is homework a mass noun

What Are Mass Nouns?

Table of Contents

Common Categories of Mass Nouns

Mass nouns vs countable nouns, some nouns can be countable or non-countable, why mass nouns are important.

• ant, beaver, cat, dodo, earwig, fence, gannet, horse, inkwell
• Israel is famous for its baby cheeses .
• Chile is well known for its many fine wines .
• Can I have four coffees ?

(Point 1) Making Mass Nouns Plural

• three loaves of bread
• six pieces of gold
• three bread loaves
• six gold pieces

(Issue 2) Using the Right Quantifier with a Mass Noun

• Using a mass noun? Use "amount of."

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Why are "homework" and "work" uncountable in English? [closed]

In Bulgarian both "homework" and "work" are countable. Why are they uncountable in English then? What is the difference in meaning that makes that happen?

• uncountable-nouns

• 'Why'?' is a difficult question. Sometimes things just are . –  Mitch Commented Jan 17, 2012 at 14:30

Both are considered mass nouns , just like milk , air , etc.

However, work can also refer to a singular piece of creation (art, literature, plays, etc.), in which case it can be pluralized:

These are all the works of Shakespeare.

If you want to refer to a specific part of your work , you could use task :

I completed twelve tasks . I got a lot of work done today.

Likewise, if you want to refer to a single, discrete unit of homework , use assignment :

Our teacher gave us three assignments to complete by Friday.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged nouns history uncountable-nouns or ask your own question .

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All you need to know about countable and uncountable nouns

What’s the difference between countable and uncountable nouns , and what grammar rules do you need to know to use them correctly?

Also known as  count and noncount nouns , this vocabulary point can trip you up when you’re learning English as a second language. It’s especially tricky because:

• There are no concrete rules for classifying nouns as countable or uncountable (although there are some general guidelines that we will explain later).
• Certain nouns that are countable in other languages may be uncountable in English, so you’ll have to un-learn what you know from your native language and learn a different set of rules for English words.

So, let’s take a detailed look at countable vs uncountable nouns, with plenty of examples showing how to use them with the correct articles, quantifiers, and other determiners.

The basics of countable and uncountable nouns

What is a countable noun.

A  countable noun (also called a count noun) is a noun naming something that can be counted using standard numbers. Countable nouns usually have singular and plural forms. 

Examples of countable nouns include chair, table, rabbit, page, part, and lemon .

So, we can have one chair, five tables, ten rabbits, twenty-three lemons, and three hundred pages .

You are probably already familiar with this pattern of counting things in English.

What is an uncountable noun?

An uncountable noun (also called a mass noun or a non-count noun) is a noun naming something that cannot be counted in English using standard numbers. These nouns cannot be made plural.

Examples of uncountable nouns include rice, money, advice, news, and happiness .

We cannot have one rice, five monies, two advices, or a happiness .

Instead, we must use different determiners to quantify these particular things: a cup of rice , a bag of money , and a piece of advice .

Now you know these basics, it’s time to take a deeper look at what this means in practice. You need to know whether you’re dealing with a countable or uncountable noun so you can select the correct determiners and plural forms in your writing and speech.

Rules for using countable nouns

We’ll begin by going over the rules for using countable nouns, since these are most straightforward.

Countable nouns:

• Can be separated into whole, individual, countable units
• Broadly refer to people, places, and things
• Have a singular and a plural form (with a few exceptions like sheep, deer, fish) – see this site for more about how to form plurals
• May take indefinite articles (a/an) as well as the definite article (the)
• May take other determiners such as this/that/these/those, some/any/few/many/several, my/your/his/her/our/their
• To form a question about a countable noun, we say ‘How many…’

Countable noun example sentences

Most of the nouns we use in English are countable. Here are some example sentences showing correct usage:

• I have two cats as pets .
• She bought a few books from the store .
• We went to the zoo and saw several giraffes .
• The school has six classrooms for different subjects .
• He has a collection of ten stamps .
• My father owns a few bikes .
• The store has a variety of balloons in different colors.
• He has five siblings : three brothers  and two sisters .
• There are many oranges in the fruit basket .
• The bakery doesn’t have any bread left.
• I would like to buy that handbag .
• How many meals should I order at  the restaurant ?

Read about the difference between few vs a few here.

Rules for using uncountable nouns

Uncountable nouns are used less often in English, and they:

• Are abstract ideas, qualities, or masses that can’t be separated and counted individually
• Do not have a plural form and are treated as singular nouns (and therefore take the singular form of the verb)
• May take the definite article (the) but do not take the indefinite articles (a/an)
• May take other determiners such as much/little/less/any/some and my/your/his/her/our/their
• Can be quantified with phrases that contain countable nouns (e.g. a bag of rice)
• To form a question about an uncountable noun, we say ‘How much…’

See also: What’s the difference between less and fewer?

Uncountable noun examples

We can group uncountable nouns into some broad categories. Although we cannot list them all here, the following groups are a general guide that may make it easier for you to identify others in the future:

This may seem like a long list of uncountable nouns; however, there are hundreds more. 

Quantifying an uncountable noun

Although we can’t quantify uncountable nouns using numbers, we can add a countable unit of measurement to refer to one or more quantities of these things. Below are some of the most common quantifiers we can use to refer to things that are uncountable.

• A piece of… advice, art, cheese, equipment, evidence, furniture, homework, information, luck, luggage, music, news, paper, poetry, publicity, rubbish, software
• A bottle of… beer, water, wine, sauce, salad dressing
• A carton of… juice, milk, cream
• A packet of… ketchup, rice, gum
• A plate/bowl of… cereal, pasta, rice
• A drop of… blood, oil, rain, water
• A game of… badminton, chess, football, soccer, tennis
• A ray of… hope, light, sun
• A grain of… sand, rice, sugar, dignity
• A cube of… ice, sugar
• A blob of… toothpaste, mayonnaise, glue
• A pane of glass
• A round of applause
• A bar of soap
• A mode of transport
• A bolt of lightning
• A blade of grass
• A rasher of bacon
• A sheet of paper

Determiners for count and noncount nouns

You’ll have seen from the examples above that certain determiners can only be used for one type of noun, whereas others can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. Here’s a handy reference table for these, although this is not an exhaustive list.

Most other adjectives can modify both countable and uncountable nouns.

See also:  What’s the difference between advice vs advise?

Some nouns can be countable and uncountable

You might often hear people say something like “I take two sugars in my tea”. What they really mean is “two teaspoons of sugar”, but the noun “sugar” has taken on that meaning and become countable.

In this way, uncountable nouns can sometimes be used as countable when referring to a complete unit or measurement of something, normally in relation to food and beverages. Here are some more examples:

• I’ll have three coffees , please. (three cups of coffee)
• I’ve had too many beers tonight! (glasses/cans/bottles of beer)
• Could I get two more ketchups ? (two sachets of ketchup)

Uncountable nouns may also be used as countable when they refer to a specific type, example, or category of something . For example:

• You should have at least five different cheeses on your cheese board.
• The best wines in the world are produced in France.
• We used three woods to make this beautiful box.
• They encountered a lot of difficulties while completing the project.
• These juices are all freshly squeezed.

These plural countable nouns are exceptions to the rule given earlier.

Nouns with different countable and uncountable meanings

To make things even more confusing, certain nouns in English have two or more meanings. When a noun refers to different things, one countable and one uncountable, you must remember which is which in order to form a correct sentence. Here are some common examples of words with dual meanings:

As you can see,  English can be hard to learn . Fortunately, you can always check in a dictionary to see whether a noun is countable or uncountable. Some dictionaries, such as  Oxford Dictionaries , specify this in the definition.

We hope this information about countable vs uncountable nouns has been helpful. It can be quite a tricky English grammar topic to get right because, even once you have mastered the rules of count and noncount nouns, there is still no hard-and-fast way to know which words are which, unless you look them up.

Leave a comment below if you have any more questions about this topic or want to check your understanding of a particular point we’ve mentioned.

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What are Mass Nouns?

Mass nouns (or non-count or uncountable nouns) represent nouns that occur in abstract quantities and can’t be counted. These nouns don’t have plural forms and can’t be signified by numbers. At first glance, mass nouns don’t look that different from their counterpart called count nouns. This is where English language learners encounter difficulty. However, once you become familiar with mass nouns as you learn vocabulary and the rules governing their usage in sentences, it will become easier to tell them apart and figure out how they work.

Here are some examples of mass nouns in sentences:

• They need more clothing in the evacuation center.
• I can’t stand the sight of blood .
• Do you need more cream for your coffee ?
• From what I hear, they found gold in that area.
• Cleon noticed the air seemed thicker in that part of the cave.

Mass Nouns Rules

The rules for mass nouns aren’t hard to learn and master. They require an understanding of the actual words, whether or not they can essentially be counted. There are ways to quantify mass nouns and once you’ve nailed the basics, you won’t encounter much trouble in using them comfortably in your own sentences. The following is a list of the main rules you should observe when using mass nouns:

Examples of Mass Nouns

The following are lists of mass nouns in sentences and classified into several categories:

• Donna needs some advice on how to manage her finances.
• Education in this country has deteriorated in the last decade.
• What counts is good health . Everything is pointless when you’re sick.
• Many countries are struggling to establish peace .
• Kyle looked at my paintings with great admiration , which surprised me.

Nature & Science

• I’m not sure I have to energy to go parasailing.
• Sunshine poured through the windows.
• They heard thunder roaring in the distance.
• We sure are getting a lot of rain this month.
• How do you get rid of rust ?
• They’re paving the segment with concrete .
• Are we buying new equipment for the office?
• Petrol is too expensive nowadays.
• We should gather some wood for the bonfire.
• Cyrus plays with clay and molds them into animals.

Food & Drink

• You can never go wrong with butter .
• Seafood is cheap in coastal towns.
• Would you like some honey to go with that?
• The produce aisle doesn’t have a lot of fruits.
• This sauce works incredibly well with pasta .

Mass Nouns Exercises with Answers

Exercise on mass nouns.

Identify the mass nouns in the following sentences:

1. The whole town was covered in darkness before the storm arrived.

2. There’s absolutely no evidence that he was in the area the night the crime occurred.

3. Anton and Seville were playing on the grass when the school monitor called for them.

4. Thank heavens we were blessed with lovely weather during our pictorial.

5. Thick steam rose from the chimneys, which gave the town a post-apocalyptic quality.

6. We should buy enough rice before our trip. The cabin is far from stores.

7. Do you like fish? I was planning on cooking some tonight.

8. I wish I spoke Korean. Living in Seoul would’ve been so much easier.

9. Sometimes it’s okay to be overwhelmed by sadness.

10. Have you ever encountered so much nonsense?

11. Shawn has no patience to teach children. We never assign preschool classes to him.

12. Filjun’s logic is questionable. Sucks you appointed him as the committee head.

13. Mika can’t figure out what to do with the data even after two hours of analyzing it.

14. Their artists welcome feedback and appreciate all the comments they get.

15. My position in the company allows me a certain amount of freedom.

16. Can you make sure the kids finish their homework before going to bed?

17. Ian wasn’t aware of the gravity of the situation until the next day.

18. Pork needs to be seasoned before grilling. You can marinate it, but salt works fine.

19. Would you care to join us for a glass of beer after hours?

20. Due to the humidity, it feels like several more degrees hotter than it actually is.

1. Darkness

2. Evidence

10. Nonsense

11. Patience

14. Feedback

15. Freedom

16. Homework

17. Gravity

18. Pork/Salt

20. Humidity

Mass Nouns List

Note: some mass nouns can be both countable and uncountable based on context.

Advice for ESL Students & English Language Learners

Nouns are usually thought of as the principal part of speech in the English language. After all, they’re the names of everything in existence. But due to its extensive volume, mastering them can be daunting. Luckily, there are a few things that can make language learning less challenging, not only with nouns but all the other grammar concepts in English as well. Consider the following pieces of advice to help you accomplish your language goals.

1. Use Grammar Lists

Fewer grammar tools can function as well as lists, tables, charts, and diagrams in introducing grammar concepts and breaking them down into simplified patterns and rules. They can make grammatical topics easier to grasp. They also contain real-world sentence samples that are valuable to the acquisition of vocabulary and the construction of sentences. The challenge is picking the ones that work for your own study habits. However, you can make your own and customize it according to your own preferences in learning.

2. Use Audio-Visual Resources

Traditional classes aren’t sufficient for studying any language. They should go hand in hand with self-study. Since independent learning is a necessity, the best way to maximize it is to learn with the right materials. One effective and smart way to do so is to ensure that you have ample exposure to English media. Incorporating audio-visual tools in your self-directed instruction is both an educational and entertaining way to reach proficiency. TV shows, films, podcasts, dedicated instructional videos, interactive learning software like LillyPad.ai, and so on can show you how English speakers use the language in different professional, academic, and social situations. You only need to consume these tools with purpose, which means taking content in with the intention of learning.

3. Practical Use

In every field of study, teachers would often say “theory means nothing without practice,” and this is particularly true when studying languages. Instructors are guides; they won’t use English for you. So the best way to improve your level is to use the language as often as you possibly can. It’s not uncommon to meet a student who is proficient in grammar but extremely lacking in verbal communication. This is often the case when a major part of their studies is spent on books. Language should be rooted in actual interaction. Granted that most English students don’t live in places where English is spoken all the time; but in the absence of opportunity, you can make one yourself. You can organize study groups with fellow students and cultivate friendships, both with native and non-native speakers alike.

Additionally, it is important for learners to properly understand collective nouns , concrete nouns and common and proper nouns .

Common Errors Made by English Learners

The following table lists rules that English learners often forget or ignore. Study them to avoid making similar mistakes when using mass or countable nouns.

Learning Strategies and Best Practices with Mass Nouns

Remember the differences between count or countable nouns and mass or uncountable nouns with the following table as a quick reference:

Mass Nouns Frequently Asked Questions

Mass nouns are nouns that are uncountable such as sugar, rain, water, rice, milk, and so on. Meanwhile, collective nouns are nouns that pertain to groups and can either be singular or plural such as team, troupe, family, committee, club, etc. Countable or mass nouns don’t assume plural forms and always use singular verbs.

Here are 10 examples of collective nouns in sentences:

1. The school is proud of the faculty . 2. She gave me a bunch of bananas earlier. 3. Do you have family around here? 4. A swarm of locusts devastated the crops. 5. I want to join the Army after I finish high school. 6. There’s a group meeting at 4 p.m. 7. I can’t wait to meet the rest of the team . 8. Our university choir sounds heavenly. 9. Of course I know that she’s the head of the committee . 10. We will be receiving 20 sets of production equipment.

No. Apple is a count or countable noun. You can quantify the number of apples by using numbers: an apple, a dozen apples, 20 apples, and so on.

It’s both. “Japanese food is refreshing.” In this sentence, it’s both a collective noun and a mass noun used specifically.

The basic difference between them is that mass nouns can’t be counted but count nouns can, as their name suggests. Review the article for a more in-depth look and make sure to read the examples so you can understand the subject of mass nouns better. Explore our blog for dedicated pages about all types of nouns. Here at LillyPad.ai, delivering comprehensive and useful content that can help you reach your language goals.

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Count Nouns or Mass Nouns: A Grammar Guide

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Count nouns or mass nouns—in the English language, it can quickly become confusing as to which one is which. To make matters more complicated, some languages consider nouns countable that English does not (for example, information or hair).

Whether you’re learning English as a second language or trying to master the grammar rules of English, you’ll need to understand the difference between count nouns or mass nouns in order to speak and write English correctly.

But what are count nouns and mass nouns? How do you make a noun plural? And how do you know when they’re count nouns or mass nouns?

Learning the difference between count nouns or mass nouns comes down to following certain patterns and rules. While there are exceptions—as to be expected with the English language—there are several basic grammar rules that can help uncomplicate the confusion.

Let’s get started!

What are Count Nouns?

A count noun is a noun—be it a person, place or thing—that can be separated into individual units and counted. Because of this, a count noun has both a singular and plural form.

When in singular form, a count noun must be used with the number 1, an article or other determiner, such as a demonstrative, quantifier or clarifier.

• That bridge
• Their eagle
• Sheila’s book

A few count nouns only have a plural form. These count nouns are often used with some kind of quantifier or quantity word to express how they are counted.

To make a count noun plural, we often add an -s or an -es at the end of the word.

When a count noun ends in -y, we change the -y to -ies to make it plural. However, if a vowel comes before the -y ending, simply add an -s at the end when the count noun should be plural.

When a count noun ends in -f or -fe, we change the -f or -fe to a -v and add -es to make it plural.

Some count nouns have irregular plurals, meaning they can’t be made plural by following the above rules. In these instances, we tend to memorize or consult reference guides for the plural form.

What are Mass Nouns?

A mass noun is a noun that is considered to exist in abstract quantities or in mass, therefore cannot be counted. Mass nouns are also referred to as non-count nouns or uncountable nouns. Because of this, mass nouns have no plural form and cannot be represented with a number.

Mass nouns frequently occur in academic writing but can also appear often in conversation and less formal communication. That’s why it’s important to learn how mass nouns work in English.

• Food and drink : milk, soda, coffee, tea, meat, bread
• Liquids and gases : water, air, gasoline, nitrogen
• Materials and substances : paper, plastic, wood, concrete, steel
• Nouns composed of uncountable number of particles : rice, salt, flour, rye, hair
• Concepts and qualities : admiration, happiness, honesty, bravery, truth

A number can’t come before a mass noun. For example, you can’t say “two coffees” or “three milks.” However, other count nouns can be used before a mass noun to measure quantity.

• Two cups of coffee
• Three gallons of milk
• A container of salt
• An act of bravery

Some mass nouns naturally end in -s and sound like plurals. Keep in mind that these mass nouns should still be used with singular verbs and pronouns.

• Economics is Norman’s favorite subject.
• Checkers is fun to play when it’s raining outside.
• That is fantastic news !

Most often, mass nouns take singular verbs. However, there are several mass nouns that are plural in form and take only plural verbs and pronouns.

• Are we driving through the outskirts of town?
• Here are my spectacles !

Nouns That Are Both Count Nouns and Mass Nouns

The English language always seems to have a few exceptions to the rule. In fact, there are several English nouns that can be both a count noun and mass noun, depending on how it is used in the sentence.

Count Nouns or Mass Nouns: Remembering the Difference

When in doubt, most nouns in English are count nouns. That being said, there are enough mass nouns that it helps to know if you are referring to count nouns or mass nouns in your sentences.

To recap the grammar guide above, here are some consistent rules to remember the difference between the two types of nouns:

How do you remember the differences between count nouns and mass nouns? Share in the comments section below.

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‘Make homework’ vs. ‘do homework’ in English

First, let me note that “homework” is an uncountable (mass) noun in English. It is a common mistake, even among some non-native teachers of English as a foreign language, to say things like, “Hand in your homeworks, please.” The word “homework”, being uncountable, does not have a plural form. If you really must refer to several separate “pieces” of homework, the word you are looking for is “assignment”:

It is also not possible to use “homework” with “a”:

Let’s move on to the main topic of this article. Without further ado, the correct verb to use with “homework” is “do”, not “make”:

“Homework” is not in any way special in this respect. We always use “do” with activities and “make” with objects that are being made. Just like we “do work”, not “make work”, we also “do homework”, meaning the activity.

The confusion arises from the fact that the most direct translation of “homework” into other languages often refers to the sheets of paper on which the assignments are written, hence it would make sense to “make it”. For the very same reason, we wouldn’t usually speak about “writing homework”:

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Nouns: countable and uncountable

Countable nouns.

Some nouns refer to things which, in English, are treated as separate items which can be counted. These are called countable nouns. Here are some examples:

a car , three cars

my cousin , my two cousins

a book , a box full of books

a city , several big cities

Singular and plural

Countable nouns can be singular or plural. They can be used with a/an and with numbers and many other determiners (e.g. these, a few ):

She’s got two sisters and a younger brother .

Most people buy things like cameras and MP3-players online these days .

These shoes look old now.

I’ll take a few magazines with me for the flight .

Determiners ( the, my , some , this )

Singular and plural nouns

Uncountable nouns

In English grammar, some things are seen as a whole or mass. These are called uncountable nouns, because they cannot be separated or counted.

Some examples of uncountable nouns are:

Ideas and experiences: advice, information, progress, news, luck, fun, work

Materials and substances: water, rice, cement, gold, milk

Weather words: weather, thunder, lightning, rain, snow

Names for groups or collections of things: furniture, equipment, rubbish, luggage

Other common uncountable nouns include: accommodation, baggage, homework, knowledge, money, permission, research, traffic, travel .

These nouns are not used with a/an or numbers and are not used in the plural.

We’re going to get new furniture for the living room.

Not: We’re going to get a new furniture for the living room . or We’re going to get new furnitures for the living room .

We had terrible weather last week.

Not: We had a terrible weather last week .

We need rice next time we go shopping.

Some nouns always have plural form but they are uncountable because we cannot use numbers with them.

I bought two pairs of trousers .

Not: I bought two trousers .

Other nouns of this type are: shorts, pants, pyjamas, glasses (for the eyes), binoculars, scissors .

Some nouns which are uncountable in English are countable in other languages (e.g. accommodation, advice, furniture, information ):

They can give you some information about accommodation at the tourist office.

Not: They can give you some informations about accommodations at the tourist office .

Can you give me some advice about buying a second-hand car?

Not: Can you give me some advices about buying a second-hand car?

A good learner’s dictionary will tell you whether a noun is countable or uncountable.

Quantity expressions ( a bit/piece )

To refer to one or more quantities of an uncountable noun , expressions such as a bit of, a piece of , an item of or words for containers and measures must be used:

He bought a very expensive piece of furniture for his new apartment.

Maggie always has some exciting bits of news when she comes to see us.

I think we’ll need five bags of cement for the patio.

There’s a litre of milk in the fridge for you. And I bought you a bar of chocolate .

Determiners ( my, some, the )

Uncountable nouns can be used with certain determiners (e.g. my, her , some, any , no , the, this, that ) and expressions of quantity (e.g. a lot of, (a) little ):

They gave me some information about courses and scholarships and things.

Have you heard the news ? Fran’s getting engaged.

She’s been studying hard and has made a lot of progress .

There’s no work to do here, so you can go home if you like.

This milk ’s a bit old, I’m afraid.

Countable phrases for uncountable nouns

We can sometimes use countable noun phrases to talk about an individual example of the thing an uncountable noun refers to.

Finding a place to live is difficult if you’re a student and you’ve got no money. (or Finding accommodation … )

Not: Finding an accommodation …

She brought two big suitcases and a rucksack with her.

Not: She brought two big luggages …

I read a poem once about someone riding a horse at night.

Not: I read a poetry …

We went on a trip to the Amazon when we were in Brazil.

Not: We went on a travel …

Countable and uncountable nouns with different meanings

Some nouns can be used either countably or uncountably, but with different meanings.

Uncountable nouns used countably

Measures and examples.

Sometimes uncountable nouns are used countably, to mean ‘a measure of something’ or ‘a type or example of something’:

Can I have two teas and one coffee , please? (two cups of tea and one cup of coffee …?)

A: How many sugars do you want in your tea? (How many spoonfuls/lumps of sugar?) B: Just one, please .

To some degree we tend to eat the foods that we ate as children. (i.e. types of food)

Abstract nouns

Some abstract nouns can be used uncountably or countably. The uncountable use has a more general meaning. The countable use has a more particular meaning.

Nouns of this type include: education, experience, hatred, help, knowledge, life, love, sleep, time, understanding .

Word of the Day

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Lofty ideas, etc. are of a high moral standard.

Trial, judge, and jury: talking about what happens when a criminal is caught

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A List of 130 Mass Nouns (Or Noncount Nouns) in English

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• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

Have you ever wondered why you can have two plates of spaghetti but not  two spaghettis ? Or two bags of rice  but not two rices ? Most nouns In English grammar are like the words plate and bag : they can be counted. Count nouns , as they're called, have both  singular  and  plural  forms, such as "one  diamond " and "four  diamonds ."

Nouns That Can't Be Counted

But there's also a group of nouns that can't be counted. These mass nouns  (which are sometimes called  noncount nouns ) usually have only singular forms— spaghetti , rice , and gold , for example. Count nouns in the singular can follow an indefinite article (or another determiner): a plate, a bag, one  diamond . Mass nouns, on the other hand, usually don't follow an indefinite article, though they can follow certain determiners (such as much or less ).

Count vs. Mass Nouns

At times the distinction between count nouns and mass nouns gets a little fuzzy. For example, the word water is usually treated as a mass noun, but in some contexts water can take the -s ending: "Hammerhead sharks are found worldwide in warmer waters  along coastlines and continental shelves."

The word chicken is another fuzzy example. When we're talking about the meat ("We had chicken again for dinner"), chicken is a mass noun. But when we're referring to the animal ("The cat chased the chickens out of the garden"), chicken is a count noun.

Using or Omitting the 'S'

Keep this fuzziness in mind as you review the following list of 130 mass nouns in English. In certain contexts , some of these nouns can take an -s ending. Also, note that a number of these words can be used as more than one part of speech . The sentences in parentheses illustrate how the words are used as nouns.

List of Mass Nouns

• admiration (I have a deep  admiration for any writer whose books stay in print.)
• advice (As usual, my brother gave me some bad advice .)
• air (The air in the storeroom was musty and cold.)
• anger (Whenever you get angry , you poison your own system.)
• anticipation ( Anticipation is usually greater than realization.)
• assistance (I need your assistance with these problems.)
• awareness ( Awareness of problems is no guarantee they will be solved.)
• bacon (I associate the smell of bacon  with Sunday mornings.)
• baggage (At the airport I lost my baggage but found a new friend.)
• blood (Churchill said, "I have nothing to offer but  blood , toil, tears, and sweat.")
• bravery (It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.)
• chess (I played two games of chess with myself.)
• clay (The birds built their nests out of clay .)
• clothing (The vast majority of donated clothing  is exported overseas.)
• coal ( Coal was burned as a fuel in China more than 3,000 years ago.)
• compliance (The building was not in compliance with local fire codes.)
• comprehension ( Comprehension can't take place when students are distracted.)
• confusion (If confusion is the first step to knowledge, I must be a genius.)
• consciousness  (Nobody knows how many fundamental forms of consciousness  exist in the human brain.)
• cream (My favorite dessert is strawberries and cream .)
• darkness (Education is the movement from darkness to light.)
• diligence (The supervisors' lack of diligence led to disasters of gigantic proportions.)
• dust (Their faces were caked with orange dust .)
• education ( Education is the movement from darkness to light.)
• empathy (Socially skilled people are adept at managing teams: that's their empathy at work.)
• enthusiasm (Even small rewards may spark the children's enthusiasm and ambitions.)
• envy (She saw envy in the eyes of her friends.)
• equality (The global challenge of achieving full gender  equality and human rights for women remains enormous.)
• equipment (We used camels to carry all our equipment and provisions.)
• evidence (The investigators looked for evidence in the debris.)
• feedback (Negative feedback is better than no feedback at all.)
• fitness ( Fitness and good health are the result of a change in lifestyle.)
• flattery (Sue wasn't deceived by their flattery and lies.)
• foliage (Late summer and fall bring bright fruits and colorful foliage .)
• fun (Tom liked being around our family for the fun we had and our big fancy dinners.)
• furniture (Jane looked around at the bare walls and broken furniture .)
• garbage (The skunk fell asleep in the garbage bin.)
• gold (The crown was made of gold and precious stones.)
• gossip (The only time people dislike gossip is when you gossip about them.)
• grammar (I studied English grammar in grammar school.)
• gratitude (The hiker expressed her gratitude  to the boys who had rescued her.)
• gravel (The path to the beach was made of gravel .)
• guilt (If you do the right thing, you won't feel any guilt .)
• happiness ( Happiness isn't something you experience; it's something you remember.)
• hardware (Until it's loaded with software, a computer is just a piece of hardware .)
• hate (" Hate cannot drive out hate ," Dr. King said. "Only love can do that.")
• hay (The children played in the hay all day.)
• health (Good health is something that most of take for granted.)
• heat (If you can't stand the heat , get out of the kitchen.)
• help (When he couldn't put out the fire by himself, John went to get help .)
• hesitation (When the alarms went off, Bruno acted without hesitation .)
• homework (Jorge decided to finish his homework before going out.)
• honesty (A good relationship is based on honesty .)
• honor / honour (Our parents deserve our honor and respect for giving us life itself.)
• hospitality (I thanked Marie's mother for her hospitality .)
• hostility (New immigrants are sometimes met with hostility  from older immigrants.)
• humanity (Though Earl had been mistreated, he never lost his faith in humanity .)
• humility (Gratitude and humility are the true keys to success.)
• ice (Franklin's ship was stuck in the ice .)
• immortality (The key to immortality is living a life worth remembering.)
• independence (Texas declared independence in 1836 and joined the U.S. in 1845.)
• information (There is too much information and not enough time.)
• integrity (The most important character trait of a leader is integrity .)
• intimidation (The boss used intimidation to keep his staff in line.)
• jargon (The doctor's jargon confused the patient.) 
• jealousy (Passion can quickly turn into jealousy .)
• jewelry (Jennifer left her jewelry on the dressing table.)
• justice ( Justice delayed is justice denied.)
• knowledge (A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers.)
• literacy (My parents gave me the gift of literacy .)
• logic ( Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end.)
• luck (Dan's luck ran out when his van ran out of gas.)
• lumber (A truckload of lumber was stolen from the sawmill.)
• luggage (The airline lost my luggage .)
• mail (The letter carrier delivered my mail to the wrong address.)
• management (Poor management leads to low morale and inefficiency.)
• merchandise (The expensive merchandise sat on the shelves gathering dust.)
• milk (Drinking too much milk can spoil a child's appetite.)
• morale (Poor management   leads to low morale and inefficiency.)
• mud (The detective noticed that the suspect had mud on his shoes.)
• music (I can't listen to music while I'm trying to write.)
• nonsense (It's nonsense to think that you can lose weight just by taking a pill.)
• oppression (Sooner or later, oppression leads to rebellion.)
• optimism ( Optimism is an important part of good leadership.)
• oxygen (The diver ran out of oxygen before reaching the surface.)
• participation ( Participation in school sports often has a positive effect on children's grades.)
• pay (The strikers demanded higher pay .)
• peace (We wanted only to be left alone, to live in peace .)
• perseverance (With perseverance and passion you can achieve your goals.)
• pessimism (Jill couldn't put up with Will's unrelenting pessimism .)
• pneumonia (Winston has just recovered from a bout of pneumonia .)
• poetry (Peter's poetry is pretty awful.)
• police (Mrs. Sanchez called the police last night.)
• pride (John's pride was hurt by Joan's sarcastic remarks.)
• privacy (J.D. Salinger valued his privacy .)
• propaganda ( Propaganda helps people to deceive themselves.)
• public (The young violinist lacked the confidence to perform in public .)
• punctuation ( Punctuation is the written expression of pauses and gestures.)
• recovery (The insurance agency assisted in the recovery of the stolen jewels.)
• rice ( Rice is the most important food crop in the developing world.)
• rust (Achilles scraped the rust off the head of his spear)
• satisfaction (Success is finding satisfaction in giving a little more than you take.)
• shame (Imagine the shame of being caught cheating!)
• sheep (Merino  sheep are an important source of high-quality wool.)
• slang ( Slang is a sport that belongs essentially to the young.)
• software (Until it's loaded with software , a computer is just a piece of hardware.)
• spaghetti (Paul's favorite food is spaghetti .)
• stamina (It takes stamina and persistence to succeed in any sport.)
• starvation (The early American colonists faced the risk of starvation .)
• steam ( Steam was the first great power source of the industrial age.)
• steel (In 1943 all pennies in the U.S. were made of steel .)
• stuff (Nobody was allowed to touch my Dad's stuff .)
• support (Maria knew that she could depend on the support of her mother.)
• sweat (Churchill said, "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat .")
• thunder ( Thunder rumbled over the western hills.)
• timber (Basswood is the best timber for building pulpits.)
• toil  (Churchill said, "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil , tears, and sweat.")
• traffic (The traffic was so bad that we had to give up and go back home.)
• training (Birdie injured her knee while she was in training  for a marathon.)
• trash (The dog had emptied the trash all over the kitchen floor.)
• understanding (I have only a limited understanding of basic physics.)
• valor (The soldiers exhibited  valor in the face of extreme peril.)
• vehemence (John was surprised by the vehemence of Joan's response.)
• violence ( Violence never achieves peace)
• warmth (She felt the warmth of the breeze on her arms.)
• waste  (Poor planning led to an enormous waste of time and money.)
• weather (Bad weather slowed the recovery efforts.)
• wheat ( Wheat is the most important source of vegetable protein in our food.)
• wisdom (When the fight started, Pete had the wisdom to call a time-out.)
• work (The fire was the work of a careless burglar.)
• Definition and Examples of Count Nouns
• Overview of Noncount Nouns in English Grammar
• What Is a Mass Noun?
• What Are Partitives in Grammar?
• Understanding the Types of Nouns in English Grammar
• What Is a Collective Noun? Definition and Examples
• Types of Nouns
• Definition and Examples of Determiners in English
• 100 Irregular Plural Nouns in English
• What Is the Purpose of the Zero Article in English Grammar?
• 100 Key Terms Used in the Study of Grammar
• The Notion of Number in English Grammar
• Quantifier - Definitions and Examples
• Plurale Tantum in English Grammar
• Plural Forms of English Nouns

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homework noun

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What does the noun homework mean?

There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun homework . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the noun homework ?

How is the noun homework pronounced?

British english, u.s. english, where does the noun homework come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun homework is in the mid 1600s.

OED's earliest evidence for homework is from 1653, in the writing of Edmund Chillenden, parliamentarian army officer and General Baptist leader.

homework is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: home n. 1 , work n.

Nearby entries

• homeward-bounder, n. 1837–
• homeward-bound pennant, n. 1853–
• homewardly, adv. 1797–
• homewards, adv. & adj. Old English–
• homeware, n. 1782–
• home waters, n. 1838–
• home wear, n. 1836–
• home-whining, n. a1657
• home wind, n. 1732–
• home-woe, n. 1838–
• homework, n. 1653–
• homework club, n. 1900–
• homework diary, n. 1973–
• homeworker, n. 1843–
• homeworking, n. 1844–
• home-working, adj. 1850–
• home worship, n. 1849–
• homewort, n. Old English–
• home-wreck, n. 1845–
• home-wrecker, n. 1878–
• home-wrecking, n. 1878–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for homework, n..

homework, n. was revised in September 2011.

homework, n. was last modified in July 2023.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

• further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into homework, n. in July 2023.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

A Supplement to the New English Dictionary (1933)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View homework in OED Second Edition

Please submit your feedback for homework, n.

Please include your email address if you are happy to be contacted about your feedback. OUP will not use this email address for any other purpose.

Citation details

Factsheet for homework, n., browse entry.

Mass Noun: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know what a mass noun is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on mass nouns, including the definition, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What is a mass noun?

According to Grammar Party Blog , mass nouns which are also called “uncountable nouns”  and “noncount nouns,” are nouns that cannot be divided into separate parts such as substances, objects, and concepts. Unlike a count noun, there is no definite quantity of a mass noun. Just like there are singular count nouns and plural count nouns, abstract nouns like mass nouns can also use a singular verb or plural verb. Ofte, they are singular. Unlike a sheet of paper, a piece of wood, or a tile, mass nouns are unable to be divided or counted These fall into a few different types of mass nouns:

•  gases: air, helium, argon, nitrogen
•  states of existence: childhood, sleep, sickness, girlhood
•  Liquid categories: orange juice, tea, water, medicine, soaps, soda
•   feelings : anger, happiness, fear, courage
•  foods: cheese, rice, pudding, butter, beer, pasta
•  weather: rain, snow, sleet, sunshine
•  powder: flour, makeup powder, powdered sugar
•  ideas: advice, motivation, existentialism, mathematics
•  time: november, tomorrow, the future, october
•  punctuation: comma, 
•  actions/gerunds: smoking, caution
•  other: social media, politeness, semantics,  pronouns

What are examples of mass nouns?

A mass noun can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or literary technique in a sentence is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge. Try using this term of the day in a sentence today! Below are many examples of mass nouns from Thought Co. that can help get you started incorporating this tool into your everyday use.  Try to use the term mass noun today or notice when someone else is using a mass noun. It is hard to create an exhaustive list, but we have tried!

•  honesty – A good relationship is based on honesty.
•  understanding – I have only a limited understanding of basic physics.
•  jewelry – Jennifer left her jewelry on the dressing table.
•  humanity – Though Earl had been mistreated, he never lost his faith in humanity.
•  weather – Bad weather slowed the delivery of much furniture.
•  hardware – Until it’s loaded with software, a computer is just a piece of hardware.
•  gratitude – The hiker expressed her gratitude to the boys who had rescued her.
•  hospitality – I thanked Marie’s mother for her hospitality.
•  furniture – Jane looked around at the bare walls and broken furniture.
•  hate – “Hate cannot drive out hate,” Dr. King said. “Only love can do that.”
•  garbage – The skunk fell asleep in the garbage bin.
•  equipment – We used camels to carry all our equipment and provisions.
•  grammar – I studied English grammar in grammar school.
•  homework – Jorge decided to finish his homework before going out.
•  clothing – The vast majority of donated clothing is exported overseas.
•  shame – Imagine the shame of being caught cheating!
•  poetry – Peter’s poetry is pretty awful.
•  recovery – The insurance agency assisted in the recovery of the stolen jewels.
•  violence – Violence never achieves peace
•  air – The air in the storeroom was musty and cold.
•  anticipation – Anticipation is usually greater than realization.
•  public – The young violinist lacked the confidence to perform in public.
•  warmth – She felt the warmth of the breeze on her arms.
•  luggage – The airline lost my luggage.
•  feedback – Negative feedback is better than no feedback at all.
•  morale – Poor management leads to low morale and inefficiency.
•  jargon – The politician’s jargon confused the voters. 
•  wheat – Wheat is the most important source of vegetable protein in our food.
•  satisfaction – Success is finding satisfaction in giving a little more than you take.
•  propaganda – Propaganda helps people to deceive themselves.
•  fun – Tom liked being around the Simpsons for the fun they had and their big fancy dinners.
•  bravery – It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.
•  independence – Texas declared independence in 1836 and joined the U.S. in 1845.
•  justice – Justice delayed is justice denied.
•  slang – Slang is a sport that belongs essentially to the young.
•  nonsense – It’s nonsense to think that you can lose weight just by taking a pill.
•  admiration – I have a deep admiration for any writer whose books stay in print.
•  diligence – The supervisors’ lack of diligence led to disasters of gigantic proportions.
•  sweat – Churchill said, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.”
•  blood – Churchill said, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.”
•  gold – The crown was made of gold and precious stones.
•  participation – Participation in school sports often has a positive effect on children’s grades.
•  music – I can’t listen to music while I’m trying to write.
•  evidence – The investigators looked for evidence in the debris.
•  humility – Gratitude and humility are the true keys to success.
•  perseverance – With perseverance and passion you can achieve your goals.
•  immortality – The key to immortality is living a life worth remembering.
•  timber – Basswood is the best timber for building pulpits.
•  rust – Achilles scraped the rust off the head of his spear
•  pneumonia – Winston has just recovered from a bout of pneumonia.
•  punctuation – Punctuation is the written expression of pauses and gestures.
•  vehemence – John was surprised by the vehemence of Joan’s response.
•  advice – As usual, my brother gave me some bad advice.
•  thunder – Thunder rumbled over the western hills.
•  toil – Churchill said, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.”
•  steel – In 1943 all pennies in the U.S. were made of steel.
•  jealousy – Passion can quickly turn into jealousy.
•  work – The fire was the work of a careless burglar.
•  hesitation – When the alarms went off, Bruno acted without hesitation.
•  rice – Rice is the most important food crop in the developing world.
•  gravel – The path to the beach was made of gravel.
•  mail – The letter carrier delivered my mail to the wrong address.
•  pessimism – Jill couldn’t put up with Will’s unrelenting pessimism.
•  awareness – Awareness of problems is no guarantee they will be solved.
•  baggage – At the airport I lost my baggage but found a new friend.
•  clay – The birds built their nests out of clay.
•  lumber – A truckload of lumber was stolen from the sawmill.

Overall, a mass noun in American English is  a set of isolable objects that cannot be counted.

• List of 130 Mass Nouns (Or Noncount Nouns) in English | Thought Co 
• What Are Mass Nouns? | Grammar Party Blog 

Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.

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Count Nouns vs. Mass Nouns

This is an entry on my list of Common Errors in English Usage . Visit the main page for direct links to additional entries.

Mass nouns (also called non-count nouns ) have no plural form and can only be counted with the addition of a “measure word.”¹ Mass nouns are often substances or abstract things:

five rices five grains of rice five pounds of rice

two waters ² two glasses of water

one sadness, two sadnesses a lot of sadness at the funeral

Count nouns have a plural form and can be counted without the aid of a “measure word.” Count nouns are often concrete things:

seven books three children two grievances

Certain words in English that are used to discuss quantity reflect the distinction between mass and count nouns, but they are often misused. Remember that amount , much , and less should not be used with count nouns; use number , many , and fewer instead:

the amount of books the number of books

the number of water(s) the amount of water

much things to see many things to see

not many homework(s) not much homework

less children fewer children

fewer sadness(es) less sadness

In addition, some mass nouns frequently used in everyday conversation are often mistakenly treated as count nouns, such as homework (see above) and stuff . These mistakes are particularly common among native speakers of Chinese or other East Asian languages who are learning English as a second language.³

three homeworks three homework assignments

a lot of stuffs a lot of stuff

¹ In fact, nouns cannot really be so neatly divided into separate categories, since so many of them have multiple meanings and can act as either count nouns or mass nouns depending on context. However, it is vital to understand this fundamental distinction in order to develop a clear and correct sense of English usage.

² In a restaurant, you might ask for “two waters,” but that kind of usage is considered nonstandard.

³ The distinction between mass and count nouns is not a grammatical feature of Chinese, which essentially uses “measure words” (量词) to quantify all nouns.

Related Resources

Common Errors in English Usage : Errors in diction and idiom commonly made by native speakers of English

List of Common Errors in English Usage (PDF): Printable version of the complete list

Common Grammar Errors : A list of common errors in  grammar (topics like subject-verb agreement and parallelism) as distinct from usage

List of Common Errors in English Usage: PDF version

© 2006, 2008, and 2019 C. Brantley Collins, Jr.

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Free learning resource on English grammar, punctuation, usage, and style.

Count and Mass Nouns

Only count nouns (e.g., houses , owls , cups ) have distinct singular and plural forms. An indefinite article ( a / an ) or a number can be used before a count noun ( a house , an owl , two cups ). Mass nouns, such as qualities and substances (e.g., kerosene , anger , peace ), are not spoken of in terms of individual units. Thus, these nouns do not have separate singular and plural forms ( kerosenes , angers , peaces ). Moreover, you cannot use the indefinite article ( a / an ) or a number before a mass noun ( a kerosene , three angers ).

Count nouns

Count nouns (also called countable nouns) refer to things that are thought of in terms of number. Thus, they have singular and plural forms.

Often, we form the plural by adding an s or es to the word. However, some nouns have irregular plurals .

While many count nouns are concrete nouns , which means they can be identified using the five senses, others are abstract ( happy memories , interesting ideas ).

Mass nouns, sometimes called non-count or uncountable nouns, are thought of as a quantity rather than as individual units of a thing. Since these nouns are not spoken of in terms of number, they have no distinct singular and plural forms.

• Materials and substances: wood, plastic, steel, concrete, cotton
• Liquids and gases: gasoline, nitrogen, air, water
• Concepts and qualities: joy, kindness, contentment, truth, honesty, charity
• Things made up of an uncountable number of particles: salt, rye, hair, flour, rice
• Food and drink: bread, meat, soda, tea, coffee

A noun’s existence as count or mass depends not so much on whether it can be counted as on whether it is thought of in terms of units or as an undifferentiated amount. For example, it is possible to count the pieces of furniture in your house. However, furniture is a mass noun referring to all types of movable articles that make a room habitable ( I don’t have much furniture ), while chair and table are count nouns ( This table comes with four chairs ). Similarly, money is a mass noun ( I have a little money to spend today ), while dollar and cent are count nouns ( five dollars and ninety-nine cents ).

You can’t use a number before a mass noun ( five nitrogens ), but other nouns can be used to measure quantity.

• five loaves of bread
• two gallons of gasoline
• an ounce of kindness
• an act of charity
• three cups of coffee

Singular mass nouns ending in -s

Some mass nouns end in -s and sound like plurals but are treated as singular.

• Fields of study: economics, physics, mathematics, politics, aeronautics, genetics
• Branches of medicine: orthopedics, obstetrics, anesthetics
• Diseases: measles, mumps, shingles, herpes, rabies, rickets, diabetes
• Games: billiards, checkers, darts, cards, skittles
• Other words: news, gymnastics, aerobics

Use singular verbs and pronouns with all such words.

• Mathematics is Nesbit’s favorite subject.
• Rabies spreads through a bite or a scratch from an infected animal. It is a disease that can be prevented through vaccination.
• This is wonderful news !

Plural mass nouns

Most mass nouns (like steel and happiness ) take singular verbs. However, some mass nouns are plural in form and take only plural verbs and pronouns.

• These are the outskirts of the city. This word has no singular form ( outskirt ).
• Where are my spectacles ? The singular spectacle has a different meaning from a pair of spectacles .
• The mechanics of this old car are simple but remarkable. mechanics : machinery and working parts; mechanic : a person who repairs vehicles

These nouns behave like mass rather than count nouns. They have no distinct singular form, and you can’t use a number before them.

• four outskirts of London / four areas in the outskirts of London
• two spectacles / two pairs of spectacles
• three internal mechanics of boats / the internal mechanics of three boats

Differences between count and mass nouns

Grammatical differences exist in how we use and describe count and mass nouns.

Number before the noun

Since count nouns can be counted, a number can be added before them.

• I drank three cups of tea this morning.
• Who were the six wives of Henry VIII?
• Why do humans have thirty-two teeth if they need just twenty-eight?

In contrast, mass nouns like happiness and wisdom can’t be described using a number ( three happinesses , seven wisdoms ).

Mass nouns don’t have distinct singular and plural forms.

• Count: The difference between hard and soft mattresses but Mass: The difference between hard and soft water / waters
• Count: Books read by British and American tourists but Mass: Books on British and American English / Englishes

Indefinite article ( a / an ) before the noun

You can use the article a or an before a count noun, indicating that the noun is indefinite and singular.

You cannot use the indefinite article ( a / an ) with a mass noun.

• Why is it so hard to find a person with an integrity ?
• I never thought I would find such a happiness .
• When you add a calcium to a water , you get a hydrogen and a calcium hydroxide .

Mass nouns can, nevertheless, take the definite article the (just like count nouns).

• The water in this glass is contaminated.
• Who used up all the hydrogen in the balloon?
• The tension in the room was palpable.

Need for determiners

A singular count noun requires a determiner (e.g., a/an , this , some , every ).

• Incorrect I met man coming down stairs morning .
• Correct I met a man coming down the stairs this morning .
• Incorrect Who was girl you were speaking to?
• Correct Who was that girl you were speaking to?

Mass nouns have no such requirement. Determiners may or may not be used with mass nouns, depending on the meaning to be conveyed.

• I had milk for breakfast this morning.
• I think this milk has gone sour.
• In the fridge was some milk and a shrunken human head.

Modifiers used with count and mass nouns

With count nouns, use modifiers that refer to number (e.g., many , few , fewer ).

• This forest is home to many leopards .
• This bottle has fewer pills than that one.
• Here are a few tips on how to be a better editor.

In contrast, to describe mass nouns, use modifiers such as much , little , and less , which refer to amount rather than number.

• There isn’t much water in this bottle.
• There is little hope left for us.
• It will take less time to redo the report than to revise it.

Some modifiers can refer to either number or amount. These can be used with both count and mass nouns

• Count noun: a lot of leopards Mass noun: a lot of water
• Count noun: no pills Mass noun: no hope
• Count noun: some opportunities Mass noun: some time

Nouns that are both count and mass

Quite often, the same word can be a count or a mass noun depending on meaning.

• Mass: Is there life on other planets? life: what distinguishes living things from inorganic matter
• Count: This vaccine has saved millions of lives . lives: the individual states of existence of humans or animals
• Mass: Contrary to popular belief , playing video games does not make you grow extra fingers. belief: something accepted as true
• Count: It’s interesting to explore ideas and beliefs different from one’s own. beliefs: firmly held opinions
• Mass: Could I borrow a sheet of paper and a pencil? paper: material to write on
• Count: Anita has published three papers on the effects of tea on the immune system. papers: academic essays
• Mass: I prefer tea to coffee . coffee: a type of hot beverage
• Count: I’ll have two coffees to go, please. coffees: cups of coffee

Hair can be either a count or a mass noun, depending on context. When you refer to individual strands ( a spider’s tactile hairs ), hair is a count noun. However, when you speak of all the hairs on someone’s head collectively, hair becomes an uncountable or mass noun ( She has long black hair / hairs ).

How to distinguish between count and mass nouns

To avoid making grammatical mistakes, it is important to correctly identify a noun as count or mass.

• Incorrect He gave me a lot of useful advices . Advice here is a mass noun and has no plural form.
• Correct He gave me a lot of useful advice .

To check whether a noun is count or mass, try inserting a number before it. If that sounds wrong ( two advices ), what you have is a mass noun. With count nouns, it sounds perfectly fine to use a number (e.g., three suggestions ).

If you’re still not sure, check the dictionary. For example, advice (meaning guidance) is listed as a mass noun by Oxford . This indicates that the word has no distinct plural form.

Usage guide

Count nouns have singular and plural forms, while mass nouns do not. Don’t use a / an or a number before mass nouns, since they cannot be counted or differentiated. Also remember that whether a noun is count or mass depends upon whether you are referring to individual units or an indivisible quantity.

Share this article

Advice (meaning guidance) is a mass noun and has no separate plural form.

Recommendation is a count noun and requires a determiner (such as the article a ) when used in the singular.

Luggage , a word that collectively refers to suitcases and other bags used for travel, is a mass noun and has no distinct plural form ( luggages ).

Since furniture is a mass noun, it is fine but not necessary to use a determiner (such as some ) with it.

Since furniture is a mass noun, the indefinite article a cannot be used with it.

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Grammar: Count and Noncount Nouns

Introduction to count and noncount nouns.

Count and noncount nouns vary from language to language. In some languages, there are no count nouns (e.g., Japanese). In addition, some nouns that are noncount in English may be countable in other languages (e.g., hair or information).

Errors with count and noncount nouns can result in errors with article usage and with subject verb agreement .

Count Nouns

What is a count noun.

Count nouns can be separated into individual units and counted. They usually have both a singular and a plural form. Most English nouns are count nouns.

• one phone, two phones
• one dog, two dogs
• one shirt, two shirts

However, a few countable nouns only have a plural form in English. Here are a few examples:

These are often used with some sort of quantifier, or quantity word , to show how they are counted (e.g., "a pair of" pants, "two pairs of" pants, "some " pants).

How are count nouns made plural?

Count nouns are usually made plural by adding an "-s" or an "-es."

• one boy, two boy s
• one folder, two folder s
• one box, two box es
• one church, two church es

If the noun ends in "-y," change the "-y" to "-ies" to make it plural.

• one family, two famil ies
• one party, two part ies

However, if a vowel precedes the "-y," add just an "-s" to make it plural.

• one toy, two toy s
• one donkey, two donkey s

If the noun ends in "-o," add "-es" to make it plural.

• one potato, two potato es
• one tomato, two tomato es

If the noun ends in "-f" or "-fe," change the "-f" to a "-v" and add "-es."

• one thief, two thiev es
• one hoof, two hoov es

Some count nouns have irregular plural forms. Many of these forms come from earlier forms of English.

• one foot, two feet
• one person, two people
• one tooth, two teeth
• one criterion, two criteria

When unsure of the plural form, please consult the dictionary. An English learner’s dictionary (such as Merriam-Webster, Cambridge, Oxford, or Longman) may be the most useful.

Important: Singular count nouns must have a word in the determiner slot. This could be an article, a pronoun, or a possessive noun (i.e., "a," "an," "the," "this," or a possessive noun). Please see our page on article usage for more information.

Noncount Nouns

What is a noncount noun.

Noncount (or uncountable) nouns exist as masses or abstract quantities that cannot be counted. They have no plural form. Although most English nouns are count nouns, noncount nouns frequently occur in academic writing.

Here are some common categories of noncount nouns. Like all things in English (and language in general), there may be exceptions.

A mass: work, equipment, homework, money, transportation, clothing, luggage, jewelry, traffic

A natural substance: air, ice, water, fire, wood, blood, hair, gold, silver

Food: milk, rice, coffee, bread, sugar, meat, water

An abstract concept: advice, happiness, health, education, research, knowledge, information, time

A game: soccer, tennis, basketball, hockey, football, chess, checkers

A disease: diabetes, measles, polio, influenza, malaria, hypothyroidism, arthritis

A subject of study: economics, physics, astronomy, biology, history, statistics

A language : Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, English

An activity (in the "-ing" form): swimming, dancing, reading, smoking, drinking, studying

Important: Noncount nouns do not use the indefinite articles "a" or "an." They can, however, use the definite article "the" if what is being referred to is specific. They can also use no article if what is being referred to is general (generic) or nonspecific. Please see our page on article usage for more information.

Double Nouns

Some nouns can be both count and noncount. When they change from a count to a noncount noun, the meaning changes slightly. In the noncount form, the noun refers to the whole idea or quantity. In the count form, the noun refers to a specific example or type. When the noun is countable, it can be used with the indefinite article "a" or "an" or it can be made plural.

Check the published literature in your field of study to determine whether specific nouns are used in a countable or an uncountable way. Sometimes, a noun that is generally countable becomes uncountable when used in a technical way.

Here are a few examples:

• Life is a gift. (noncount)
• She leads a very fulfilling life . (count = This specifies the type of life. It could be a boring life, a dangerous life, and so on.)
• I like cheese . (noncount)
• The cheeses of France are my favorite. (count = This specifies the type of cheese.)
• The study of language is called linguistics. (noncount)
• English is often considered an international language . (count)

Quantity Words

Quantity words are used to add information about the number or amount of the noun. Some quantity words can only be used with countable singular nouns (e.g., computer, pen, and crayon), some can only be used with countable plural nouns (e.g., printers, flashdrives, and keyboards), some can only be used with uncountable nouns (i.e., paper, ink), and some can be used with both plural countable nouns and with uncountable nouns.

With countable singular nouns (e.g., computer, pen, crayon):

• each computer
• every computer
• another computer

With countable plural nouns (e.g., printers, flashdrives, and keyboards):

• several printers
• a large number of printers
• a small number of printers
• not many printers
• too many printers
• many printers
• a few printers
• very few printers
• few printers
• fewer printers

With uncountable nouns (e.g., paper or ink):

• a great deal of paper
• a large amount of paper
• a small amount of paper
• not much paper
• too much paper
• a little paper
• very little paper
• little paper

With countable plural nouns and with uncountable nouns (e.g., printers, flashdrives, keyboards; paper, or ink):

• some printers
• any printers
• a lot of printers
• a lot of ink
• hardly any printers
• hardly any ink
• (almost) all printers
• (almost) all ink
• no printers
• none of the printers
• none of the ink
• not any printers
• not any ink
• other printers

Note the difference between "few/little" (almost none) and "a few/a little " (some, but not many/much). "Few/little" tend to have a negative connotation. "A few/a little" tend to be more positive.

• There are few solutions. (There are not many solutions.)
• There are a few solutions. (There are some solutions.)  
• He received little education. (He did not receive much education.)
• He received a little education. (He received some education.)

Nouns Video Playlist

Note that these videos were created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

Writing Tools: Using a Dictionary for Grammatical Accuracy Video

Note that this video was created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

• Writing Tools: Using a Dictionary for Grammatical Accuracy (video transcript)

Related Resources

Knowledge Check: Count and Noncount Nouns

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Definition of mass noun noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

Take your English to the next level

The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app

• After reading the replies, I think I should make the situation more clear. I myself am a math TA. What our students need to do for homework is usually about ten exercises from the textbook. I feel if I ask another TA how much homework he needs to grade, the usual reply will be like, "I have two sections, fifteen students each, and we have one assignment every week." Since the amount of exercises is usually the same, we don't really care about it. The amount of homework to grade mainly depends on how many students we have. But I always feel this kind of reply to be very indirect. So my precisely question is if there is any way to reply the question "how much homework do you need to grade?" by saying "I need to grade thirty (units) homework every week."
• Based on what I see from the replies, I have the impression that different countries have different answers for this question. Is this true? I'm on the west coast of the US so the way in which people there answer this question is what I care about the most. But I'm still interested in knowing the difference.
• uncountable-nouns

• 7 But, Chris, you'd need to tell us what unit is important. What did you count to reach thirty? Was it questions, exercises, assignments, workbooks? Was it students or classes? Until you tell us, we don't know. –  Gary Botnovcan Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 15:21

9 Answers 9

In your example, you could use pieces , as in I have thirty pieces of homework to grade every week .

piece noun [ C ] (THING) a single object of a particular type: a piece of furniture/clothing/equipment a piece of paper (= a whole sheet) a piece of china (= an object made of china) a piece of information/advice (Cambridge Dictionary)

However, that doesn't seem particularly idiomatic to me. You could use assignments , as in homework assignments :

assignment noun [ C/U ] us ​ /əˈsɑɪn·mənt/ a particular job or responsibility given to you: [C] The homework assignment was to read Chapter 2 in our history book. (Cambridge Dictionary)

However, in my experience, it's more common to use the type of assignment instead of homework . I think the most broad term is assignment , but you could be more specific: I have 30 ______ to grade every week.

• assignments

I was very briefly a grader (or, "reader") in a related field. I can't remember exactly how I talked about it, but if someone asked me, "How much homework do you need to grade?", I would probably reply

I need to grade thirty [assignments] every week.

You could also say sets (as others have mentioned), or even submissions (more generic). I'm thinking maybe even "papers", but that's usually used with reports or essay-like works.

I don't think I would have responded in the form you supplied, "I need to grade thirty (units) homework every week." But, that's just my personal feeling of it. You can still use pieces , as mentioned earlier. It may or may not sound slightly strange to the listener, but you will be understood.

To my surprise, BrE users are reporting that pieces of homework is idiomatic to them. I did a little Ngram search , and it appears that the phrase is more common in BrE.

I'm from the West Coast (US).

• 2 I always preferred "piece of homework", so +1 –  SovereignSun Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 9:19
• 4 Pieces was the first word I thought of. (brit here) –  WendyG Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 10:56
• 2 I've often heard " homework for 30 students ", or " papers ", as in " I have 30 papers to grade this weekend ". –  Todd Wilcox Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 13:58
• 8 "Assignment" strikes me as more likely American. I don't think we ever referred to pieces of homework as "assignments" in secondary school here in Britain. Maybe my school was just weird though, it's hard to tell with this sort of thing! –  Muzer Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 14:27
• 2 Pieces of homework sounds perfectly idiomatic to me (from UK) –  Ben Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 13:08

You are given homework assignments :

[Merriam-Webster] 2 b : a specified task or amount of work assigned or undertaken as if assigned by authority • a homework assignment The students were given a homework assignment .

• @Richard The way I see it, this definition is not so precise and clear too! What about: "a piece of work that a student is asked to do" (Quoted from here , definition number 2) –  a.RR Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 14:14
• 5 If the teacher were marking 30 assignments, I'd see that as 30 sets of different homework, not 30 submissions for the same assignment. –  Lightness Races in Orbit Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 15:16
• Agreed; one assignment to 30 students would produce (up to) 30 submissions to grade. –  chepner Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 18:19
• In Toronto, especially in high school, we always got homework assignments. They weren't called anything else. –  Jason Bassford Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 20:30
• 1 Hmm everyone I knew when I TA'd in the US would more than happily use "homeworks". Not sure if they would write since I've never had occasion to need that but in casual speech it seems completely acceptable. I wonder how many would have actually reported it as ungrammatical. –  DRF Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 13:45

You pick a different noun that is more flexible yet appropriate.

I have thirty reports to grade. I have thirty assignments to mark.

• 2 Also problem sets or essays. –  user3067860 Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 13:29

You're asking about the teacher's workload in evaluating the homework that has been returned.

I think the word 'sets' is what you're looking for.

I have 30 sets of math homework to grade, and I still have 8 sets of geography homework from yesterday that I'm not done with.

set (MW, noun definition 2)

a number of things of the same kind that belong or are used together

The dictionaries don't seem to have caught up yet but, as somebody who regularly sets and marks homework in a university in the UK, I would quite happily refer to "marking 30 homeworks". A comment on another answer says that this is also used in the US.

So, at least for informal use, I think it's fine to use homework as a countable noun and pluralize it. If you wanted to be more formal, I'd go with my usual cowardly solution of rewording to avoid the problem: "I have to grade 30 students' homework" or "I have to grade homework for 30 students."

• 1 I agree, but interestingly, if I were a student and had a math assignment, a history assignment, and an English assignment, I'd never say "I have three homeworks to do." –  thumbtackthief Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 21:21

I suggest you use the word exercise . It's one of the most frequently used words in this meaning(=homework) & it's countable too.

Well, there are other simple ways:

For homework , you're going to finish thirty exercises every week.

In other words:

Do Exercises 3, 4, 5 etc on pages 51, 52, 53 etc for homework .

If you are student you can say:

My science teacher always sets a lot of homework. The teacher told us to do thirty exercises for homework.

If you are teacher you can also say:

For homework I want you to do thirty exercises.

• 1 But if you set thirty exercises as homework then one 'unit' of homework would be thirty exercises, so 'exercise' isn't the unit for 'the homework received from one pupil'. –  Pete Kirkham Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 15:01
• @PeteKirkham All in all, " One exercise " can be a " Piece of homework " or " A part of assignment " . So I definitely disagree with you. –  a.RR Commented Aug 9, 2018 at 15:43
• 2 Probably an American thing, but "my teacher sets a lot of homework" sounds very weird to me. I would always use the verb "gives." I also agree with @PeteKirkham; to me, "exercise" only refers to a part of an assignment and not the assignment as a whole. –  Doorknob Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 14:35
• @Doorknob "Set" seems very normal to me in British English so, yes, this probably is a US/UK thing. –  David Richerby Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 16:07
• This is incorrect. If the teacher has set 30 exercises to each of 30 students, then they have 900 exercises to mark but only 30 units of homework. "Exercise" and "homework" are not synonyms: one's homework is the total work one has been set to do at home and that may consist of multiple exercises, as your answer makes clear. –  David Richerby Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 16:09

I'd quantify it by the amount of students whose homework you have to grade.

"I have homework of 30 students to grade this weekend"

• 2 Or, more simply, "30 students' homework". With your phrasing, I think you need the definite article, "I have the homework of 30 students to grade this weekend." –  David Richerby Commented Aug 10, 2018 at 16:00

At MIT, most courses assign homework in " problem sets ".

A typical engineering student has to do four problem sets per week: one for each course that he or she is enrolled in.

A typical TA (Teaching Assistant) has to grade dozens of problem sets per week: one for each student in his (or rarely her) recitation section(s).

A typical problem set consists of several problems.

Some courses (especially in Technical Writing and the Humanities) require students to write weekly essays, instead of solve weekly problem sets.

'30 sets of homework' perhaps.

But 'I've got 30 homeworks to mark' doesn't sound wrong.

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Unit 47: MASS NOUNS

Mass nouns do not have a singular or plural form ( Unit 45 ). We cannot say a water or three waters ; we just say water

Important mass nouns

ALL LIQUIDS coffee, juice, gas, milk, oil, tea, soup, water

SOME FOOD butter, cheese, flour, food, fruit, rice, honey, meat, parsley, toast, sugar, salt

MATERIALS cotton, leather, gold, metal, paper, wood

ABSTRACTS advice, education, information, knowledge, homework, life, love, music, news, time

ALSO furniture, hair, luggage, money, weather

How to count mass nouns

For many mass nouns (except liquids), we can use bit :.

a bit of advice a little bit of salt two bits of cheese

For many mass nouns (except liquids and some abstracts), we can use piece :

a piece of bread two pieces of information

For liquids and some food, we can use containers:

a jar of honey three cups of coffee a bottle of water

For liquids, food and material, we can use measuring words:

ten litres of gas fifty grams of sugar

NOTICE: It is correct to say two coffees, please in a cafe because we understand two cups of coffee .

NOTICE: Unit 56 shows you other words to use with mass nouns.

Download PDF Download Word

Exercise 47.1

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