What Are Uncountable Nouns?
Uncountable nouns are things we cannot count individually. We cannot say 'one water' or 'two breads' because water and bread are uncountable. Other examples include milk, sugar, rice, information, and furniture. You cannot use 'a' or 'an' before uncountable nouns, and you cannot add 's' to make them plural.
How to Use Measure Words
To count uncountable nouns, we use 'measure words' (also called 'partitive structures'). A measure word is a countable noun that comes before the uncountable noun. The pattern is: number + measure word + of + uncountable noun. For example: 'two cups of coffee', 'three pieces of paper', 'one bottle of milk'. The measure word helps us count the uncountable noun by dividing it into smaller, countable amounts.
Common Measure Words
| Category | Measure Words |
|---|---|
| Liquids | cup of, glass of, bottle of, litre of |
| Solids | piece of, slice of, loaf of, bar of |
| Abstract nouns (information, advice) | piece of |
| Countable groups | a lot of, some, plenty of |
Always use the measure word that makes sense for what you are counting. The category determines which measure word is most appropriate for the uncountable noun.
Measure Words by Noun Type
| Category | Uncountable Noun | Measure Word(s) | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquids | water | a glass of, a bottle of, a litre of, a drop of | a glass of water | Use container or unit of measurement |
| coffee / tea | a cup of, a mug of, a pot of | a cup of coffee | Most common with hot drinks | |
| milk / juice | a carton of, a glass of, a jug of | a carton of milk | Carton = typical shop packaging | |
| wine / beer | a glass of, a bottle of, a can of, a sip of | a glass of wine | A sip = very small amount | |
| soup | a bowl of, a tin of, a spoonful of | a bowl of soup | Bowl = serving; tin = purchased unit | |
| oil / sauce | a drop of, a dash of, a tablespoon of, a bottle of | a dash of sauce | Dash = informal, small pour | |
| Food & Solids | bread | a slice of, a loaf of, a piece of | a slice of bread | Loaf = whole uncut unit |
| cheese | a piece of, a slice of, a block of, a wedge of | a piece of cheese | Wedge = triangular cut portion | |
| cake / pizza | a slice of, a piece of | a slice of cake | Both words are interchangeable here | |
| rice / pasta | a bowl of, a portion of, a serving of, a cup of | a bowl of rice | Cup = cooking measurement | |
| meat | a piece of, a slice of, a portion of, a cut of | a slice of meat | Cut = refers to how it was butchered | |
| butter / jam | a knob of, a pat of, a spoonful of, a jar of | a knob of butter | Knob/pat = small cooking portions | |
| sugar / salt / flour | a teaspoon of, a pinch of, a bag of, a cup of | a pinch of salt | Pinch = small amount held between fingers | |
| Nature & Materials | wood | a piece of, a plank of, a log of, a block of | a piece of wood | Plank = flat; log = cylindrical |
| sand / soil / dirt | a grain of, a handful of, a pile of, a bag of | a grain of sand | Grain = tiniest individual particle | |
| glass (material) | a piece of, a sheet of, a shard of | a sheet of glass | Shard = broken fragment | |
| air / smoke | a breath of, a puff of, a gust of, a cloud of | a breath of air | Cloud of smoke = visible mass | |
| Abstract Nouns | advice | a piece of, a word of | a piece of advice | Never "an advice" — always needs measure word |
| information | a piece of, a bit of | a piece of information | Never "an information" — always needs measure word | |
| knowledge | a piece of, a bit of | a bit of knowledge | Commonly used with "bit of" in informal speech | |
| evidence | a piece of, a shred of | a piece of evidence | Shred = tiny fragment or amount | |
| news / music | a piece of, a bit of | a piece of news | "A music" is never correct; always use measure word |
Formula
✔ Positive
Number
+
+
+
measure word
+
+
+
of
+
+
+
uncountable noun
Two cups of tea
? Question
How much
+
uncountable noun
+
verb
+
you need?
How much milk do you need?
Examples
I need three cups of coffee before I start work.
Liquids · Everyday usage
Can you buy two loaves of bread from the shop?
Solids · Shopping
She gave me a piece of advice that really helped.
Abstract nouns · Communication
We need five bottles of water for the trip.
Liquids · Travel
He ate three slices of pizza at lunch.
Solids · Food
I found a lot of information about the topic online.
Abstract nouns · Academic
When to use it
Shopping
Use measure words when you go to the shop and need to buy uncountable items like milk, oil, or rice.
"I need three bottles of olive oil and two kilos of rice."
Cooking
Recipes often require uncountable ingredients. Measure words help you understand how much you need.
"Add two cups of flour and one litre of milk to the mixture."
Ordering Drinks
In cafés or restaurants, use measure words to order beverages clearly.
"I'd like two cups of coffee and one glass of orange juice, please."
Work & School
Use measure words for abstract uncountable nouns like information or feedback.
"The teacher gave us a piece of useful information about the exam."
Signal words
a piece of
a cup of
a glass of
a bottle of
a slice of
a loaf of
a bar of
a litre of
a kilo of
a lot of
some of
plenty of
Common Mistakes
✕
Wrong
I need two milks for my coffee.
✓
Correct
I need two cups of milk for my coffee.
Milk is uncountable. Use a measure word 'cup of' to count it.
✕
Wrong
She gave me three advices about my job.
✓
Correct
She gave me three pieces of advice about my job.
Advice is uncountable. Use 'piece of' as the measure word.
✕
Wrong
Can you bring me some waters?
✓
Correct
Can you bring me some glasses of water?
Water is uncountable. Use a measure word like 'glass of' to count it.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What to Remember
- Uncountable nouns cannot be counted individually and include water, bread, milk, sugar, information, and furniture.
- Never use 'a' or 'an' before uncountable nouns, and never add 's' to make them plural.
- Use measure words (partitive structures) to count uncountable nouns: number + measure word + uncountable noun.
- Common measure words include a piece of, a cup of, a glass of, and a bottle of.
- Apply the measure word pattern correctly: say 'two cups of coffee' not 'two coffees' for uncountable nouns.