The Top 10 Uncountable Noun Mistakes

The Top 10 Uncountable Noun Mistakes

Here are some examples of typical mistakes that students make with uncountable nouns, followed by the correct way to say each sentence:

✗ He gave me an advice.
✓ He gave me some advice.
✓ He gave me a piece of advice.
✓ She gave me two very useful pieces of advice.
✗ He gave me a lot of advices.
✗ He gave me many advices.
✓He gave me a lot of advice

Uncountable noun
1 information: pieces of information
2 advice: pieces of advice
3 transport: methods of transport
4 equipment: pieces of equipment
5 behaviour* types of behaviour
6 research* pieces of research
7 training
8 knowledge
9 software pieces of software
10 accommodation

*These words also have meanings that can be made plural. You may see your dictionary for these.

behaviour (UK), behavior (US)The Top 10 Uncountable Noun Mistakes

Here are some examples of typical mistakes that students make with uncountable nouns, followed by the correct way to say each sentence:

✗ He gave me an advice.
✓ He gave me some advice.
✓ *He gave me a piece of advice.

✗ He gave me a lot of advices.
✗ He gave me many advices.
✓He gave me a lot of advice

*Note that you can make some of these nouns countable by adding a phrase such as ‘piece of ’ or ‘item of ’ before the noun, e.g. She gave me two very useful pieces of advice.

Uncountable noun

1 information: pieces of information
2 advice: pieces of advice
3 transport: methods of transport
4 equipment: pieces of equipment
5 *behaviour types: of behaviour
6 *research pieces: of research
7 training
8 knowledge
9 software pieces of software
10 accommodation

*These words also have meanings that can be made plural. You may see your dictionary for these.

behaviour (UK), behavior (US)

Source: Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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