What are Uncountable Noun - How to use them?

Last Updated : 15 Apr, 2025

According to English's grammar, we cannot divide them into separate elements, so for this reason, they are called uncountable nouns. The uncountable noun is another type of noun in traditional English Grammar. Uncountable nouns are such as oil, milk, sugar,

salt, patience, juice, bravery, etc. Material nouns and Abstract Nouns from Traditional English Grammar have been made Uncountable Nouns in Modern English Grammar.

What is an Uncountable Noun?

Things that we cannot tell their number by counting whether they are one, two, or three… are called uncountable nouns. that is, we cannot divide them into separate elements, so for this reason, they are called uncountable nouns, categorized. Unlike countable nouns, uncountable nouns are things, substances, etc. that we cannot countable, measure, or break down into separate elements.

Examples –kindness, water, oil, milk, sugar, salt, patience, juice, bravery, beauty, love, hate…etc.

We cannot count them either we can only measure or feel them. For this reason, they have been kept in the category of uncountable nouns.

For Example:

We can measure water as one-liter water, or two liters of water. but cannot count like – one water, two water.
We can measure and weigh sugar (sugar), salt (salt) one kg sugar, two kg sugar, one kg salt, two kg salt… but cannot count like – one sugar, two sugar, one salt, two salts.
Bravery, beauty, patience, love, hate - these are feelings and ideas, we can neither see nor touch them, only feel Can do….but cannot count like – one bravery, two bravery, one beauty, two beauty, one patience, two patience.

Examples:

I have water.
There is a woods there.
He has kindness and greatness.

Material nouns and Abstract Nouns from Traditional English Grammar have been made Uncountable Nouns in Modern English Grammar.

Material Noun – Water, Milk, Oil, Ghee, Butter, Coffee, Rice, Diamond, Gold, Brass, Pulse, Salt, Sugar, Meat, Iron, Wood, etc.
Abstract Noun – Hardness, Softness, Goodness, Kindness, Wisdom, Slavery, Boyhood, Wealth, Health, Love, Life, Death, Laughter, Sorrow, Beauty, etc.

Uncountable nouns rules:- The Uncountable noun rules are the same rules as countable nouns but these rules may differ for countable nouns, which we will study based on the following points-

Making Plural by adding s/es/ies
Use of Verb
Use of Articles
Use of cardinal numbers- one, two, three, four
Use of much, little/a little/the little, a great deal of/ a good deal of, a great amount of/ a large amount of
Use of How much
Usage of the, no, enough, some, any, a lot of/lots of, plenty of

1. Making uncountable nouns plural by adding s/es/ies-

Since we cannot count uncountable nouns, they remain in their singular form, that is, they cannot be made plural by adding s/es/ies. I.e. Sugar, Milk, Water.

2. Use of Verb with uncountable nouns-

Uncountable Nouns remain in their Singular form, that's why only Singular Verb is used with them. It's wrong to use Plural verbs with them.

Example:

Water is essential for life and health.
Milk is very useful for our body's bones.

3. Use of article with uncountable nouns-

Uncountable nouns cannot be counted, so we cannot use article - a/ an directly in front of them. such as; water, sugar, oil, etc.

4. Use of cardinal numbers with uncountable nouns - one, two, three, four

Uncountable nouns cannot be counted, so we cannot use cardinal numbers (counting numbers) - one, two, three, four…. in front of them.

Special thing-

We cannot count them directly, if we have to count them, then units of measurement and weight like- Grams, Kilos, Liter, Meters, etc. We can count them by adding them.

5. Use of much, little, a great deal of/ a good deal of, a great amount of/a large amount of with uncountable nouns-

much, little/a little/the little, a great deal of/ a good deal of, a great amount of/ a large amount of - are always used for uncountable nouns i.e. they are always followed by uncountable nouns.

Example:

He has much knowledge of Hindi/Urdu.
He has little knowledge of French.
There is a little milk in the bowel.

6. Use of, How much with the uncountable noun-

If we want to ask questions about uncountable nouns, we will say -How much?

Note:- How much can be remembered by the word much, much is always used with uncountable nouns.

Example:

How much sugar do you want?
How much rice is left?

7. Usage of the, no, enough, some, any, a lot of/lots of, plenty of -

The, no, enough, some, any, a lot of /lots of, and plenty of can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.

Uncountable Noun Examples

Here are some examples of uncountable nouns:

money
music
luggage
furniture
electricity
wine
information
advice
travel
work
scenery

List of Uncountable Nouns

Water, Milk, Oil, Ghee, Honey, Tea, Coffee, Ink, Petrol
Wheat, Flour, Bread, Paddy, Rice, Gram, Pulse, Salt, Sugar
Diamond, Gold, Silver, Brass, Iron, Wool, Sand, Soil, Grass
Hardness, Richness, Sweetness, Weakness, Brightness, Foolishness
Wisdom, Poverty, Beauty, Friendship, Childhood, Boyhood, Slavery
Love, Truth, Heat, Youth, Fear, Sleep, Knowledge, Sorrow, Joy, life

Also Check:

Nouns that can be Countable and Uncountable

The same noun can be countable and uncountable, often with a change of meaning Sometimes.

Countable		Uncountable
The Dubai dinar and dirham actual are important currencies	currency	The expression gained wider currency after 2010
There are two hairs in my food!	hair	I do not have much hair
There are two lights in my restroom.	light	Close the curtain. There is too much sunlight!
There are so many different noises in the city.	noise	It is difficult to work when much noise.
Have you got a paper to read? (newspaper) Hand me those student papers.	paper	I want to write a letter. Have you got some paper?
Our house has four rooms.	room	Is there room for me to play here?
We had a great time on the travel. How many times have I told you no?	time	Have you got time for a drink?

Conclusion

According to the above definitions, types, rules, and examples; Uncountable nouns are nouns that cannot be counted. Only we can measure their quantity or feel it. This means such things, we cannot countable, measure, or break down into separate elements. They are called uncountable nouns. So we can say, the same noun can be countable and uncountable, often with a change of meaning Sometimes.

Also Check:

Material Noun: Definition, Examples, Rules & Exercises

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What are Uncountable Noun - How to use them?

What is an Uncountable Noun?

1. Making uncountable nouns plural by adding s/es/ies-

2. Use of Verb with uncountable nouns-

Example:

3. Use of article with uncountable nouns-

4. Use of cardinal numbers with uncountable nouns - one, two, three, four

Special thing-

5. Use of much, little, a great deal of/ a good deal of, a great amount of/a large amount of with uncountable nouns-

6. Use of, How much with the uncountable noun-

7. Usage of the, no, enough, some, any, a lot of/lots of, plenty of -

Uncountable Noun Examples

List of Uncountable Nouns

Nouns that can be Countable and Uncountable

Conclusion

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