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How to make uncountable nouns countable

How to make uncountable nouns countable.

When making an uncountable noun countable, we often use a unit of measurement – a cup of, a bottle of, a piece of, a kilo of, a lump of. Here are the most common units of measurement (note that these units can be used with countable nouns too!).

Useless fact: It’s not important to know, but these units of measurement are called ‘partitives’.

  • a bag of sugar
  • a bar of chocolate
  • a bottle of milk
  • a bottle of wine
  • a box of cereal
  • a box of matches
  • a bunch of grapes
  • a carton of milk
  • a clap of thunder
  • a cube of ice
  • a drop of rain
  • a flake of snow
  • a glass of milk
  • a glass of wine
  • a gram of sugar
  • a head of lettuce
  • a jar of jam
  • a layer of dust
  • a loaf of bread
  • a lump of coal
  • a packet of biscuits
  • a patch of oil
  • a piece of bread
  • a piece of cheese
  • a pinch of salt
  • a pint of beer
  • a pot of tea
  • a ream of paper
  • a roll of tape
  • a sack of rice
  • a shot of whisky
  • a shower of rain
  • a slice of bread
  • a spark of electricity
  • a spoonful of sugar
  • a squirt of cream
  • a stick of butter
  • a sum of money
  • a tube of toothpaste

In addition to using a unit of measurement, a lot of uncountable nouns also have countable equivalents. Here’s another list you need to try and remember!

Uncountable noun Countable equivalent
Knowledge A fact
money A pound / a dollar / a Euro
Furniture A table
Advice A tip / A suggestion
Travel A trip / A journey
Work A job
Scenery A view

 

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How to make uncountable nouns countable

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How to make uncountable nouns countable