Welcome readers, hope you are enjoying the ongoing series on the Classification of Nouns. After we learn about the five types of nouns from the previous couple of blog posts, one on Common Nouns and Proper Nouns and another on Collective Nouns, Material Nouns and Abstract Nouns, we’ll now learn about the nouns based on count-ability, namely- Countable Nouns and Uncountable Nouns.
Now, if I cover both countable and uncountable nouns in a single blog post, it will be quite lengthy and heavy. Now, you may think, “What is there so much to discuss about this duo? It’s quite simple; one can be counted while the other can’t be”. Well, I partially agree with you. But the fact is that there are certain things associated with this topic that we generally overlook, which we must not.
So, my attempt through out this article is to cover all the necessary things related to countable nouns only. And then, in the next article we’ll learn about uncountable nouns and we’ll draw a comparison between these two.So, whether you’re a grammar enthusiast or just someone looking to improve your language skills, you can dive into it. I bet your time will not be wasted.
So, let’s get started.
Countable Noun: Definition, Examples, And Usage
So, to decode uncountable nouns, we will proceed step by step covering three major pin points- Definition, Examples and Usage. We will learn what are the countable nouns? What are some examples of countable nouns and what are the usage of countable nouns or how and where these nouns are used.
Definition Of Countable Noun
Countable nouns, as the name suggests, are objects, people or things that can be counted individually. They can be both singular and plural and we can easily use numbers like one, two, or three before these nouns.
As for example, we can say a “cat” is a countable noun. Why? Because it can be counted. Hence, one can say, “I have one cat” or “I have three cats”, based on the number of cats he has.
Examples Of Countable Nouns
To get a better picture of countable nouns, we’ll go through some more examples and we will see how and where these nouns become countable. I have drawn seven examples, which will help us to understand this.
i) Dog: I saw a cute dog at the park.
(It indicates the number of dogs seen by the speaker which is singular in number. Eventually, we get to know that ‘Dog’ which is an example of a common noun can be counted.)
ii) Book: She has a collection of interesting books.
(Here, the exact number of the books is not mentioned by the speaker. But it suggests that the number is more than one. It means books can be counted and are countable)
iii) Car: He owns two cars.
(Here, the car owner explicitly says that he has two cars. So, a car is a noun, more specifically a common noun which can be presented in numbers.)
iv) Apple: I ate three apples for breakfast.
(When the speaker says three apples, he actually means three, neither two nor four. It indicates the precise number of apples eaten by the person.)
v) Friend: My best friend is coming today.
(When the speaker says ‘best friend’, he actually means a special friend, his “besty” and the number is singular.)
vi) House: They bought a new house.
(The expression indicates the number of the house which is one)
vii) Bicycle: She rides her bicycle to school.
(Here the number of bicycles used by the speaker is implied in the sentence. A single person can ride a single bicycle. So, here also, the number is one.)
So, we can see that all the above nouns i.e. ‘dog’, ‘book’, ‘car’, ‘apple’, ‘friend’, ‘house’, and ‘bicycle’ can be counted. In some cases the number is singular and in some other cases the number is plural. Hence, all these nouns are examples of Countable Nouns.
Six Common Usage Of Countable Nouns
The next question that comes to our mind is what are the usage of countable nouns or where and how these nouns can be used. Okay, listen. Countable nouns are versatile and can be used in various formats. These nouns can be used with articles , with plurals, with quantifiers, with numbers, with possession etc.
In fact, the list is quite long. Here, we will discuss some major fields one by one. So, let’s move forward.
Usage With Articles
Countable nouns are often preceded by an article and the article can be either a definite article or an indefinite one. Let’s check the below examples.
(a) Indefinite Article: A
- A dog is barking.
- I saw a bird in the sky.
- I need a pen.
(b) Indefinite Article: An
- An apple fell from the tree.
- There is an elephant in the zoo.
- There is an umbrella on the tool.
(c) Definite Article: The
- The cat is on the mat.
- The dog is barking at the mailman.
- The book is on the table.
So, we can see that in all the above examples the countable nouns that are written in bold and italic formats are preceded either by an indefinite article or a definite article written in normal italic formats.
Usage With Plurals
Countable nouns are often used in plural forms and they can be used either in regular plural forms or in irregular plural forms. Let’s see in details.
A) Regular Plural Nouns
Regular plural nouns are nouns that form their plurals by adding “s” or “es” to the singular form of the noun. This can happen in five ways. Let’s see.
(a) Adding “-s” to Singular Nouns:
- Cat (singular) → Cats (plural)
- Dog (singular) → Dogs (plural)
(b) Adding “-es” to Singular Nouns:
- Box (singular) → Boxes (plural)
- Dish (singular) → Dishes (plural)
(c) Changing “y” to “-ies”:
- Baby (singular) → Babies (plural)
- City (singular) → Cities (plural)
(d) Adding “-s” to Singular Nouns Ending in a Vowel and “Y”:
- Toy (singular) → Toys (plural)
- Boy (singular) → Boys (plural)
(e) Adding “-s” to Singular Nouns Ending in “-o”:
- Piano (singular) → Pianos (plural)
- Radio (singular) → Radios (plural).
B) Irregular Plural nouns
Irregular plural nouns are nouns that do not form their plurals by adding “s” or “es”. Instead, they have their unique forms which are stated below.
(a) No Change in Form:
- Man (singular) → Men (plural)
- Woman (singular) → Women (plural)
(b) Changing Vowel Sounds:
- Foot (singular) → Feet (plural)
- Tooth (singular) → Teeth (plural)
(c) Changing Consonant Sounds:
- Mouse (singular) → Mice (plural)
- Goose (singular) → Geese (plural)
(d) No Singular-Plural Distinction:
- Deer (singular) → Deer (plural)
- Sheep (singular) → Sheep (plural)
(e) Adding “-ren” (Old English Origin):
- Child (singular) → Children (plural)
- Ox (singular) → Oxen (plural)
(f) Changing the Entire Word:
- Person (singular) → People (plural)
- Mouse (singular) → Mice (plural)
So, we have to come to know how the countable nouns are used in plural forms. Additionally, we have also got an idea how singular nouns are made plurals by following the above mentioned rules. So, if you are now asked about some of the rules of pluralization you can easily answer.
Usage With Quantifiers
Countable nouns are very often used with quantifiers and they can be definite or indefinite. let’s understand this with some examples.
A) Definite Quantifiers
Definite Quantifiers refer to a specific quantity or amount of something. Here are some examples.
(a) All:
- All the guests have arrived for the party.
- I ate all of the cookies.
(b) None:
- None of the cars are parked in the driveway.
- I have three books, but none of them are interesting.
(c) Both:
- Both of the contestants answered the question correctly.
- Both of the restaurants on this street are closed today
(d) Either:
- You can choose either shirt. (referring to two specific shirts)
- Would you like either of these books? (referring to two specific books)
(e) Neither:
- Neither of the cats are hungry.
- Neither of the students answered the question correctly.
B) Indefinite Quantifiers
Indefinite Quantifiers refer to an unspecified or undetermined quantity or amount of something unlike the Definite Quantifiers. These indefinite quantifiers are often used with countable nouns. Let’s see in detail.
(a) Some:
- Some people like to eat pizza.
- I have some milk.
(b) Many:
- Many people watch TV every day.
- There are many cars on the road.
(c) A few:
- A few people went to the party.
- A few chairs are arranged around the table.
(d) Most:
- Most of the students passed the test.
- Most countries have a national flag.
(e) Several:
- Several cars were parked in the driveway.
- I need several hours to finish this project.
(f) A lot of:
- I have a lot of books on this subject.
- There are a lot of options.
So, by the examples provided above we can see how countable nouns are used with quantifiers. In the each example, the countable nouns are written in bold and italic formats where as the quantifiers are written in normal italic formats.
Usage With Numbers
Countable nouns can be used with numbers in various situations and aspects. Let’s see. We can use them while counting, keeping things in order, describing an event or even measuring something. Let’s see in detail.
(a) Counting: There are three cats in the room. (It indicates the number of cats present in the room)
(b) Ordering: The first book on the shelf is a dictionary. (It tells us the order of the books on the shelf)
(c) Describing: The three cats are all black. (The sentence describes the colour of the cats that are black)
(d) Measuring: The table is two feet long. (The sentence tells us about the length of the table)
(e) Approximating: There are about ten people in the room. (It tells us the approx number of people present in the room)
To Express Ownership
Countable nouns can be used in possessive forms to indicate ownership or possession of someone to something.
When using countable nouns in possessive forms, we typically add an apostrophe and an “s” (‘s) to the end of the noun or just an apostrophe (‘) if the noun is plural.
However, we must not forget that some plural countable nouns are irregular and do not follow the standard “-s” or “-es” pluralization rule.
Let’s see in detail with some examples:
A) Expressing Ownership With Singular Countable Nouns
Let’s first see examples where the countable nouns are singular in number.
(a) Apostrophe + S (‘s)
This is the most common way to show possession with singular countable nouns.
i) Sarah’s book is on the shelf. (In this sentence, “Sarah’s” indicates that the book belongs to Sarah.)
ii) The cat’s tail is fluffy. (“The cat’s” shows that the tail belongs to the cat.)
(b) Apostrophe Only (‘) with Singular Nouns Ending in “S”
If a singular noun ends with “s,” you can choose to use just an apostrophe (‘) without adding an extra “s” to indicate the ownership. Which one to use? It is up to you as it purely a matter of style and preference.
i) James’ bike is red. (In this sentence the subject is singular, a person whose name is James. Here, the word “James'” in the sentence indicates that the bike belongs to James. Now if you write “James’s bike”, it is also correct. However, some people prefer to write “James’s bike.”)
ii) Thomas’ house is on the corner. (The same formula applies here in this sentence. You can simply write “Thomas’s house” or “Thomas’s house.” While it indicates the ownership of single person, both expressions are grammatically correct.)
B) Expressing Ownership With Plural Countable Nouns
Now, let us see some examples where the countable nouns are plural in number.
(a) Apostrophe Only (‘) for Regular Plural Nouns
For regular plural countable nouns (those formed by adding “-s” or “-es” to the singular form), you typically add just an apostrophe (‘) to show possession.
i) The students’ notebooks are colorful. (“The students'” indicates that the notebooks belong to the students.)
ii) My friends’ bi-cycles are stylish than mine. (“My friends'” shows that the bi-cycles belongs to the speaker’s friends.)
(b) Apostrophe + S (‘s) for Irregular Plural Nouns
Some plural countable nouns are irregular and do not follow the standard “-s” or “-es” pluralization rule. In these cases, you need an apostrophe and an “s” (‘s) to show possession.
i) The children’s toys are scattered all over. (“The children’s” indicates that the toys belong to the children.)
ii) The men’s soccer team won the championship. (“The men’s soccer team” indicates that the team is made up by the men.)
(c) Apostrophe Only (‘) for Plural Nouns Ending in “S”
As with singular nouns ending in “s,” some people prefer to use just an apostrophe (‘) for plural nouns ending with the letter “s.”
i) The Jones’ house is under renovation. (Here, “Jones'” indicates that the house belongs to the Jones family. Some people might like to write “Jones’s house.”)
ii) The girls’ bicycles are parked over there. (The bicycles belong to the girls. Some might write “girls’s bicycles” for clarity.)
So, we have got a clear idea how countable nouns to indicate the ownership of someone to something.
To Draw Comparisons
Countable nouns are often used to draw comparisons. Let’s see some examples.
(a) Using More/Fewer
i) There are more cars in the city than there were 10 years ago.
(This sentence compares the number of cars in the city at two different points in time. Specifically, it states that there is a greater number of cars in the city now compared to 10 years ago.)
ii) I have fewer books than my sister.
(This sentence compares the number of books owned by the speaker and his/her sister. It states that the speaker has a smaller number of books compared to his/her sister.)
(b) Using Most/Fewest
i) This is the most beautiful flower I have ever seen.
(This sentence expresses a strong personal opinion about the speaker’s experience with the flower in the reference. It simply shows how the speaker’s heart is strongly moved by the beauty of the flower)
ii) She has the fewest toys of all the children in her class.
(This sentence describes a relative quantity of possessions by a girl compared to the other children of the class, within a specific group.)
(c) Using Than
i) I ate fewer cookies than you today.
(Here in this is sentence, the speaker is comparing the numbers of cookies consumed by him with the number of consumed by someone other on the current day.)
ii) There are fewer people in this room than in the other room.
(This sentence compares the number of people in two different locations, at one place the number is more than some other place.)
Key Characteristics Of Countable Nouns
So, we have got a detailed lesson on countable nouns covering all the major points including Definition, Example and Usage. Now, sometimes we are asked a simple but tricky question- “What are the features of Countable Nouns?” And most of the time we become confused before we answer.
But, fear not. I have already stated that the answer of this question is very simple, in fact as simple as water, as we have already gone through the above lesson. So, let’s answer it.
There are six key features of countable nouns. Let’s see them with the help of a table.
Key Aspects Usages Examples
Count-Ability Countable nouns can be counted. I have three books on my shelf.
Plurals Countable nouns can have plural forms. The cats are playing in the garden.
Quantifiers Countable nouns are very often used with quantifiers. Some people like to eat pizza.
Numbers Countable nouns are often used with numbers. There are three cats in the room.
Articles Countable nouns can be preceded by articles like "a" or "an" or “the”. An apple fell from the tree.
Concreteness Countable nouns often refer to tangible, concrete objects. The dog chased the ball.
Ownership Countable nouns can be used to express ownership of some one to some thing. The students' notebooks are colorful
Comparison Countable nouns are often used to draw comparisons. There are more cars in the city than there were 10 years ago.
Context Sometimes, the same word can be countable or uncountable depending on the context. i) I need a paper for my printer. (Countable Noun- Referring to a sheet of paper)
ii) I read the paper every morning. (Uncountable Noun- Referring to a newspaper)
Quiz: Countable Nouns
So, we have gone through the detailed article on countable nouns and learnt many things. Now, it’s time to check what we have learnt. For this purpose, I have introduced this quiz section.
This quiz section comprises of twelve questions that you have to answer within specific time frame. Please don’t jump into this section if you have not already finished the article with proper attention.
Wrapping Up: Countable Nouns
Congratulations! You’ve successfully navigated the world of countable nouns. It will surely help you to make your communication skills better, enabling you to express with clarity and creativity.
Remember, language is a dynamic and ever-evolving entity. The more you engage with it, the more proficient you’ll become. So, keep exploring, practicing, and experimenting with each and every aspect of English grammar.
Hope you’ve enjoyed this article. If you have any questions or need further clarification on these concepts, feel free to reach out using the comment section.
FAQ: Countable Nouns
Below are some frequently asked questions with their answers; that people ask over the internet. Go through them and see if you already knew the answers or not.
Q 1: Can a noun be both countable and uncountable?
Ans: Yes, some nouns can be both countable and uncountable, depending on the context. For example, "coffee" is usually uncountable, but you can say, "I ordered three coffees" in a cafe.
Q 2: How do I pluralize countable nouns?
Ans: To pluralize countable nouns, add "s" to most nouns (e.g., cat-cats, book-books). Some nouns follow different rules, so it's essential to familiarize yourself with them.
Q 3: Can I use articles with both countable and uncountable nouns?
Ans: Yes, but the choice of article differs. Countable nouns use "a" or "an" for singular and "the" for plural. Uncountable nouns typically use "the" or no article.