only an apostrophe to regular plurals: .
Prefer for people, animals, organizations, and time expressions: .
Prefer for things and abstract relations: .
Exercises
Countable or uncountable? Decide whether the noun in bold is used countably (C) or uncountably (U).
Could I have two coffees, please?
Experience is the best teacher.
She gave me some excellent advice.
We need to buy new furniture.
I read an interesting paper on climate change.
There isn’t much news today.
Articles Fill each gap with , , , or — (no article).
My sister is
engineer; she works for
European company.
honesty is
best policy.
We flew over
Alps on our way to
Italy.
I had
breakfast at
hotel near
station.
water in this bottle tastes strange.
He goes to
work by
bus.
Plurals and possessives Correct the error in each sentence.
The childrens’ toys were all over the floor.
I have three sister-in-laws.
These phenomenons are difficult to explain.
We bought two breads and some milks.
My parent’s house is near the sea. (both parents)