An uncountable noun is a noun for something that is not counted in separate units, as with “water”, “advice” and “furniture”.
In a list of uncountable nouns, each noun is paired with an example sentence, and reading the noun in a sentence is how its singular verb and its missing plural are learned.
What Are Uncountable Nouns?
An uncountable noun is a noun that is not used with a number or with “a” or “an”, and it takes no plural ending. “Water”, “music” and “information” are uncountable nouns, and “two waters” is not used for the substance itself.
The verb after an uncountable noun is singular: “The information is correct”. A quantity is stated with a word such as “some”, “much” or “a lot of”, or with a unit phrase such as “a glass of”.
- The furniture was delivered yesterday.
- She needs some advice about her studies.
- There is not much traffic at night.
A to Z List of Uncountable Nouns
Each uncountable noun is paired with a sample sentence.
Uncountable Nouns That Start With A
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Advice | She gave me good advice. |
| Air | The air is cold this morning. |
| Anger | His anger faded quickly. |
| Applause | The applause lasted for a minute. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With B
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Baggage | Your baggage is on the belt. |
| Beauty | The beauty of the valley amazed us. |
| Behavior | Her behavior was excellent. |
| Blood | Blood is pumped by the heart. |
| Bread | The bread is still warm. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With C
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Chaos | Chaos followed the announcement. |
| Cheese | Cheese is made from milk. |
| Clothing | Warm clothing is needed in winter. |
| Coffee | Coffee keeps him awake. |
| Courage | The firefighter showed great courage. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With D
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Damage | The storm caused severe damage. |
| Darkness | Darkness fell over the village. |
| Dirt | There is dirt on your shoes. |
| Dust | Dust covered the old table. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With E
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Education | Education opens many doors. |
| Energy | Solar energy is clean. |
| Entertainment | The hotel offers live entertainment. |
| Equipment | The equipment was checked before the match. |
| Evidence | The evidence is clear. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With F
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Flour | Flour is stored in a dry cupboard. |
| Fog | Fog delayed the flight. |
| Food | The food was delicious. |
| Freedom | Freedom of speech is protected. |
| Fun | The picnic was great fun. |
| Furniture | The furniture arrives on Friday. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With G
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Garbage | The garbage is collected on Monday. |
| Gold | Gold is a soft metal. |
| Gossip | Gossip spreads fast in a small town. |
| Grammar | English grammar takes practice. |
| Grass | The grass is wet. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With H
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Hair | Her hair is long and dark. |
| Happiness | Happiness depends on good friends. |
| Health | Good health is a gift. |
| Help | She asked for help. |
| Homework | The homework is due tomorrow. |
| Honesty | Honesty builds trust. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With I
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Ice | Ice melts at zero degrees Celsius. |
| Information | The information was accurate. |
| Ink | Ink spilled on the desk. |
| Intelligence | Intelligence grows with practice. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With J
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Jewelry | Her jewelry is kept in a safe. |
| Juice | Orange juice is rich in vitamin C. |
| Justice | Justice was served in the end. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With K
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Ketchup | Ketchup is on the table. |
| Kindness | Kindness is remembered for years. |
| Knowledge | Knowledge is gained through reading. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With L
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Laughter | Laughter filled the room. |
| Lightning | Lightning struck the old oak. |
| Literature | Literature reflects the life of a nation. |
| Love | Love needs time. |
| Luck | Good luck with your exam. |
| Luggage | The luggage was heavy. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With M
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Machinery | The machinery is old. |
| The mail comes at noon. | |
| Milk | Milk is sold in cartons. |
| Money | Money was spent on repairs. |
| Mud | Mud covered the boots. |
| Music | Music plays softly in the cafe. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With N
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Nature | Nature is at its best in spring. |
| News | The news is surprising. |
| Noise | The noise woke the baby. |
| Nonsense | That is complete nonsense. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With O
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Oil | Oil floats on water. |
| Optimism | Optimism kept the team going. |
| Oxygen | Oxygen is needed for life. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With P
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Paper | Paper is made from wood. |
| Patience | Patience is needed in traffic. |
| Peace | Peace returned to the region. |
| Pepper | Pepper makes the soup spicy. |
| Pollution | Pollution has increased in the city. |
| Progress | The class is making progress. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With Q, R
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Quartz | Quartz is found in granite. |
| Quiet | Quiet is expected in the library. |
| Rain | Rain fell all night. |
| Research | Research on sleep continues. |
| Rice | Rice is grown in warm regions. |
| Rubbish | The rubbish is collected daily. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With S
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Safety | Safety comes first. |
| Salt | Salt is added to the dough. |
| Sand | Sand filled his shoes. |
| Silver | Silver is used in jewelry. |
| Snow | Snow covered the roofs. |
| Sugar | Sugar dissolves in hot water. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With T
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Tea | Tea is served with milk. |
| Thunder | Thunder shook the windows. |
| Traffic | Traffic is heavy at five. |
| Transportation | Public transportation is cheap here. |
| Trust | Trust takes years to build. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With U
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Unemployment | Unemployment fell last year. |
| Uranium | Uranium is a radioactive metal. |
| Usage | Water usage rises in summer. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With V
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Vegetation | Dense vegetation covers the hill. |
| Vinegar | Vinegar is added to the salad. |
| Violence | Violence is never the answer. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With W
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Water | Water boils at one hundred degrees Celsius. |
| Wealth | Wealth does not guarantee happiness. |
| Weather | The weather is mild today. |
| Wisdom | Wisdom comes with age. |
| Wood | Wood burns slowly. |
| Wool | Wool keeps the body warm. |
Uncountable Nouns That Start With X, Y and Z
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Xenon | Xenon is a rare gas. |
| Yoga | Yoga improves balance. |
| Yogurt | Yogurt is eaten at breakfast. |
| Zeal | He worked with zeal. |
| Zinc | Zinc is used to coat steel. |
List of Uncountable Nouns by Category
Uncountable nouns are also grouped by what they refer to.
Food and Drink
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Bacon | Bacon is fried until crisp. |
| Butter | Butter melts in the pan. |
| Chocolate | Chocolate is made from cocoa beans. |
| Cream | Cream is whipped for dessert. |
| Honey | Honey is sold in jars. |
| Meat | Meat is cooked on the grill. |
Materials and Substances
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Cement | Cement hardens within hours. |
| Cotton | Cotton is grown in warm climates. |
| Leather | Leather is used for shoes. |
| Plastic | Plastic is recycled at the plant. |
| Steel | Steel is stronger than iron. |
| Gasoline | Gasoline is stored in a tank. |
Feelings and Qualities
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Bravery | Bravery is respected in every culture. |
| Curiosity | Curiosity drives scientific discovery. |
| Jealousy | Jealousy ruined their friendship. |
| Joy | Joy filled the room. |
| Loyalty | Loyalty is earned over time. |
| Sadness | Sadness showed on her face. |
Weather and Nature
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Drizzle | Drizzle fell all morning. |
| Gravity | Gravity pulls objects toward the earth. |
| Hail | Hail damaged the car. |
| Humidity | Humidity is high in the tropics. |
| Scenery | The scenery along the coast is stunning. |
| Sunlight | Sunlight enters through the window. |
School Subjects and Activities
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | Chemistry is taught in the lab. |
| Chess | Chess requires planning. |
| Football | Football is played on grass. |
| Mathematics | Mathematics is taught daily. |
| Physics | Physics explains motion. |
| Swimming | Swimming strengthens the back. |
Everyday Groups of Objects
| Noun | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Crockery | The crockery is in the cupboard. |
| Cutlery | The cutlery was washed and dried. |
| Merchandise | The merchandise arrives next week. |
| Poultry | Poultry is sold fresh. |
| Software | The software is updated monthly. |
| Stationery | Office stationery is ordered monthly. |
List of Nouns That Are Countable and Uncountable
Some nouns are uncountable in one meaning and countable in another. The uncountable use refers to the material or idea, and the countable use refers to a single item or a portion.
| Noun | Uncountable use | Countable use |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee | Coffee keeps me awake. | Two coffees, please. |
| Paper | Paper is made from wood. | She wrote a paper on climate. |
| Hair | Her hair is long. | There is a hair in my soup. |
| Time | Time passes quickly. | I have seen it three times. |
| Room | There is room for one more. | The house has four rooms. |
| Glass | Glass breaks easily. | He dropped a glass. |
| Chicken | Chicken is cooked on the grill. | A chicken crossed the road. |
| Light | Light travels fast. | Turn off the lights. |
Uncountable Nouns for Groups of Countable Nouns
A group noun is uncountable, while its members are countable. “Furniture” is uncountable, but “chair”, “table” and “bed” are countable, so “three chairs” is correct and “three furnitures” is not.
| Uncountable noun | Countable nouns | Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture | Chair, table, bed | The furniture was moved, and the table was cleaned. |
| Luggage | Suitcase, backpack, bag | The luggage is heavy, but the backpack is light. |
| Money | Coin, bill, dollar | The money is in a jar, and each coin is counted. |
| Jewelry | Ring, necklace, bracelet | Her jewelry is kept in a box, and the ring is gold. |
| Clothing | Shirt, dress, jacket | Warm clothing is needed, so pack a jacket. |
| Letter, postcard, parcel | The mail arrives at noon, and the parcel is large. | |
| Fruit | Apple, banana, grape | Fresh fruit is sold here, and each apple is ripe. |
| Equipment | Helmet, rope, tool | The equipment is checked, and every helmet is tested. |
List of Units for Uncountable Nouns
An uncountable noun is counted through a unit word, and the unit word takes the plural: “two pieces of advice”, not “two advices”.
| Unit phrase | Sentence |
|---|---|
| A piece of advice | He gave me a piece of advice. |
| A piece of furniture | The room holds one piece of furniture. |
| An item of clothing | Each guest packed an item of clothing. |
| A glass of water | She drank a glass of water. |
| A cup of tea | He poured a cup of tea. |
| A bottle of milk | We bought a bottle of milk. |
| A loaf of bread | Buy a loaf of bread. |
| A bar of chocolate | The child ate a bar of chocolate. |
| A grain of rice | Not a grain of rice was wasted. |
| A bag of flour | The recipe needs a bag of flour. |
| A drop of oil | Add a drop of oil. |
| A sheet of paper | Hand me a sheet of paper. |
Common Mistakes With Uncountable Nouns
Plural endings: Write “some advice” and “much information”, not “advices” and “informations”. An uncountable noun takes no plural ending.
Articles: Write “some furniture”, not “a furniture”. The articles “a” and “an” are used only with a singular countable noun.
Plural verbs: Write “The news is good”, not “The news are good”. The verb after an uncountable noun is singular.
Many and much: Write “much money” and “many coins”. “Much” is used with an uncountable noun, and “many” with a plural noun.
Few and little: Write “little time” and “few minutes”. “Little” is used with an uncountable noun, and “few” with a plural noun.
List of Uncountable Nouns Exercises
Choose the correct form or correct the sentence.
- Choose the correct word: She gave me some (advice / advices).
- Choose the correct verb: The news (is / are) surprising.
- Choose the correct word: How (much / many) money do you have?
- Correct the sentence: I need a furniture for my room.
- Choose the correct word: There is (a few / little) milk in the fridge.
- Complete the phrase with a unit word: two ____ of bread.
- Choose the correct sentence: (The luggage are heavy / The luggage is heavy).
- Correct the sentence: The informations are on the website.
- Is “coffee” countable or uncountable: Coffee keeps me awake?
- Is “coffee” countable or uncountable: Two coffees, please?
Answers:
- Advice: it is uncountable.
- Is: “news” is singular.
- Much: “money” is uncountable.
- I need some furniture for my room: “furniture” takes no article.
- Little: “milk” is uncountable.
- Loaves: the unit word “loaf” takes the plural.
- The luggage is heavy: the verb is singular.
- The information is on the website: “information” takes no plural ending.
- Uncountable: it refers to the drink in general.
- Countable: it refers to cups of coffee.
Download PDF
This PDF includes a comprehensive A to Z list of uncountable nouns with examples, helping learners understand nouns that cannot be counted individually. A perfect resource for improving English grammar. Download now for easy reference!
FAQs
Q1. What are uncountable nouns?
Uncountable nouns are nouns for substances, ideas and groups that are not counted as separate units, such as “rice”, “advice” and “furniture”. They take no plural ending and no article “a” or “an”.
Q2. Are uncountable nouns singular?
Yes. An uncountable noun is singular in grammar, and the verb after it is singular, as in “The water is cold”.
Q3. Are uncountable nouns ever pluralized?
Yes, when the plural form is used for a different meaning. “Waters” denotes a body of water, and “coffees” denotes cups of coffee.
Q4. Do uncountable nouns take articles?
Yes for “the” and no for “a” or “an”. “The water is cold” is correct, and “a water” is not used for the substance.
Q5. Is “much” used with uncountable nouns?
Yes, “much” is used with uncountable nouns, while “many” is used with plural nouns. “Some”, “any” and “a lot of” are used with both.
Q6. How many uncountable nouns are there?
No exact count exists, because uncountable nouns include every substance, abstract idea and group name in the language. The common ones number in the hundreds.
Q7. How do you identify an uncountable noun?
The test is to place a number before the noun. “Two advices” is incorrect, so “advice” is uncountable.
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