8.10.16

Uncountable nouns often used wrongly

Uncountable nouns

Accommodation, advice, feedback, clothing, equipment, information, luggage, news, progress and software are uncountable nouns often used wrongly. These words are not used in the plural form and are not used with indefinite article (a, an) and a number.


Accommodation (accommodations in American English)


Definition: a place provided for someone to live, stay or work in

✓ We are looking for overnight accommodation for a couple.
 We are looking for an overnight accommodation for a couple.
✓ Accommodation in this city is cheap
✗ Accommodations in this city are cheap

Advice


Definition: an opinion on how to do something appropriately 

✓ The dietitian gave me a lot of advice on healthy eating.
✗ The dietitian gave me a lot of advices …
✓ Can I offer you advice on which car to buy?
✗ Can I offer you an advice on …?

We use a piece of/a word of to make advice countable

Uncountable
Countable
advice
a piece of advice
two pieces of advice

Difference between advice and advise


Advice (with c)
noun
The consultant gave me professional advice.
Advise (with s)
verb
I strongly advise you to change your hairstyle.

Feedback


Definitions: constructive [=useful and helpful] criticism, advice or comments that are used to improve the product, performance or situation.

✓ There is a lot of feedback about the new website.
✗ There are a lot of feedbacks about 
✓ I got positive feedback from my boss.
✗ I got a positive feedback  from …

Furniture


Definitions: objects typically made of wood, that are used in a room for sleeping, sitting or storing dishes, food or clothes

✓ We decided to buy some new furniture for the living room.
✗ We decided a new furniture
✗ We decided some new furnitures…

We use a piece of/an item of to make furniture countable

Uncountable
Countable
furniture
a piece of furniture
two pieces of furniture

Clothing


Definition: things that you wear on your body

✓ You must wear protective clothing.
✗ You must wear a protective clothing.
✓ She will buy two items of clothing.
 She will buy two clothings.

We use a piece of/an item of/an article of to make clothing countable

Uncountable
Countable
clothing
a piece of clothing
two pieces of clothing


Equipment


Definition: all the necessary things for a specific [particular] purpose or activity

✓ We have to buy new kitchen equipment for the restaurant
✗ We have to buy new kitchen equipments…
✗ We have to buy a new kitchen equipment …

We use a piece of to make equipment countable

Uncountable
Countable
equipment
a piece of equipment
two pieces of equipment

Information


Definition: facts that are received or known about something

✓ This diary gives a lot of information about my childhood.
✗ This diary gives a lot of informations
✓ I found a piece of information about my hometown on this website.
✗ I found an information

We use a piece of/a bit of to make information countable

Uncountable
Countable
information
a piece of information
two pieces of information

Luggage


Definition: bags and cases that are carried by someone who is travelling

✓ Where can I leave my luggage at the station?
✗ Where can I leave my luggages…?
✓ You can put a piece of luggage on the rack
✗ You can put a luggage

We use a piece of/an item of to make luggage countable

Uncountable
Countable
luggage
a piece of luggage
two pieces of luggage

News


Definition: new, important or unusual information about events

✓ The good news is that my wife’s expecting a baby.
✗ The good news are that…
✓ I have some good news for my family.
✗ I have a good news…

We use a piece of/an item of to make news countable

Uncountable
Countable
news
a piece of news
two pieces of news

Progress


Definition: the process of improving (or developing) something gradually

✓ I think he’s making great progress in English.
✗ I think he’s making a great progress
✓ The government has made a lot of progress in stimulating the economy.
✗ The government has made a lot of progresses

Software


Definition: computer programs

✓ I want to buy antivirus software.
✗ I want to buy an antivirus software.
✓ What is the essential software for PC?
✗ What are the essential softwares…?

We use a piece of to make software countable

Uncountable
Countable
software
a piece of software
two pieces of software