Grammar basics
Uncountable nouns
An uncountable noun is a thing you cannot count one by one, like water or information. It has no plural form.
How to use uncountable nouns
Uncountable nouns never take a, an or -s.
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
| a water | some water |
| two informations | some information |
| an advice | a piece of advice |
| How many rice? | How much rice? |
Count them with a container
To count an uncountable noun, count its container or a piece of it.
| Uncountable noun | How to count it |
|---|---|
| water | a glass of water, two bottles of water |
| coffee | a cup of coffee |
| rice | a bowl of rice |
| advice | a piece of advice |
Watch out for these words
Some words are countable in Thai thinking, but uncountable in English: information, advice, homework, software, furniture. Say some software, not two softwares.
Water
The clear liquid that you drink.
I drink a lot of water when it is hot.
Milk
The white drink that comes from cows.
I drink a glass of milk before bed.
Information
Facts or details about something.
Thanks for the information. It was very helpful.
Advice
An idea from someone about what you should do.
My teacher gave me some good advice.
Rice
Small white or brown grains that you cook and eat.
Thai people eat rice almost every day.
Software
The programs that run on a computer.
We build software for small shops.