Countable and uncountable nouns
Que un sustantivo se pueda contar o no decide su artículo, su plural y su cuantificador, así que la clase del sustantivo va antes que cualquier otra elección. Aquí trabajas la distinción contable e incontable y las trampas propias del inglés.
Aprendizaje rápido
Que un sustantivo se pueda contar decide su artículo, su plural y su cuantificador, así que la clase del sustantivo viene antes que todo lo demás.
Recuerda
- Los contables tienen plural y toman a o an: a chair, two chairs.
- Los incontables no tienen plural y no toman a: information, advice, luggage, furniture.
- Una palabra de unidad vuelve contable a un incontable: two pieces of advice.
Ejemplos
- 1We need to buy three fresh apples and a loaf of white bread.
- 2The warm morning sunshine is streaming through the living room windows.
Error común que evitar
Varios sustantivos que son contables en otras lenguas son incontables en inglés, y information, advice y news son los tres que más atrapan a la gente.
Profundiza
La regla
Two kinds of noun
English nouns are divided into two fundamental grammatical classes: Countable and Uncountable.
Countable nouns
(1) Countable Nouns: Refer to individual, distinct entities that can be counted with numbers. They possess both singular and plural forms (a book → two books, an apple → three apples, a student → four students). Singular countables require a determiner like a, an, the, or my.
- I bought a camera
In the plural, they take plural verbs.
- The cars are parked outside
Uncountable nouns
(2) Uncountable (Mass) Nouns: Refer to substances, liquids, materials, qualities, and abstract concepts that cannot be divided and counted as individual units (water, milk, rice, bread, money, time, music, weather, advice, information, furniture, luggage). Uncountable nouns never take a or an, do not have a plural form ending in -s, and always take a singular verb.
- Fresh water is vital for life
Measuring what you can't count
Measuring Uncountable Nouns: To specify quantities of uncountable nouns, English uses partitive expressions and containers: "a glass of water", "two slices of bread", "three pieces of furniture", "a bottle of olive oil", "a bowl of rice".
Anatomía de la frase
Frases de esta lección, separadas en sus partes en el orden que exige el inglés.
SujetoWeVerboneed to buyObjetothree fresh apples and a loaf of white bread.
SujetoSheVerbogaveObjetomeObjetosome very helpful adviceComplementoabout preparing for the exam.
SujetoPeterVerbodrankObjetotwo cups of hot black coffeeTiempobefore starting his morning work.
Guía visual
How to read this A2 topic
At A2, the challenge is choosing between similar time frames, pronouns, and quantity patterns.
1. Look for the time clue
Yesterday, now, every day, already, and since often decide the tense.
I watched it yesterday.
2. Choose the pattern first
Pick the whole grammar structure before choosing the final word.
I am going to study.
3. Check word position
Adverbs, objects, and pronouns must sit in natural English order.
I know him well.
Articles and quantity
English articles depend on countability, specificity, and whether the listener can identify the noun.
| Meaning | Count singular | Count plural | Uncountable |
|---|---|---|---|
| first mention | a book | some books | some water |
| known / specific | the book | the books | the water |
| general | a tiger / the tiger | tigers | water |
| negative quantity | no book / not a book | no books / not any books | no water / not any water |
Decision path before answering
Use these checks before choosing between close options.
- 1Mark the subject, main verb, object, and any connector.
- 2Underline the time expression or discourse clue.
- 3Reject any option with the wrong agreement, tense, article, pronoun case, or word order.
- 4Read the whole sentence once more for naturalness and register.
Ejemplos
- 1We need to buy three fresh apples and a loaf of white bread.
- 2The warm morning sunshine is streaming through the living room windows.
- 3Can you please pass me a clean sheet of paper from that desk drawer?
- 4There is plenty of fresh milk in the glass bottle inside the fridge.
- 5She gave me some very helpful advice about preparing for the exam.
- 6How many students are attending the afternoon chemistry workshop today?
- 7The passengers carried three heavy suitcases of luggage onto the train.
- 8Electricity is essential for powering modern household electronic devices.
- 9Peter drank two cups of hot black coffee before starting his morning work.
- 10The living room contains a comfortable sofa and two wooden chairs.
Excepciones
Mass Nouns Commonly Misclassified: Certain words that are countable in other languages are strictly uncountable in English: advice, information, equipment, furniture, luggage, baggage, homework, bread, news. For example, news is uncountable despite ending in -s ("The news is good", never "The news are good"). Contextual Shift: Some food and drink nouns become countable when referring to a serving or portion in cafes: "Can I have two coffees, please?" (meaning two cups of coffee).
Errores frecuentes
Pluralizing uncountable nouns
Error
She gave me many advices.
Correcto
She gave me a lot of advice.
Advice is uncountable and never takes -s.
Using many with mass nouns
Error
There isn't many water left.
Correcto
There isn't much water left.
Uncountable nouns take much.
Indefinite article with mass nouns
Error
I bought a new furniture yesterday.
Correcto
I bought some new furniture yesterday.
Furniture cannot take a or an.
Repaso
Lo esencial de la lección en una tarjeta, antes de ponerte a prueba.
Recuerda
- Los contables tienen plural y toman a o an: a chair, two chairs.
- Los incontables no tienen plural y no toman a: information, advice, luggage, furniture.
- Una palabra de unidad vuelve contable a un incontable: two pieces of advice.
Errores frecuentes
Error: She gave me many advices.
Correcto: She gave me a lot of advice.Error: There isn't many water left.
Correcto: There isn't much water left.Error: I bought a new furniture yesterday.
Correcto: I bought some new furniture yesterday.
Ponte a prueba
Aprende los sustantivos incontables como una lista corta y luego practica este tema.
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