Countables and uncountables

3.10 Countable and uncountable nouns

Errors made by both native speakers and non-native speakers relate to the degree of specificity they are attempting. In other words, the problem is often conceptual not grammatical.

1. Zero Article

plural + general = zero article - Witnesses give evidence in court.

uncountable + general = zero article - Information is hard to come by. Little research has been carried out in this area.

Most gerunds used in a general sense, e.g.
Studying is hard work.
Singing in the bath is good for you.

2. The

Uncountable nouns can only be used with the (not a)
Petrol is expensive in Britain. (general reference)

'The' is for specific reference.
The petrol we bought at Tesco was the cheapest.
The information we were given led us to believe ...

Examples of common uncountable nouns: (= no plural, no a)

information, evidence, progress, news, scenery, work, logic, permission, traffic, furniture, chaos, permission, advice, behaviour, research, technology (pl. in the case of 'the new technologies')

'mass' nouns : money, cash, mathematics, linguistics, politics, athletics, mumps etc.

substances : milk, petrol, sugar, oil

Occasionally, nouns can be countable/uncountable, depending on the context - so there is a change in meaning.

Example: uncountable

Advances in technology mean that Western medicine is highly expensive and highly specialised: a large amount of money may be spent on treating a relatively small number of conditions (for example: kidney machines, life support systems).

Example: countable

The new technologies of advanced ceramics and polymers have contributed to Japanese leadership in fields where synthetic materials can be substituted for natural minerals, thereby offsetting the Japanese disadvantages of few natural resources and cutting down the need to import large quantities of raw materials. ('monies' - banking jargon - usually 'funds')

I bought a paper (= newspaper, countable)
I bought some paper (= paper for writing on - uncountable)

I had many interesting experiences during my time at Sussex (= things which happened to an individual - countable)
Experience of economic upturn was limited in the 1980's (uncountable - knowledge of something happening in general).

3. a/an

a or an is used for singular, countable nouns which are non-specific when it does not matter which, or it is not know which specific item is referred to.

The most common use is the first mention of an item. When the same item is referred to again, the must be used. If a is used again, the assumption is that a new item is being referred to.

He has presented a paper at a conference
[indefinite time] [indefinite singular]

Subsequent reference: The paper he presented was at the AISB conference.

an is used in front of a pronounced vowel (an M.P. but a university).

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4. NB

Well known ideas (to a community) use the:
The sun, the moon, the stars, the rate of inflation, the rule of law

Streets - zero article (Oxford Street) unless there is no descriptive adjectival phrase, then, the avenue, the main/high street

Countries - zero article, unless with an adjectival phrase, often with words like 'united', 'people's republic', 'commonwealth' etc.
The United Kingdom of ... , The United States of ... , The United Arab Emirates, The Netherlands ('nether'='low'=adjective, so it is plural).

Lakes and mountains - zero article 'Everest', but mountain ranges take the - 'the Alps'
Rivers take the - The Thames, the Ganges, the Volga, the Seine, the Rhine

Abstract or Concrete
The boy was rushed to hospital (abstract, institution, zero article)
There was a fire at the local hospital (concrete, place, with an article)

Genitive - The cost of living, the University of Sussex
but 'living costs', 'Sussex University' with zero article. 'Sussex' behaves like an adjective.

The Government's problems (genitive) - specific
Government problems (general, any government; 'government' behaves like an adjective)

In general, errors occur:

a. because of concept confusion between general or specific reference or whether what is referred to has already been mentioned

b. misapplication of grammar rules

c. first language interference

In some cases (see 'a paper'/paper) both forms are structurally correct but have different meanings!

(adapted from: www.sussex.ac.uk/langc/skills/articles.html)

Links to further resources on countable and uncountable nouns

BBC

The Language Project

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Last updated: 27 May 2011