Countable and Uncountable Noun

Countable Noun

B1. Countable Noun can be a Singular and Plural countable noun:

a. A Singular Countable Noun cannot be used alone, must have a Determiner: a, an, the, every etc. (e.g. My first plan is to study the English grammar every day.)

b. A Plural Countable Noun do not have a Determiner when they refer to people or things as a group. (e.g. Computers are very expensive)

c. Plural noun forms:
1. usually add -'s': book -> books, friend -> friends
2. add -'es' to nouns ending in -ss, -ch, -s, -sh, -x: class -> classes, wish -> wishes
3. when a noun ends in a consonant and -y, we make the plural in -'ies': country -> countries, but boy -> boys, day -> days
4. some common nouns have irregular plurals: woman -> women, child -> children, foot -> feet, person -> people

d. Two-part nouns are Plural: binoculars, glasses, jeans, knickers, pincers, pants, pliers, pajamas, scissors, shorts, spectacles, tights, trainers, trousers, tweezers (e.g. These binoculars were very expensive.)
1. We can use 'a pair of ~' and, if we want to talk about more than one, we use 'pairs of ~'. (e.g. I need a new pair of spectacles. We’ve got three pairs of scissors, but they are all blunt.)

Uncountable Noun

B2. Uncountable Nouns often refer to: substance: food, bread, iron, etc./ human feelings or qualities: anger, cruelty, happiness, honesty, pride, etc./ activities: help, sleep, travel, work, etc./ abstract ideas: beauty, death, fun, life, etc.
a. do not use Uncountable Nouns in the plural and with the indefinite article, 'a' or 'an'. (e.g. That's useful information.)
b.. can use some Quantifies with Uncountable Nouns. (e.g. He gave me some useful advice.)
c. Some common Uncountable Nouns have plurals meaning: accommodation, advice, baggage, equipment, furniture, homework, information, knowledge, luggage, machinery, money, news, traffic, etc.
d. Uncountable Noun with expressions can be used as the Countable: a piece of ~, pieces of ~, a bit of ~, bits of ~, an item of ~, items of ~. (e.g. Let me give you a piece of advice.)
1. I'd like a coffee please = I'd like a cup of coffee. I prefer white wines to red. = I prefer different kind of white wines to red.
2. but we do not use accommodation, money and traffic in this way.

Countable and Uncountable Noun

B3. Some nouns have both Countable and Uncountable meaning: business, danger, death, hope, industry, language, marriage, paper, power, property, tax, time, travel, use, work, etc. (e.g. We should always have hope. vs. Jon had hopes of promotion.)
a. Group nouns: army, audience, committee, company, crew, enemy, family, flock, gang, government, group, herd, media, public, regiment, staff, team, etc.
1. we can use them either as singular nouns or as plural nouns. (e.g. My family is very dear to me. I have a large family. They are very dear to me. (= The members of my family ~))
2. but company, organisation and teams are usually plural in spoken English. (e.g. The ABC Oil Company are putting prices down by 12%.)
b. Proper nouns are spelled with a capital letter:
1. Names of people, places and organisations: Cambridge University, Double Click, etc.
2. Festivals: Christmas, etc.
3. Title: Doctor Jon, etc.
4. Names of books and films: The Old Man and the Sea, etc.
5. Plays and painting: The Lion King, etc.

more about the Nouns ...