Many nouns can be used as countable or uncountable nouns, usually with a difference in meaning. Compare:
1 Countable
* Did you hear a noise just now? (= a particular noise)
* I bought a paper to read. (= a newspaper)
* There's a hair in my soup! (= one single hair)
* You can stay with us. There is a spare room. (= a room in a house)
* I had some interesting experiences while I was away. (= things that happened to me)
* Enjoy your holiday. Have a good time!
2 Uncountable
* I can't work here. There's too much noise. (not 'too many noises')
* I need some paper to write on. (= material for writing on)
* You've got very long hair. (not 'hairs') (= all the hair on your head)
* You can't sit here. There isn't room. (= space)
* They offered me the job because I had a lot of experience. (not 'experiences')
* I can't wait. I haven't got time.
Coffee/tea/beer/juice etc. (drinks) are normally uncountable:
* I don't drink coffee very often.
But they can be countable when you are thinking of a cup/a glass etc. So you can say:
* (in a restaurant) Two coffees and an orange juice, please.
There are some nouns that are usually uncountable in English but often countable in other languages. For example:
accommodation behavior damage luck permission traffic bread furniture luggage progress weather chaos information news scenery work
These nouns are usually uncountable, so:
i) you cannot use a/an with them (you cannot say 'a bread', 'an advice' etc.) and
ii) they are not normally plural (we do not say 'breads', 'advices' etc.).
* I'm going to buy some bread. or .. a loaf of bread. (not 'a bread')
* Enjoy your holiday! I hope you have good weather. (not 'a good weather')
* Where are you going to put all your furniture? (not 'furnitures')
News is uncountable, not plural:
* The news was very depressing. (not 'the news were'). Travel (noun) means 'travelling in general'. You cannot say 'a travel' to mean a journey or a trip:
* We had a very good journey. (not 'a good travel')
Compare these countable and uncountable nouns:
1 Countable
* I'm looking for a job.
* What a beautiful view!
* It's a nice day today.
* We had a lot of bags and cases.
* These chairs are mine.
* It was a good suggestion.
2 Uncountable
* I'm looking for work. (not 'a work')
* What beautiful scenery!
* It's nice weather today.
* We had a lot of luggage. (not 'luggages')
* This furniture is mine.
* It was good advice.
EXERCISES
69.1 Which of the underlined parts of these sentences is correct?
1. 'Did you hear _noise/a noise- just now?' 'No, I didn't hear anything.' ('a noise' is correct)
2. a. If you want to know the news, you can read _paper/a paper._
b. I want to write some letters but I haven't got _a paper/any paper_ to write on.
3. a. I thought there was somebody in the house because there was _light/a light_ on inside.
b. _Light/A light_ comes from the sun.
4. a. I was in a hurry this morning. I didn't have _time/a time_ for breakfast.
b. 'Did you enjoy your holiday?' 'Yes, we had _wonderful time/a wonderful time._'
5. Sue was very helpful. She gave us some very useful _advice/advices._
6. We had _very good weather/a very good weather_ while we were on holiday.
7. We were very unfortunate. We had _bad luck/a bad luck._
8. It's very difficult to find a _work/job_ at the moment.
9. Our _travel/journey_ from London to Istanbul by train was very tiring.
10. When the fire alarm rang, there was _total chaos/a total chaos._
11. I had to buy _a/some_ bread because I wanted to make some sandwiches.
12. Bad news _don't/doesn't_ make people happy.
13. Your hair is/Your hairs are_ too long. You should have it/them cut.
14. Nobody was hurt in the accident but _the damage/the damages_ to the car _was/were_ quite bad.
69.2 Complete the sentences using these words. Sometimes you need the plural (-s).
chair experience experience furniture hair information job luggage permission progress work
1. I didn't have much _luggage_--just two small bags.
2. They'll tell you all you want to know. They'll give you plenty of ---
3. There is room for everybody to sit down. There are plenty of ---
4. We have no ---, not even a bed or a table.
5. 'What does Alan look like?' He's got a long beard and very short ---
6. Carla's English is better than it was. She's made ---
7. George is unemployed. He's looking for a ---
8. George is unemployed. He's looking for ---
9. If you want to leave work early, you have to ask for ---
10. I don't think Ann will get the job. She hasn't got enough ---
11. Rita has done many interesting things. She should write a book about her ---
69.3 What do you say in these situations? Complete the sentences using one of the words from Section above.
1. Your friends have just arrived at the station. You can't see any suitcases or bags.
You ask them: Have _you got luggage?_
2. You go into the tourist office. You want to know about places to see in the town. You say:
I'd like ---
3. You are a student at school. You want your teacher to advise you about which examinations to take. You say:
Can you give me ---?
4. You want to watch the news on TV but you don't know what time it is on. You ask your friend:
What time ---?
5. You are standing at the top of a mountain. You can see a very long way. It is lovely. You say:
It ---, isn't it?
6. You look out of the window. The weather is horrible: cold, wet and windy. You say to your friend:
What ---!
69.1
2 a. a paper b. any paper
3 a. a light b. Light
4 a. time b. a wonderful time
5 advice
6 very good weather
7 bad luck
8 job
9 journey
10 total chaos
11 some
12 doesn't
13 Your hair is ... it
14 the damage ... was
69.2
2 information
3 chairs
4 furniture
5 hair
6 progress
69.3
2 I'd like some information about places to see (in this town).
3 Can you give me some advice about which examinations to take?/... some advice about examinations?
4 What time is the news (on TV)?
5 It's a beautiful view isn't it? or It's beautiful scenery isn't it?
6 What horrible weather!
