COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

COUNTABLE NOUNS

Countable nouns are for things we can count using numbers. They have a singular and a plural form. The singular form can use the determiner "a" or "an". If you want to ask about the quantity of a countable noun, you ask "How many?" combined with the plural countable noun.

Singular	Plural
one dog	two dogs
one horse	two horses
one man	two men
one idea	two ideas
one shop	two shops

Examples

Anything that can be counted, whether singular – a dog, a house, a friend, etc. or plural – a few books, lots of oranges, etc. is a countable noun. The following countable noun examples will help you to see the difference between countable and uncountable nouns. Notice that singular verbs are used with singular countable nouns, while plural verbs are used with plural countable nouns.

1.       There are at least twenty Italian restaurants in Little Italy.

2.       Megan took a lot of photographs when she went to the Grand Canyon.

3.       Your book is on the kitchen table.

4.       How many candles are on that birthday cake?

5.       You have several paintings to study in art appreciation class.

6.       There’s a big brown dog running around the neighborhood.

UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

Uncountable nouns are for the things that we cannot count with numbers. They may be the names for abstract ideas or qualities or for physical objects that are too small or too amorphous to be counted (liquids, powders, gases, etc.). Uncountable nouns are used with a singular verb. They usually do not have a plural form.

EXAMPLES

• tea
• sugar
• water
• air
• rice
• knowledge
• beauty
• anger
• fear
• love
• money
• research
• safety
• evidence

We cannot use a/an with these nouns. To express a quantity of an uncountable noun, use a word or expression like some, a lot of, much, a bit of, a great deal of , or else use an exact measurement like a cup of, a bag of, 1kg of, 1L of, a handful of, a pinch of, an hour of, a day of. If you want to ask about the quantity of an uncountable noun, you ask "How much?"

EXAMPLES

• There has been a lot of research into the causes of this disease.
• He gave me a great deal of advice before my interview.
• Can you give me some information about uncountable nouns?
• He did not have much sugar left.
• Measure 1 cup of water, 300g of flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
• How much rice do you want?

TRICKY SPOTS

Some nouns are countable in other languages but uncountable in English. They must follow the rules for uncountable nouns. The most common ones are:
accommodation, advice, baggage, behavior, bread, furniture, information, luggage, news, progress, traffic, travel, trouble, weather, work

EXAMPLES

• I would like to give you some advice.
• How much bread should I bring?
• I didn't make much progress today.
• This looks like a lot of trouble to me.
• We did an hour of work yesterday.

Be careful with the noun hair which is normally uncountable in English, so it is not used in the plural. It can be countable only when referring to individual hairs.

EXAMPLES

• She has long blond hair.
• The child's hair was curly.
• I washed my hair yesterday.
• My father is getting a few grey hairs now. (refers to individual hairs)
• I found a hair in my soup! (refers to a single strand of hair)

 sumber :

http://www.edufind.com/english-grammar/countable-and-uncountable-nouns/

http://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/nouns/countable-uncountable-nouns/

Telling My Experience

In posting this time I will tell my experience odd semester during the holidays. On this short vacation I'm having a lot of experience. my vacation time is indeed not too exciting, but very memorable.

Odd semester holidays yesterday I spent more to walk the streets, that time I went swimming, watching movies or just way way in order for the holidays does not feel boring. But not infrequently also I just spend my time just to watch tv at home and help mothers deal with all kinds of homework.

But the most memorable vacation for me is when the holiday yesterday I can stay atone of my friend room is located in bogor. She is my friend during HIGH SCHOOL used to be, but now he is enrolled in one of the universities in Bogor. That time I only three because my other friends occupied with their affairs.

To go there I use the train so fast to the goal. I have agree with my other friends to meet in Bogor station. The first day there, me and my friends went to the Bogor botanical gardens, because I had very a long time ago not to go there. There I was just a way to find the best spot to take pictures with a good background. The time of Zuhr prayer in our mushollah are there at once to rest. After a break we returnwalking the road to not feel the time is in the afternoon. Since it was already late in the afternoon we decided to go home to my friend room. There I rest and bathe our definitely not forgotten tells the story of our respective stories. At night we walk the road again around room, and came to the us at a cafe in Bogor. There we came back telling stories and spend time late into the night until finally we decided to go back to room because we've all been sleepy. Arriving there, we immediately sleep because already weary from morning to evening walking Street. Tomorrow morning we go wrong going wrong because that day we decided to go home.

Although my vacation only briefly but it was very impressive to me, because it's quite fill the void when my odd semester holiday yesterday.