Countable and Uncountable Nouns


1. Cosa sono i countable e gli uncountable nouns?

I countable nouns sono sostantivi che si possono contare. Hanno una forma singolare e una forma plurale.
Esempi:
  • Singolare: one apple, one chair, one book
  • Plurale: two apples, three chairs, five books
Con i sostantivi numerabili, possiamo usare:
  • a/an davanti a un singolare:
    • a car, an orange
  • Numeri per indicare la quantità:
    • three pens, ten students

Gli uncountable nouns sono quelli che non si possono contare. Non hanno una forma plurale e vengono trattati come singolari.

​Esempi:
  • Liquidi: water, milk, coffee
  • Sostanze: sugar, rice, bread
  • Concetti astratti: information, advice, love
Con i sostantivi non numerabili, possiamo usare:
  • Parole come some, much, a lot of per indicare la quantità:
    • some water, much sugar
  • Unità di misura per specificare quantità:
    • a glass of water, a piece of bread, 100 grams of sugar

2. Differenze principali tra Countable e Uncountable nouns

3. Esempi pratici

Countable Nouns:
  • I have two cats and one dog.
  • There is a chair in the room.
Uncountable Nouns:
  • She drinks milk every morning.
  • We need some sugar for the cake.
Attenzione! Alcuni sostantivi possono essere sia numerabili che non numerabili, a seconda del contesto:
  • I would like some chicken. (Uncountable – carne di pollo in generale)
  • There are two chickens in the garden. (Countable – due galline)

4. Parole utili per quantità

Con Countable Nouns:
  • A few (pochi): I have a few friends.
  • Many (molti): There are many books on the table.
Con Uncountable Nouns:
  • A little (poco): I need a little water.
  • Much (molto): She doesn’t have much time.

Con entrambi:
  • Some (alcuni/qualche):
    • Countable: I have some apples.
    • Uncountable: I need some sugar.
  • A lot of (molti/molto):
    • Countable: There are a lot of people here.
    • Uncountable: There is a lot of water in the lake.

5. Mini Dialoghi

Dialogo 1: Fare la spesa
Anna: Do we need anything from the grocery store?
Tom: Yes, we need some milk and a few apples.
Anna: How many apples?
Tom: Just two apples.
Dialogo 2: In cucina
​Lucy: Is there any bread for breakfast?
Mark: No, but there is some rice.
Lucy: Rice for breakfast? No thanks!
Dialogo 3: Pianificazione di una festa
​Emma: How much juice do we need for the party?
Jack: We need a lot of juice, but we don’t need many snacks.
Emma: Do we have some plates?
Jack: Yes, we have a few plates, but we need more.

​
6. Esercizio
Indica se il sostantivo è countable (C) o uncountable (U):

Exercises Explanation Downloads
  • Exercises: 1 2 3

    Much, many, a lot, little, few, some, any, no – quantifiers

    Exercise 1

    Choose the correct quantifiers for each gap below.

    Page 1 of 2

    1 We are really busy now. I have ______ time to spend with my family. Choose TWO correct options
    a.
    b.
    c.
    2 There was very ______ space left to park.
    a.
    b.
    c.
    3 A: Have you got anything to read? B: Yes, I have ______ magazines.
    a.
    b.
    c.
    4 People eat ______ cheese in this country. Choose TWO correct options
    a.
    b.
    c.
    5 A: Did ______ see you? B: ______ saw me.
    a.
    b.
    c.

     

    Exercises: 1 2 3

  • Much, many, little, few, some, any, no – Grammar chart

    Visual grammar chart for B1 level English categorizing quantifiers for countable and uncountable nouns, distinguishing between large and small quantities, and specifying usage in sentences

    Download full-size image from Pinterest

    Many/much

    Many for countable, much for uncountable in (?) and (-)

    We use many before plural (countable) nouns and much before uncountable nouns. We use them in negative sentences and questions. We don’t often use them in affirmative sentences.

    • There isn’t much coffee in the jar.
    • Were there many people in the party?

    Too much/too many, so much/so many

    Note that much/many are more common in negatives and questions than in affirmative sentences. However, we use too much and too many or so much and so many in affirmative sentences.

    • There’s too much salt in the soup.
    • You eat too many biscuits.
    • There were so many people that we had to leave.
    • He ate so much cake that it made him sick.

    How much/how many

    We use how many and how much to ask about quantity.

    • How many concerts have you ever been to?
    • How much coffee have you had today?

    A lot of/lots of/plenty of

    Before both countable and uncountable

    We use a lot of, lots of (more informal), or plenty of before both plural (countable) and uncountable nouns. We normally use them in positive sentences.

    • She spends a lot of time watching TV.
    • We had lots of good moments together.
    • We’ve got plenty of time.

    Of before noun; no of at the end of a sentence

    We must always use a lot of or lots of including of at the end. However, we can use the expressions a lot or lots (without of) at the end of a sentence.

    • ‘How many beers did you have?’ ‘I don’t know; I had lots/a lot.’
    • I like her a lot.
    • I don’t want any more cake, thanks. I’ve had plenty.

    (A) few/(a) little/a bit of

    Few for countable; little for uncountable

    We use (a) few before plural (countable) nouns and (a) little or a bit of (more informal) before uncountable nouns in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences.

    • I have to do a few things this afternoon.
    • He always gets good results with very little effort.
    • Can you put a bit of sugar in the tea?

    Few or a few? Little or a little?

    A few means ‘some but not many; enough’, and a little means ‘some but not much; enough’ .

    Few means ‘almost none; not enough’.

    Normally, the difference between a few/little (WITH a) and few/little (WITHOUT a) is that a few/little is positive in meaning, and few/little is negative. Compare:

    • There’s little milk in the fridge; we have to buy more. (=Not enough; we need more)
    • ‘Shall I buy some beers?’ ‘No, it’s OK, there are a few in the fridge.’ (=Enough; we don’t need more)
    • ‘Do you speak English?’ ‘No, I speak very little English.’ (=Negative)
    • ‘Do you speak English?’ ‘Yes, I speak a little English.’ (=Positive)

    Some/any/no

    Some in (+) and any in (?) and (-)

    We use some in affirmative sentences and any in negative sentences and questions.

    • There isn’t any sugar in the cupboard.
    • Have you got any new friends?
    • I have some questions to ask you.

    No in (+)

    We use no in affirmative sentences.

    • There are no biscuits left.
    • I have no questions to ask.

    With both countable (plural) and uncountable

    Some, any and no can be used before countable and uncountable nouns. But if we use them before a countable noun, the noun must be plural.

    • Is there any student in the classroom? blank
    • Are there any students in the classroom? blank
    • There are no students in the classroom.

    Some for offers and requests

    We use some (NOT any) in interrogative sentences when we are offering or requesting (=asking for) something.

    • Would you like some help?
    • Can I have some tea, please?

    None

    None is a pronoun. It means ‘zero’. We use it in affirmative sentences as a pronoun to replace countable and uncountable nouns. This means that it’s not followed by a noun.

    • There were three bottles before we left, and now there is none.
    • ‘How much cake did you have?’ ‘None.’

    None of

    We can also use none of + noun (countable or uncountable).

    • None of the questions were answered.