Countable Nouns in English
Countables as part of common nouns. When they split up materials.
Plurals
Countables are usually common nouns with plurality, things we can count. They may be singular or plural, concrete (animate/inanimate) or abstract.
I like apples.
Most countables form their plural with the regular –s ending. After singular –s/ss/ch/sh the plural ending is –es. Nouns ending in consonant+y change y into –ie-.
Irregular Singulars
| singular | plural |
| means | |
| series | |
| corps | |
| species | |
Irregular Plurals
| -“- | |
| deer | |
| fish | |
| offspring | |
| sheep | |
| fruit | |
| swine | |
| aircraft | |
| -en | |
| child | children |
| man | men |
| woman | women |
| ox | oxen |
| -f(e) | -ves |
| leaf | leaves/leafs |
| life | lives |
| thief | thieves |
| knife | knives |
| wife | wives |
| wolf | wolves |
| elf | elves |
| half | halves |
| calf | calves |
| scarf | scarves/scarfs |
| shelf | shelves |
| -oo- | -ee- |
| foot | feet |
| goose | geese |
| tooth | teeth |
| -ouse | -ice |
| louse | lice |
| mouse | mice |
| -um/us/on | -a |
| bacterium | bacteria |
| corpus | corpora |
| criterion | criteria |
| curriculum | curricula |
| datum | data |
| genus | genera/genuses |
| medium | media |
| memorandum | memoranda |
| phenomenon | phenomena |
| stratum | strata |
| -ix | -ices |
| appendix | appendixes/appendices |
| index | indexes/indices |
| matrix | matrixes/matrices |
| -us | -i |
| alumnus | alumni |
| cactus | cactuses/cacti |
| focus | focuses/foci |
| fungus | funguses/fungi |
| nucleus | nucleuses/nuclei |
| radius | radiuses/radii |
| stimulus | stimuli |
| -is | -es |
| axis | axes |
| analysis | analyses |
| basis | bases |
| crisis | crises |
| diagnosis | diagnoses |
| ellipsis | ellipses |
| hypothesis | hypotheses |
| oasis | oases |
| paralysis | paralyses |
| parenthesis | parentheses |
| synthesis | syntheses |
| synopsis | synopses |
| thesis | theses |
| -eau | -eaux |
| beau | beaus/beaux |
| bureau | bureaus/bureaux |
| tableau | tableaus/tableaux |
| -a | -ae |
| antenna | antennas/antennae |
| formula | formulas/formulae |
| nebula | nebulas/nebulae |
| vertebra | vertebras/vertebrae |
| vita | vitae |
Countable Determiners
Singular countables are determined by singular demonstrative pronouns (this/that), possessive pronouns, the indefinite article or agree with singular verbs. The indefinite article specifies classes of things/persons.
What a nice day!
It’s my car.
Plural countables may be determined by plural demonstrative pronouns (these/those) and the indefinite pronouns some, any, many, few. Some here means a number/few/pair of or only part of.
Any questions?
Countabilization
Due to polysemy uncountable nouns take on countability in limiting and professional (varieties) contexts.
Masses divide into items inside measurements, containers and packages like a piece/bit/slice/loaf/packet/handful/bar/kilo/bowl/can/tin/pot of + relevant material. In informal English drinks turn into plural countables when even meant in portions like a cup/glass/bottle/carton/jar/jug of.
What industries have you been in?
Can I have 3 cartons of orange juice?
2 green teas, please.
In countabilization some nouns change their meaning however.
wood – a wood
paper – a paper
iron – an iron
cloth – a cloth
Countables as part of common nouns. When they split up materials.