Countable and uncountable nouns

Nouns can be countable (those that can be counted) or uncountable (those that can’t be counted). Uncountable nouns take a singular verb. The most common uncountable nouns are:

• Mass nouns: fluids (blood, tea, coffee, milk etc), solids (bread, butter, china, coal, food, fruit, glass, ice, iron, fish [meaning food], etc), gasses (air, oxygen, pollution, smoke, smog, etc), particles (corn, dust, flour, hair, pepper, rice, salt, sand, etc).

• Subjects of study: chemistry, economics, literature, mathematics, physics, etc.

• Languages: Chinese, English, French, etc.

• Games: billiards, chess, golf, soccer, tennis, etc.

• Diseases: flu, measles, mumps, etc.

• Natural phenomena: darkness, hail, heat, rain (but: the rains = season of continuous rain in tropical countries), humidity, thunder, snow, etc.

• Some abstract nouns: accommodation, advice, anger, applause, assistance, behaviour, business, chaos, countryside, courage, damage, dirt, education, evidence, housework, homework, information, intelligence, knowledge, luck, music, news, peace, progress, seaside, shopping, traffic, trouble, truth, wealth, work, etc.

• Collective nouns: baggage, cutlery, furniture, jewellery, luggage, machinery, money, rubbish, stationery, etc.

• Many uncountable nouns can be made countable by adding a partitive: a piece of paper/cake/advice/information/furniture; a slice/loaf of bread; a(n) item/piece of news, etc.

• Some nouns take only a plural verb. These are objects consisting of two parts: garments (pyjamas, trousers, etc), tools (scissors, etc), instruments (binoculars, compasses, spectacles, etc), or nouns such as: arms, ashes, barracks, clothes, congratulations, earnings, (good) looks, outskirts, people, police, premises, riches, stairs, surroundings, wages, etc.

• Group nouns refer to a group of people. These nouns can take either a singular or a plural verb depending on whether we see the group as a whole or as individuals. Such group nouns are: army, audience, class, club, committee, company, council, crew, crowd, headquarters, family, jury, government, press, public, staff, team, etc.

The team was the best. (the team as a group)

The team were all given medals. (each member separately as individuals)

• With expressions of duration, distance or money meaning ‘a whole amount’ we use a singular verb: Two years is long to wait. Three miles is a long way to go. Nine thousand pounds is a high price to pay.

Test 6. Fill in: is or are. 1. Your trousers _____ in the wardrobe.

2. Where______ his scissors?

3. There_____ a lecture on history today.

4. The shopping________ heavy.

5. Where_____ my gloves?

6. This information______ correct.

7. His hair_____ brown.

8. My socks_____ in the drawer.

9. Our furniture_____ very cheap.

10. His accommodation_____ luxurious.

11. Evidence_____ needed before the trial can continue.

12. The news_____ very exciting.

13. Mumps_____ a common illness among children.

14. My glasses_____ on the table.

15. Chinese_____ difficult to learn.

16. Where_____ the kitchen scales?

17. Billiards_____ a popular game.

18. His work_____ very interesting.

19. People_____ starving in some countries.

20. Education_____ the key to his success.

Test 7. Fill in: is or are. 1. Where_____ your trousers?

2. Could you tell me where_____ the scissors?

3. Tonight, there _____ athletics on TV.

4. Money_____ easy to spend and difficult to save.

5. Gloves_____ worn in cold weather.

6. This student’s knowledge_____ amazing.

7. Love_____ reason for much happiness.

8. This bread_____ stale.

9. Your jeans_____ on the chair.

10. His baggage_____ too heavy to carry.

11. Her advice _____ very interesting.

12. Mathematics_____ his favourite subject.

13. Measles_____ a common illness.

14. The glasses_____ on the table.

15. My sister’s hair_____ long.

16. Their bathroom scales_____ quite accurate.

17. Darts _____ a popular game in Britain.

18. This work_____ too hard.

19. People_____ unhappy with the new tax system.

20. The police_____ near.

Test 8. Choose the correct form of the verb. 1. Economics (is/are) his favourite subject.

2. The trousers he bought for her (doesn’t/don’t) fit her.

3. The police (want/wants) to interview men about the robbery.

4. Physics (was/were) my best subject at school.

5. Can I borrow your scissors? Mine (isn’t/aren’t) sharp enough.

6. The news (wasn’t/weren’t) as bad as we expected.

7. Where (does/do) your family live?

8. Four days (isn’t/aren’t) long enough for a good holiday.

9. He can’t find his binoculars. Do you know where (it is/they are)?

10. Do you think the people (is/are) happy with the government?

11. (Does/Do) the police know how the accident happened?

12. She doesn’t like hot weather. Twenty‑eight degrees (is/are) too warm for her.

13. The staff at school (is/are) not happy with their new working conditions.

14. Thirty thousand pounds (was/were) stolen in the robbery.

15. Two years (is/are) a long time to be without job.

16. Five miles (is/are) a long way to walk every day.

17. I need more money. Six pounds (is/are) not enough.

18. These species (is/are) very rare.

19. My hair (is/are) dark brown.

20. His watch (need/needs) repairing.

Test 9. Choose the correct form of the verb. 1. All of her belongings (was/were) in a suitcase.

2. Athletics (is/are) very popular nowadays.

3. Aerobics (do/does) people a lot of good.

4. Chocolate (makes/make) you put on weight.

5. Most people (enjoy/enjoys) Easter.

6. The money she makes (is/are) enough for her.

7. The police (is/are) looking for the murderer.

8. His good looks (get/gets) him what he wants.

9. The government (is/are) passing new laws.

10. Her knowledge of English (is/are) very good.

11. Measles, which (is/are) a children’s disease, (is/are) dangerous for adults.

12. The audience (was/were) given free tickets.

13. The economics (is/are) very interesting.

14. His death (was/were) a great shock.

15. Fish (is/are) easy to look after as pets.

16. Radio news (give/gives) us less information than television news.

17. The stairs to the ground floor (was/were) over there.

18. The information (was/were) very helpful.

19. His glass (is/are) on the table.

20. There (is/are) toast on the dish.