Countable and Uncountable 2

Many nouns can be used as countable or uncountable nouns, usually with a difference in
meaning. Compare:

Countable

  • O Did you hear a noise just now?(= a specific .noise)
  • O I bought a pap'er to read.          (= a newspaper)            .
  • O There's a hair in my soup!  (= one single hair)
  • O You can stay with us. There is a spare room. (= a ro om in a house)  
  •  O      I had a some mterestmg expenences while I was travelling. (= thing s that happened to me)
  • O Enjoy your tripo Have a good time!

Uncountable

  • O l can't work here. There's too much noise. (not too many noises)
  • O I need some paper to write on. (= material for writing on)
  • O You've got very long hair. (not hairs) (= all the hair on your head)
  • O You can't sit here. There isn't room. (= space)
  • o    They offered me the job because I had a lot of experience. (not experiences) 
  • O I can't wait. I haven't got time.

Coffee/tea/juice/beer etc. (drinks) are normally uncountable:

  • O I don't like coffee very much.

But you can say a coffee (= a cup of coffee), two coffees (= two cups) etc. :

  • O Two coffees and an orange juice, please.

The following nouns are usually uncountable:

behaviour
bread
chaos

damage
furniture
information

accommodation
advice

baggage

Iuck
Iuggage
news

traffic
weather
work

permission
progress
scenery

You cannot use a/an with these nouns:

  • O ľm going to buy some bread. or ... a loaf of bread. (not a-bread)
  • O Enjoy your holiday" I hope you have good weather. (not a good weather)

I

These nouns are not usually plural (so we do not say 'breads', 'furnitures' etc.):

  • O Where are you going to put all your furniture? (not furnitures)
  • O Let me know if