Care about water

Plural Uncountable Nouns

Most uncountable nouns are singular in number. Therefore, we use the singular form of the verb with them.

• Don’t hurry – there is plenty of time. (NOT There are plenty of time.)
• Practice makes the man perfect. (NOT Practice make the man perfect.)

Uncountable nouns are often treated as countables if we are talking about different kinds of material, liquid etc.

• Most washing powders are not very kind to your hands.

Although powder is an uncountable noun, here we are talking about different kinds of the material.Abstract nouns are usually uncountable. Some abstract nouns can have both countable and uncountable uses. When used with a general meaning, these nouns are usually uncountable. When used with a particular meaning, these nouns are usually countable.

• We had a nice time when we went to the beach yesterday. (countable)
• I couldn’t finish the report because I didn’t get enough time. (uncountable)

Plural uncountables

Some uncountable nouns are plural. They have no singular forms with the same meaning, and cannot be used with numbers. Common examples are: groceries, arms, remains, goods, customs, clothes, thanks, regards, police etc.

• The police are searching for a white man in his twenties.
• Have you bought the groceries? (NOT Have you bought the grocery?)
• Many thanks for your help.

Other plural uncountable nouns include trousers, jeans, pyjamas, pants, scissors, spectacles etc.

Abstract Noun

An abstract noun is the name of a quality, action or state. Abstract nouns refer to ideas that we cannot see or touch.

Examples are given below.

Quality – goodness, kindness, beauty, intelligence, generosity, cleverness, obedience, honesty, brightness, wisdom, bravery, courage, hardness, softness

Action – laughter, theft, movement, judgment

State – childhood, boyhood, manhood, youth, slavery, sickness, poverty, death, sleep

The names of the arts and science are also abstract nouns. Examples are: physics, chemistry, grammar, music

Abstract nouns can be formed from adjectives, verbs and common nouns.

From adjectives

Kindness from kind

Bravery from brave

Illness from ill

Honesty from honest

From verbs

Obedience from obey

Growth from grow

Pleasure from please

From common nouns

Childhood from child

Slavery from slave