Countable and uncountable nouns
Qu'un nom soit comptable ou non décide de son article, de son pluriel et de son quantifieur ; la classe du nom vient donc avant tout autre choix. Ici tu revois la distinction countable / uncountable et les pièges propres à l'anglais.
Apprentissage rapide
Qu'un nom soit comptable ou non décide de son article, de son pluriel et de son quantifieur ; la classe du nom passe donc avant tout le reste.
À retenir
- Les comptables ont un pluriel et prennent a/an : a chair, two chairs.
- Les indénombrables n'ont pas de pluriel et ne prennent pas a : information, advice, luggage, furniture.
- Un mot d'unité rend un indénombrable comptable : two pièces of advice.
Exemples
- 1We need to buy three fresh apples and a loaf of white bread.
- 2The warm morning sunshine is streaming through the living room windows.
Piège courant à éviter
Plusieurs noms comptables dans d'autres langues sont indénombrables en anglais ; les trois qui piègent le plus sont information, advice et news.
Approfondir
La règle
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".
Anatomie de la phrase
Des phrases de cette leçon, découpées dans l'ordre qu'exige l'anglais.
SujetWeVerbeneed to buyObjetthree fresh apples and a loaf of white bread.
SujetSheVerbegaveObjetmeObjetsome very helpful adviceAttributabout preparing for the exam.
SujetPeterVerbedrankObjettwo cups of hot black coffeeTempsbefore starting his morning work.
Guide visuel
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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exceptions
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).
Erreurs fréquentes
Pluralizing uncountable nouns
Erreur
She gave me many advices.
Correct
She gave me a lot of advice.
Advice is uncountable and never takes -s.
Using many with mass nouns
Erreur
There isn't many water left.
Correct
There isn't much water left.
Uncountable nouns take much.
Indefinite article with mass nouns
Erreur
I bought a new furniture yesterday.
Correct
I bought some new furniture yesterday.
Furniture cannot take a or an.
Récap
L'essentiel de la leçon sur une carte, avant de te tester.
À retenir
- Les comptables ont un pluriel et prennent a/an : a chair, two chairs.
- Les indénombrables n'ont pas de pluriel et ne prennent pas a : information, advice, luggage, furniture.
- Un mot d'unité rend un indénombrable comptable : two pièces of advice.
Erreurs fréquentes
Erreur: She gave me many advices.
Correct: She gave me a lot of advice.Erreur: There isn't many water left.
Correct: There isn't much water left.Erreur: I bought a new furniture yesterday.
Correct: I bought some new furniture yesterday.
Teste-toi
Apprends les noms indénombrables comme une courte liste, puis entraîne-toi sur ce point.
Points de grammaire associés
Poursuivez votre apprentissage avec d'autres notions de ce niveau.