Problem 3 : Nouns with count and non-count meanings

Remember that some nouns may be used as count or as non-count nouns depending on their meanings. Materials and abstract concepts are non-count nouns, but they may be used as count nouns to express specific meanings.


Count noun ------------- Specific meaning ------------- Non-Count noun -------------- General meaning


an agreement ------------ an occasion or --------------------- agreement --------------------- abstract concept
agreements ---------------- a document --------------------------------------------------------------- all agreement

a bone ----------------------- a part of a ------------------------------ bone ----------------------------- Construction
bones ------------------------- skeleton ---------------------------------------------------------------------- material

a business ------------------ a company --------------------------- business ----------------------- abstract concept
businesses ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- all business transactions

a cloth / cloths-------------- a piece of cloth --------------------- cloth -------------------------- Construction material

a fire/ fires --------------------- an event ------------------------------- fire ----------------------------- material

a light / lights ----------------- a lamp -------------------------------- light ------------------------- the absense of darkness

a success ----------------- an achievement --------------------- Success ----------------------- abstract concept
Successes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- all success

a thought ----------------------- an idea ------------------------------ thought ------------------------ abstract concept
thoughts -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- all thought

A war / wars ----------------- a specific war ---------------------- War ------------------------- the general act of war



Avoid using count nouns with specific meanings to express the general meaning of non-count nouns.


Examples :


Incorrect : She needs to find a work
Correct : She needs to find work. (employment)

Incorrect : A war is as old as mankind
Correct : War is as old as mankind. (the act of war)






Problem 4 : Count and non-count nouns with similar meanings

Remember that there are pairs of nouns with similar meanings, but one is a count noun and the other is a non-count noun.


Count noun ---------------------------------------- Non- count noun


a climate ----------------------------------------------- Weather
climates

a laugh ------------------------------------------------- laughter
laughs

a human being -------------------------------------- humanity
human beings

a job ----------------------------------------------------- work
jobs

a man -------------------------------------------------- mankind
men

a person ---------------------------------------------- people
persons

a sunbeam ------------------------------------------ sunlight
sunbeams ------------------------------------------- sunshine

a snowflake ----------------------------------------- snow
snowflakes



Avoid using a with a non-count noun instead of a singular count noun.


Examples :


Incorrect : California has a good weather.
Correct : California has good weather.
Or
California has a good climate.


Incorrect : A laughter is the best medicine
Correct : Laughter is the best medicine
Or
A laugh is the best medicine




Problem 5 : Non-count nouns that are count nouns in other language


Remember that many nouns which are count nouns in other languages may be non-count nouns in English. Some of the most troublesome have been listed for you here.

Advice
anger
courage
damage
equipment
fun
homework
ignorance
information
knowledge
leisure
luck
money
music
news
patience
permission
poetry
progress
poverty



Avoid using a or an before non - count nouns.


Examples :


Incorrect : Do you have an information about it ?
Correct : Do you have information about it ?

Incorrect : A news was released about the hostages.
Correct : News was released about the hostages.




Problem 6 : Singular and plural expression of non-count nouns


Remember that the following singular and plural expressions are idiomatic .


a piece of advice ------------------------------------------------- two pieces of advice
a piece of bread -------------------------------------------------- two pieces of bread
a piece of equipment ------------------------------------------- two pieces of equipment
a piece of jewelry ------------------------------------------------ two pieces of jewelry
a piece of luggage ----------------------------------------------- two pieces of luggage
a piece of mail ---------------------------------------------------- two pieces of mail
a piece of music ------------------------------------------------- two pieces of music
a piece of news -------------------------------------------------- two pieces of news
a loaf of bread ---------------------------------------------------- two loaves of bread
an ear of corn ----------------------------------------------------- two ears of corn
a bar of soap ------------------------------------------------------ two bars of soap
a bolt of lightning ------------------------------------------------ two bolts of lightning
a clap of thunder ------------------------------------------------- two claps of thunder
a gust of wind ----------------------------------------------------- two gusts of wind


Avoid using the non-count noun without the singular or plural idiom to express a singular or plural.


Examples :


Incorrect : Each furniture in this display is on sale for half price .
Correct : Each piece of furniture in this display is on sale for half price .

Incorrect : This is a limit of two carry-on luggages for each passenger.
Correct : This is a limit of two pieces of carry-on luggages for each passenger.

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