I. Countable and Uncountable Nouns: Common grammatical errors

GRAMMAR INCORRECT TO CORRECT:

Incorrect: There is always a heavy traffic during office hours.

Correct: There is always heavy traffic during office hours.

GRAMMAR:

Traffic is an uncountable noun and cannot be used with a/an. It will always take a singular verb.


-The meaning of a noun generally indicates whether it belongs to countable noun or uncountable noun.

Meanings which are normally uncountable are:
• Anything perceived as a mass: traffic, hair, equipment, grass.
• Materials: wood, cotton, plastic, rubber, cardboard.
• Liquids and gases: water, milk, oil, air, oxygen.
• Food: bread, cheese, rice, meat.
• Concepts: knowledge, health, time, energy, noise, travel.
• Activities: reading, swimming, dancing, shopping.
• Sports and games: chess, tennis.
• Languages: English, Chinese, Hindi, French.

The name of anything which we can count is likely to be a countable noun.
E.g. a toothbrush, two tables, a plate.