Other Kinds of Noun
Countable Noun, Non-Countable Nouns
1. Countable Noun:
A countable noun is a noun with both a singular and a plural form, and it names anything (or anyone) that one can count.
In each of the following sentences, the highlighted words are countable nouns:
We painted the tables red and the chairs blue.
We painted the tables red and the chairs blue.
She found six silver dollars in the toe of a sock.
The oak tree lost three branches in the hurricane.
The oak tree lost three branches in the hurricane.
2. Non-Countable Nouns
A non-countable noun is a noun that does not have a plural form, and which refers to something that one cannot usually count. A non-countable noun always takes a singular verb in a sentence. Non-countable nouns are similar to collective nouns and are the opposite of countable nouns.
The highlighted words in the following sentences are non-countable nouns:
(a) J Priestly discovered oxygen.
The word "oxygen" cannot normally be made plural.
Since "oxygen" is a non-countable noun, it takes the singular verb "is" rather than the plural "are".
(b) They decided to sell the furniture.
The word "oxygen" cannot normally be made plural.
Since "oxygen" is a non-countable noun, it takes the singular verb "is" rather than the plural "are".
(b) They decided to sell the furniture.
We cannot make the noun furniture" plural.
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