Countable and Uncountable Nouns: A1 Exercises

Every answer with the reason behind it. Read the explanation for the ones you got right as well — that is where you find out whether you were right for the right reason.

Multiple choice questions — answers

1. How ___ sugar do you take in your coffee? → much

Sugar is uncountable, so the question word is how much.

2. How ___ eggs do we need for the cake? → many

Eggs can be counted one by one, so the question word is how many.

3. She gave me some very useful ___. → advice

Advice is uncountable in English: no plural and no article.

4. I need ___ about the train times. → some information

Information is uncountable, so it takes some rather than a or a plural -s.

5. The ___ in this flat is all second-hand. → furniture

Furniture is uncountable and takes a singular verb, whatever the number of items.

6. Which phrase is correct? → two loaves of bread

Bread is uncountable, so it needs a unit word — a loaf, a slice, a piece — to be counted.

7. There ___ a lot of traffic this morning. → was

Traffic is uncountable and therefore singular, so the verb is was.

8. Could I have ___ of water, please? → a glass

A container word turns an uncountable noun into something you can order by the unit.

9. How ___ luggage are you taking? → much

Luggage is uncountable in English, so it takes how much.

10. The ___ is very good today. → news is

News ends in -s but is uncountable and singular, so it takes is.

11. We haven't got ___ chairs for everybody. → enough

Enough works with both groups. Much would be wrong here because chairs is countable.

12. Which sentence is correct? → I have some work to do.

Work in the sense of tasks is uncountable, so it takes some and no plural.

13. She bought three ___ of chocolate. → bars

Bar is the unit word for chocolate, and the unit takes the plural rather than the substance.

14. There is ___ milk left in the bottle. → a little

A little goes with uncountable nouns; a few goes with countable plurals.

15. I've got ___ friends in Barcelona. → a few

Friends is countable, so the small-quantity word is a few.

16. Which noun is uncountable in English? → money

Money is uncountable, even though coins and notes can be counted individually.

17. The children have too much ___. → homework

Much only combines with uncountable nouns, and homework is uncountable in English.

18. Which sentence is correct? → Can I have two coffees?

Coffee is uncountable as a substance but countable as a serving, so two coffees means two cups.

19. He didn't give me ___ explanation. → any

Explanation is countable and singular here, and the negative sentence takes any.

20. How ___ does a ticket cost? → much

How much is also the standard way to ask a price, whatever is being bought.

Fill-in-the-blank questions — answers

1. How ___ bread do we need for the sandwiches? → much

Bread is uncountable in English, so the question word is how much.

2. How ___ people are coming to dinner? → many

People can be counted, so the question word is how many.

3. She gave me a useful piece of ___ about the interview. → advice

Advice is uncountable, and a piece of is the unit word that makes it countable.

4. There is only a ___ milk left in the fridge. → little

A little goes with uncountable nouns; a few would need a countable plural.

5. I have a ___ questions before we start. → few

Questions is a countable plural, so the small-quantity word is a few.

6. The ___ in the hotel room was old but comfortable. → furniture

Furniture is uncountable and always takes a singular verb.

7. Could I have a ___ of water, please? → glass

A container word is what allows an uncountable noun to be ordered by the unit.

8. How ___ does the return ticket cost? → much

How much is the standard English way to ask a price.

9. We bought two ___ of bread on the way home. → loaves

Loaf is the unit word for bread, and the unit takes the plural.

10. There ___ too much noise in this café to talk. → is

Noise is uncountable and therefore singular, so it takes is.

11. He has very ___ free time during the week. → little

Time is uncountable, so the quantity word is little rather than few.

12. She has ___ close friends but she sees them often. → few

Friends is countable, so the quantity word is few.

13. I need some ___ about the opening hours. → information

Information is uncountable: no plural -s and no article.

14. Would you like another ___ of cake? → slice

Slice and piece are the unit words that make cake countable.

15. The ___ was so bad that our flight was cancelled. → weather

Weather is uncountable in English and takes a singular verb.

16. How ___ suitcases are you checking in? → many

Suitcases is countable, so how many is correct — even though luggage would take how much.

17. There isn't ___ space in this cupboard. → much

Space is uncountable, so much is the natural quantifier in a negative sentence.

18. We saw a lot of ___ on the beach yesterday. (plural of person) → people

People is the ordinary plural of person and takes a plural verb.

19. He drank three ___ of orange juice at breakfast. → glasses

The unit word takes the plural; the liquid itself never does.

20. I haven't got ___ money for a taxi. → enough

Money is uncountable, so it takes enough, much or any rather than many.

Sentence structure: word ordering — answers

1. Ask about the quantity of an uncountable food. → How much sugar do you want?

Ask about the quantity of an uncountable food.

2. Ask about the number of somebody's male siblings. → How many brothers have you got?

Ask about the number of somebody's male siblings.

3. Describe useful guidance, using an uncountable noun. → She gave me some excellent advice.

Describe useful guidance, using an uncountable noun.

4. Report a small amount of an uncountable drink. → There is a little milk left.

Report a small amount of an uncountable drink.

5. Say you want to ask several things. → I have a few questions for you.

Say you want to ask several things.

6. Describe a purchase using a container word. → We bought two bottles of wine.

Describe a purchase using a container word.

7. Describe the contents of a room, using an uncountable noun. → The furniture is very old.

Describe the contents of a room, using an uncountable noun.

8. Ask for a portion using a unit word. → Can I have a slice of cake?

Ask for a portion using a unit word.

9. Ask the price of one item in a shop. → How much does this jacket cost?

Ask the price of one item in a shop.

10. Explain a delay using an uncountable noun. → There was a lot of traffic this morning.

Explain a delay using an uncountable noun.

11. Say that a man is extremely busy. → He has very little free time.

Say that a man is extremely busy.

12. Ask for facts, using an uncountable noun. → I need some information about the course.

Ask for facts, using an uncountable noun.

13. Report a shortage of a countable item. → We haven't got enough chairs.

Report a shortage of a countable item.

14. Comment on information, using a noun that looks plural but is not. → The news was better than we expected.

Comment on information, using a noun that looks plural but is not.

15. Describe a bakery purchase using the correct unit word. → She bought three loaves of bread.

Describe a bakery purchase using the correct unit word.

16. Ask about somebody's countable abilities. → How many languages do you speak?

Ask about somebody's countable abilities.

17. Complain about a dish, using an uncountable noun. → There is too much salt in this soup.

Complain about a dish, using an uncountable noun.

18. Describe your study routine, using an uncountable school word. → My homework takes two hours every evening.

Describe your study routine, using an uncountable school word.

19. Offer a second serving of a hot drink. → Would you like another cup of tea?

Offer a second serving of a hot drink.

20. Describe travelling light, using an uncountable noun. → We packed very little luggage this time.

Describe travelling light, using an uncountable noun.