In English grammar, a noun is a class of speech that represents people, things, things, places, abstract concepts, etc., and can be divided into two categories: countable nouns and uncountable nouns according to whether they can be counted by numbers. A countable noun is a noun that can be divided into individuals, in both singular and plural forms, and can be modified with words such as numerals, indefinite articles, and many. Uncountable nouns refer to nouns that cannot be divided into individuals, only in singular form, and cannot be modified with words such as numerals, indefinite articles, many, etc., but can be modified with words such as some, a lot of, and much.
Uncountable nouns are an important part of English Xi, and they are also prone to error. Many English Xi are often confused about the concept, classification, and usage of uncountable nouns, especially on the issue of subject-verb agreement, and do not know whether the predicate verb should be used as the subject of the uncountable noun. This article will introduce the relevant content of uncountable nouns from the following three aspects:
The concept and classification of uncountable nouns.
Usage and characteristics of uncountable nouns.
Subject-verb agreement and precautions for uncountable nouns.
The concept and classification of uncountable nouns.
The concept of uncountable nouns, in simple terms, cannot be counted by numbers, and cannot be divided into individual concepts, states, qualities, feelings, or things that denote material materials. Uncountable nouns generally do not have a plural form, only a singular form, and the indefinite article a an an cannot be preceded by it. When expressing its individual meaning, it is generally used in conjunction with a noun phrase, which is equivalent to [number word + (measure word) + noun] in Chinese, in which the meaning of the measure word depends on the collocation with the specific noun.
The classification of uncountable nouns, according to what they represent, can be divided into the following types:
Uncountable nouns for substances or materials, such as water, milk, rice, bread, sugar, oil, gold, wood, etc. This type of uncountable noun is a general term for a substance or material, which cannot be divided into individuals, and quantifier phrases are used to express their individual meanings, such as a glass of water, a loaf of bread, a spoonful of sugar, a piece of wood, etc.
Uncountable nouns that represent abstract concepts, such as love, happiness, freedom, beauty, knowledge, information, advice, news, etc. This type of uncountable noun represents an abstract concept or thought, which cannot be divided into individuals, and when expressing its individual meaning, quantifier phrases are used, such as a bit of love, a moment of happiness, a sense of freedom, a touch of beauty, a piece of information, and a word of advice, a piece of news, etc.
Uncountable nouns that denote a state or quality, such as health, wealth, honesty, courage, anger, fear, progress, damage, etc. These uncountable nouns are a general term for a state or quality that cannot be divided into individuals, and quantifier phrases are used to express their individual meaning, such as a state of health, a lot of wealth, a sign of honesty, a show of courage, a burst of anger, and a feeling of fear, a measure of progress, a degree of damage, etc.
Uncountable nouns that denote a set or combination, such as furniture, equipment, clothing, jewelry, luggage, traffic, people, family, etc. This kind of uncountable noun is a general term for some collection or combination composed of multiple individuals, which cannot be divided into individuals, and quantifier phrases should be used to express their individual meaning, such as a piece of furniture, a piece of equipment, a piece of clothing, a piece of jewelry, and a piece of luggage, a car of traffic, a person of people, a member of family, etc.
Usage and characteristics of uncountable nouns.
The usage of uncountable nouns mainly has the following aspects:
When an uncountable noun is used as the subject, the predicate verb is in the singular form, such as water is important for life(Water is important for life.) ）、knowledge is power.(Knowledge is power.) ）、honesty is the best policy.(Honesty is the best policy.) ）、furniture is expensive.(Furniture is expensive.) etc.
The indefinite article a an can not be used before the uncountable noun, nor can it be used as a number, such as a water, two milk, three rice, etc., but it can be modified with some, a lot of, much, little, etc., such as some water, a lot of milk, much rice, little bread, etc.
Uncountable nouns do not have a plural form, and cannot be added with s or es, such as waters, milks, rices, breads, etc., but can be expressed with measure word phrases, such as a glass of water, a bottle of milk, a bowl of rice, a loaf of bread, etc.
Uncountable nouns can be used to form compound nouns with of, indicating the meaning of one or a class, such as a piece of ** a piece of paper), a cup of tea, a kind of music, a type of cheese, etc.
Uncountable nouns can be modified with words such as many, few, several, a number of, etc., to indicate how many of them, such as many people, few cars, several families, a number of students, etc.
The characteristics of uncountable nouns are mainly as follows:
An uncountable noun denotes an abstract, indivisible, and immeasurable concept or substance, which is not limited by number, nor is it subject to singular and plural changes, it is a stable, constant, and unified existence.
Uncountable nouns reflect a whole, extensive, universal concept or substance, which is not limited by individual differences or scope, it is an abstract, generalized, and universal existence.
Uncountable nouns express a qualitative, qualitative, attributed concept or substance, which is not affected by quantity or change in degree, it is a fixed, constant, and consistent existence.
Subject-verb agreement and precautions for uncountable nouns.
Subject-verb agreement of uncountable nouns is an important problem in English grammar, and it is also a problem that is prone to error. Many English Xi are often confused about whether the predicate verb should be used as the subject of an uncountable noun. The principles and precautions for subject-verb consistency of uncountable nouns are mainly as follows:
In principle, when an uncountable noun is the subject, the predicate verb is in the singular form, such as water is important for life(Water is important for life.) ）、knowledge is power.(Knowledge is power.) ）、honesty is the best policy.(Honesty is the best policy.) ）、furniture is expensive.(Furniture is expensive.) etc.
However, some uncountable nouns can be used in the plural form to express their plural meanings in a specific context or usage, such as:
Some uncountable nouns can denote different kinds or categories, in the plural, such as waters, milks, rices, breads, etc., such as the waters of the world are polluted(The world's waters are polluted.) ）、there are many kinds of milks in the supermarket.(There are many types of milk in the supermarket.) ）、different rices h**e different tastes.(Different rice has different flavors.) ）、i like to try different breads.(I like to try different breads.) etc.
Some uncountable nouns can mean different individuals or events, in the plural, such as peoples, families, news, damages, etc., such as there are many peoples in the world(There are many peoples in the world.) ）、they h**e two families in this city.(They have two families in the city.) ）、the news are good.(The news is all good.) ）、the damages are huge.(The losses are significant.) etc.
Some uncountable nouns can mean different aspects or levels, in the plural, such as love, happiness, freedom, beauty, etc., such as there are many kinds of love in the world(There are many kinds of love in the world.) ）、happinesses are not the same for everyone.(Happiness is different for everyone.) ）、freedoms are not absolute.(Freedom is not absolute.) ）、beauties are in the eyes of the beholders.(Beauty is in the eye of the observer.) etc.
In addition, some uncountable nouns have different singular and plural forms in British English and American English, such as mathematics, physics, economics, politics, etc., and in British English, they can be singular or plural, such as mathematics is are my f**orite subject(Math is my favorite subject.) ）、physics is / are very difficult.(Physics is hard.) ）、economics is / are a useful science.(Economics is a useful science.) ）、politics is / are not my interest.(Political science is not my interest.) etc. In American English, it is generally used in the singular, as in mathematics is my f**orite subject(Math is my favorite subject.) ）、physics is very difficult.(Physics is hard.) ）、economics is a useful science.(Economics is a useful science.) ）、politics is not my interest.(Political science is not my interest.) etc.
Uncountable nouns are an important part of English grammar and are also prone to errors. The concept, classification, and usage of uncountable nouns are the basics of English learning Xi that need to be mastered and understood. The subject-verb agreement of uncountable nouns is an important problem in English grammar, and it is also an easily confusing problem that needs to be paid attention to and distinguished.