Uncountable nouns (Easy)

Hello! Welcome to 6 Minute Vocabulary. I'm Neil.

Catherine

And I'm Catherine. In this show were talking about uncountable .

Neil

Yes, we are. So that's nouns that you cant count, like water, money and research. Well'

show you of examples...

Catherine

...and well also bring you a top tip for recognising uncountable nouns.

Neil

But let's start listening to Colin. He's a travel agent.

Catherine

While you listen, think about this question: what might you need your bank before

you go abroad? Here's Colin.

INSERT

Colin

It's time to start planning your summer travel! Do research before you go. Are

there good reviews of the accommodation? How much baggage can you take and

what's best way to take money abroad? Do you need to get some advice from your

bank? Will the traffic bad on the way to the airport?

Neil

So that was Colin. We asked you: What might you need your bank before you go

abroad?

Catherine

And the answer is: You might need some advice.

Neil

That's right: advice. Advice means ideas and suggestions about what to do. Now,

did you notice that advice is not plural? never say advices in English because advice is

an uncountable noun. You can't make advice plural, like you can some other languages.

Catherine

And with uncountable nouns, we don't use articles a or an. We say some advice, an

advice. Now listen out for three more uncountable nouns in this clip.

INSERT

Colin

It's time to start your summer travel! Do some research before you go. Are

there good reviews of the accommodation?

Catherine

And the nouns in that clip were: travel, research and accommodation.

Neil

And activities like travel, work and homework are usually .

Catherine

Information words like research, information and advice are uncountable too.

Neil

Yes, theyre not usually plural in English, we can add the words a piece of to lots of

uncountable nouns if we like. So we can a piece of information or two pieces of

advice.

Catherine

That's right. The other uncountable noun in that clip accommodation.

Accommodation means 'places to live or spend the night', like rooms, flats and houses.

Neil

So accommodation describes groups of places that you can stay like flats, houses,

students halls of residence. And group words are often , so there's no plural

form. Fruit, food and weather are group words too. We don't usually say fruits, foods

weathers.

Catherine

That's right. Now, let's have another clip. Can you spot any more uncountable nouns?

INSERT CLIP 2

much baggage can you take and what's the best way to take money abroad? Will

the traffic be bad the way to the airport?

Catherine

And we had baggage, money and traffic. In some languages these words are plural...

Neil

...but not in English. In English, they are all group words.

Catherine

That's right. So baggage means group of bags...

Neil

It's money for coins or notes...

Catherine

And traffic for cars, lorries, buses.

STING

Neil

were talking about uncountable nouns. Weve seen that some activity nouns are

uncountable, and some group nouns are uncountable. we now talk about more types

of uncountable nouns, Catherine?

Catherine

Go on then. So weve got liquids and . Water and air are uncountable.

Neil

Yes, they are. Materials and substances like wood and salt are uncountable too.

Then there are words for feelings and ideas, so happiness and education...

Neil

And also subjects like history and .

Catherine

That's right. But be careful with subjects like physics or economics.

Neil

Yes, they end with the letter - , so they look plural, but in fact theyre usually uncountable

too.

Catherine

So we use them with a singular , just like other uncountable nouns. Physics is

complicated...

Neil

...and Economics isn't easy.

IDENT

6 Minute Vocabulary from BBC English

Catherine

And it's quiz time! Number one: Is the word furniture countable or uncountable?

Neil

And the answer - it's uncountable. It's a group word like baggage. It means things like

tables and chairs.

Catherine

Very good. number two: is this sentence correct or wrong? Please can you give me

some informations?

Neil

That is not . Information is uncountable so it's some information without an -,*%-s,

not some informations.

Catherine.

Very good! And the last : Which is correct: a) it was beautiful weather on Saturday. Or

b) it was a beautiful weather on Saturday.

The answer's a) it was beautiful weather on Saturday.

Catherine

And that's the end of the quiz. Well done you if you got them all right.

Neil

But before we go, here's a tip. When you see a , think carefully about whether it

belongs to one of these types: activity words, information words or group words. If does,

then it's probably uncountable.

Catherine

There's more about this at bbclearningenglishcom.. Join us again soon for more 6

Vocabulary.

Both

Bye!