homework is uncountable

• Take our quick quizzes to practise your vocabulary.
• We have thousands of six-question quizzes to try.
• Choose from collocations, synonyms, phrasal verbs and more.

Explore topics

• Photography
• Gas, coal, oil

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Nouns: countable and uncountable

Countable nouns.

Some nouns refer to things which, in English, are treated as separate items which can be counted. These are called countable nouns. Here are some examples:

a car , three cars

my cousin , my two cousins

a book , a box full of books

a city , several big cities

Singular and plural

Countable nouns can be singular or plural. They can be used with a/an and with numbers and many other determiners (e.g. these, a few ):

She’s got two sisters and a younger brother .

Most people buy things like cameras and MP3-players online these days .

These shoes look old now.

I’ll take a few magazines with me for the flight .

Determiners ( the, my , some , this )

Singular and plural nouns

Uncountable nouns

In English grammar, some things are seen as a whole or mass. These are called uncountable nouns, because they cannot be separated or counted.

Some examples of uncountable nouns are:

Ideas and experiences: advice, information, progress, news, luck, fun, work

Materials and substances: water, rice, cement, gold, milk

Weather words: weather, thunder, lightning, rain, snow

Names for groups or collections of things: furniture, equipment, rubbish, luggage

Other common uncountable nouns include: accommodation, baggage, homework, knowledge, money, permission, research, traffic, travel .

These nouns are not used with a/an or numbers and are not used in the plural.

We’re going to get new furniture for the living room.

Not: We’re going to get a new furniture for the living room . or We’re going to get new furnitures for the living room .

We had terrible weather last week.

Not: We had a terrible weather last week .

We need rice next time we go shopping.

Some nouns always have plural form but they are uncountable because we cannot use numbers with them.

I bought two pairs of trousers .

Not: I bought two trousers .

Other nouns of this type are: shorts, pants, pyjamas, glasses (for the eyes), binoculars, scissors .

Some nouns which are uncountable in English are countable in other languages (e.g. accommodation, advice, furniture, information ):

They can give you some information about accommodation at the tourist office.

Not: They can give you some informations about accommodations at the tourist office .

Can you give me some advice about buying a second-hand car?

Not: Can you give me some advices about buying a second-hand car?

A good learner’s dictionary will tell you whether a noun is countable or uncountable.

Quantity expressions ( a bit/piece )

To refer to one or more quantities of an uncountable noun , expressions such as a bit of, a piece of , an item of or words for containers and measures must be used:

He bought a very expensive piece of furniture for his new apartment.

Maggie always has some exciting bits of news when she comes to see us.

I think we’ll need five bags of cement for the patio.

There’s a litre of milk in the fridge for you. And I bought you a bar of chocolate .

Determiners ( my, some, the )

Uncountable nouns can be used with certain determiners (e.g. my, her , some, any , no , the, this, that ) and expressions of quantity (e.g. a lot of, (a) little ):

They gave me some information about courses and scholarships and things.

Have you heard the news ? Fran’s getting engaged.

She’s been studying hard and has made a lot of progress .

There’s no work to do here, so you can go home if you like.

This milk ’s a bit old, I’m afraid.

Countable phrases for uncountable nouns

We can sometimes use countable noun phrases to talk about an individual example of the thing an uncountable noun refers to.

Finding a place to live is difficult if you’re a student and you’ve got no money. (or Finding accommodation … )

Not: Finding an accommodation …

She brought two big suitcases and a rucksack with her.

Not: She brought two big luggages …

I read a poem once about someone riding a horse at night.

Not: I read a poetry …

We went on a trip to the Amazon when we were in Brazil.

Not: We went on a travel …

Countable and uncountable nouns with different meanings

Some nouns can be used either countably or uncountably, but with different meanings.

Uncountable nouns used countably

Measures and examples.

Sometimes uncountable nouns are used countably, to mean ‘a measure of something’ or ‘a type or example of something’:

Can I have two teas and one coffee , please? (two cups of tea and one cup of coffee …?)

A: How many sugars do you want in your tea? (How many spoonfuls/lumps of sugar?) B: Just one, please .

To some degree we tend to eat the foods that we ate as children. (i.e. types of food)

Abstract nouns

Some abstract nouns can be used uncountably or countably. The uncountable use has a more general meaning. The countable use has a more particular meaning.

Nouns of this type include: education, experience, hatred, help, knowledge, life, love, sleep, time, understanding .

Word of the Day

mum's the word

said when you tell someone, or agree with someone, to keep something a secret

Hidden in plain sight: words and phrases connected with hiding

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists

To add ${headword} to a word list please sign up or log in.

Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

About Words – Cambridge Dictionary blog

Commenting on developments in the English language

Countable or uncountable, and why it matters

by  Liz Walter

Many dictionaries for learners of English (including the one on this site) show whether nouns are ‘countable’ or ‘uncountable’, often using the abbreviations C and U. Countable nouns are things that you can count – one dog, two dogs, twenty dogs , etc. Uncountable nouns are things that you cannot count – water, sadness, plastic , etc.

It is important to know whether a noun is countable or uncountable, otherwise you are likely to make basic grammar mistakes. For example, countable nouns can have indefinite articles and can form plurals, but uncountable nouns cannot:

You should bring a coat. (‘coat’ is a countable noun)

I have three winter coats.

The teacher gave us a homework. (‘homework’ is an uncountable noun)

We have lots of homeworks.

If you have countable and uncountable nouns in your own language, you need to be very careful because they may not be the same ones. If I had £1 for every time one of my students has said or written ‘an advice’ or ‘some informations’, I would be very rich by now! In English, advice and information are both uncountable nouns, so they cannot have ‘an’ in front of them and they cannot be made plural.

Other common uncountable words that often cause problems are: equipment , furniture , transport , knowledge , countryside , traffic , research , progress , evidence , machinery.

You also need to know whether a noun is countable or uncountable in order to decide whether to say much or many . ‘Many’ is used with plural countable nouns and ‘much’ with uncountable nouns:

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

How much brothers and sisters do you have?

How much money do you have?

Some and any are used with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns, but not with singular countable nouns:

We don’t have any eggs/sugar.

Would you like some mushrooms/cheese?

Do you have any coat?

Sometimes we may want to make an uncountable noun more like a singular countable one. We do this by using a quantity expression before it:

She gave us an advice/information.

She gave us a piece of advice/information.

We bought a few furnitures/clothings.

We bought a few items of furniture/clothing.

Finally, some uncountable nouns end in ‘s’. They include activities such as aerobics, athletics, gymnastics and darts ; academic subjects such as economics, linguistics, politics and physics and illnesses such as measles, mumps, rabies and diabetes . These nouns look like countable plurals, but they are uncountable and therefore need a singular verb:

Linguistics is a very interesting subject.

Aerobics makes you fit.

You will probably notice that some words in the dictionary are labelled both C and U. In my next post, I’ll look at some of these words and explain how nouns can be both countable and uncountable.

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

48 thoughts on “ Countable or uncountable, and why it matters ”

It’s helpful…

Extremely helpful.

A little bit of a headache

Is it? Then you’ll HATE advanced English.

Thanks a lot, Liz, for this excellent explanation. It is clear and concise!

Need to talk to you about the use of an apostrophe though.

One uncountable noun ending in ‘s’ that could be added to the list is news. It is difficult for French students to use a singular verb -what is the news? the news is good- since les nouvelles is a plural and need a plural verb!

Yes, that’s a very good addition.

I loved the article but would have liked to see my personal pet peeve. The countable error I see everywhere I go is the “ten items or less” signs which should be “10 items or fewer”. I did know a checkout clerk who put up their own, corrected sign at their place of employment.

Joshua, see my post on just this subject: https://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2014/05/28/less-or-fewer/

I guess maybe you can say: “This piece of news is good” to avoid confusion but I saw it is not very usual. This kind of confusion can happen also in my language, Italian.

Yes, we’d be more likely to say: ‘That’s good news’, but we could say for example ‘I have a piece of news I think you’ll like’.

Hi Liz , Thank you very much for posting this informative article about countable and uncountable nouns.To be honest, I always had a confusion of not having indefinite article before a noun ( I did not know until now that it was because they were uncountable nouns☺). So , keep your good work up of enlightening guys like us about the unseen patterns of grammar in Language of English.

Confusion is also uncountable…. NOT a confusion.

very best issues in my life I need such guidance …

Really now I got why it’s not informatiions…same is the with findings, repercussions etc

Thank you for this article It is very effective to understand a challenging topic I always struggle with!!

About the puzzle of “any” (Some and any are used with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns, but not with singular countable nouns), which one should be more suitable, 1. Is there any question to ask the speaker? 2. Are there any questions to ask the speaker? Thanks a lot.

The second one is correct. The first one is not correct.

Hello, Liz. I’ve been following some of your posts and they’re all extremely helpful. Thank you for the good work made available through the blog. I’ve seen a few times in American series, though not much frequently, people saying “a water”… For example: A: I went to get her water and she ran away. B: Did you let her all by herself here and went to get her a water? (I imagine a water equals a glass of water, in the context of the scene)

Do people in England also say such a thing?

Thanks in advance,

It sounds quite unlikely to me. In theory, it’s possible in the context of being in a pub or cafe, but it would be much more common to say ‘some water’ or ‘a bottle/glass of water’.

Hi Liz, thanks a lot for the reply.

Yeah, it does seem unlikely to me too, especially for being a non-native speaker and having always been pointed out to by teachers that it’s completely wrong to say such a thing. I guess that’s quite Ame. If you ever want to check it out, it happened in the series Suits, season 01 – episode 06, at the moment 05:36. The precise words were “You left her alone to get her a water?”.

Hello, Liz. Thank you for your articles. Could you explain why did you omit ‘a’ before ‘cafe’ in your previous answer: ‘…it’s possible in the context of being in a pub or cafe…’? Thanks.

Denis – because if you link two countable nouns with ‘and’ or ‘or’, you only need to put an article in front of the first one, although it is not wrong to put them twice.

Yes thank you 😎

Thanks, Liz. It’s a great article on grammar.

It is emerging issue ,thanks for making blog.

Thanks,but how correct is it to use ‘much’ on a countable noun like MONEY instead of ‘many’?.Example;how much do have with you Liz,one US dollar says Liz.Anticipating ur response via my email

We say ‘how much’ as a short form of ‘how much money and money is uncountable: that’s why it’s ‘much’. Dollar is countable, so you’d have to say ‘How many dollars do you have?’ although that’s a very unlikely sentence.

But we can count money

We have to think about the word, not the item. We can’t say one money, two money.

I have a rather odd question. ‘Money’ is listed in the dictionary as an uncountable noun. However its older plural form ‘monies’ has been listed as a plural noun as well. Now as both a life long speaker and a teacher I’ve never used it though I have occasionally come across its use in spoken (I always dismissed it as a spoken error) and a student’s question has left me confused.

Very useful to Asian .Thank you!

I want to be in this group

I want to join in this group please

Very good. I need such guidance..

Hi Liz, I’ve said “Is there any problem?”. But according to your article, I should’ve said “Are there any problems?”

Yes, or ‘Is there a problem.’ However, I must say that your sentence doesn’t sound totally wrong to me – I think it might be possible in a fairly informal situation – just don’t write it in an exam!

Liz, could you comment some more words: salad, toast, pizza, cereal.

Salad and pizza can be C or U depending on whether you are talking about the food in general or a single portion/dish of it, as described above. Toast and cereal would be U in almost all cases, though it is possible to imagine a sentence such as ‘It is made from a mixture of four different cereals.’ I can’t think of a plausible context for making ‘toast’ countable, though someone else might!

Thanks for good post, I enjoy and I feel so easy to understand about articles.

Hi everyone, how can I do to improve my English? Fine some method, please.

My students struggle with “Do you like dog?” versus “Do you like dogs?” – I though this was an obvious place to go from the picture, but…

Hi Liz ‼ I just found that I always make mistakes when I am writing or speaking. I’m poor in English. Thanks very much for your help us 😁

Hi Liz, thank you very much. It helps us a lot. Could you please explain what’s wrong with “do you have any coat” and how to fix it?

See this part of my post: Some and any are used with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns, but not with singular countable nouns:

Coat is a singular not a plural noun, so you need to say ‘Do you have a coat?’

Thank you, awesome!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Discover more from about words - cambridge dictionary blog.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Is Homework Countable or Uncountable?

Hello there, curious minds! Ever wondered if homework is like counting apples or if it’s more like talking about the weather? Well, get ready for a fun journey into the world of words! Homework is a bit tricky – sometimes we treat it as one big thing we can’t count (like sand on a beach), and other times we count each piece (like toys in a box).

In this adventure, we’ll figure out is homework countable or uncountable. So, put on your language explorer hats, and let’s dive into the exciting world of counting or not counting homework!

Table of Contents

First, let’s talk about counting things. Countable things are like toys or cookies – you can say, “I have five toys” or “I ate three cookies.” Uncountable things are like air or sunshine – you can’t say, “I have three airs” or “I saw two sunshines.”

Now, where does homework fit in? It’s a bit of both!

Homework as a Whole:

When we talk about all the homework together, it becomes uncountable. It’s like saying, “I have a lot of homework to do.” You’re not counting each assignment separately; you’re talking about all of them as a bunch.

So, homework becomes like a big bag holding all your assignments. You don’t say, “I have five homeworks,” you say, “I have a lot of homework.” It’s like saying, “I have a bag of apples,” not “I have five apples.”

Homework as Parts:

But, here’s the twist – homework can also be counted when we talk about specific tasks. For example, you might say, “I have three math homework assignments to complete.” Now, you’re counting each math assignment as a separate thing.

In this case, homework is like a collection of different fruits in the bag. You can say, “I have three apples and two bananas in the bag.” Similarly, you say, “I have three math assignments and two English assignments for homework.”

Why Does It Matter?

Knowing whether homework is countable or uncountable helps us talk better. If you say, “I have a lot of homework,” your friend knows you mean all the assignments. If you say, “I have three math homeworks,” your friend knows you’re talking about specific tasks.

Imagine having a big basket (uncountable) with different fruits (countable) inside. You can talk about the basket as a whole or pick out each fruit separately. Homework is a bit like that – one big thing with lots of smaller things inside.

Practical Use:

Understanding this counting stuff can help you talk more clearly. If you’re a student, it helps you explain your homework situation better. If you’re a teacher, it helps you tell students about their tasks more clearly.

Final Words

So, is homework countable or uncountable? It’s both! Homework is like a big bag with all your assignments inside. When you talk about the bag as a whole, it’s uncountable. When you pick out specific assignments, it becomes countable.

Learning these language is like adding more colors to your painting. Whether you’re dealing with a bunch of homework or just having a chat, knowing about countable and uncountable things makes language more interesting. So, next time you think about homework, remember, it can be a lot or a little – it depends on how you want to talk about it!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Homework: Countable vs Uncountable Nouns

job/work, suitcase/luggage...

Intermediate

Furniture or furnitures? Advice or advices? It’s not always easy to know whether a word is countable or not, especially when it’s relatively new to you. Being able to do so is, nevertheless essential, so it’s important that students come to recognise the words that cannot be pluralised and therefore always appear in the same form. This handy homework sheet helps students practise Countable and Uncountable Nouns in three different ways.

After downloading your PDF: print it immediately or save and print later. Answers are provided for teachers on the second page.

Make your own worksheets with the free EnglishClub Worksheet Maker !

What’s the difference between homework and housework?

This week we are looking at two words which are commonly confused because of their similar spellings: homework and housework .

Homework  is work that school pupils are given to do at home. You say that pupils ‘ do homework ’. You don’t say that they ` make homework ‘.

Have you done your English  homework ?

Homework is an uncountable noun.

Housework  is work such as cleaning or washing that is done in a house.

She relied on us to do most of the  housework .

Housework is an uncountable noun.

Find out more in our English Usage article .

This blogpost is based on Collins COBUILD English Usage , written for learners of English. For more examples of English usage points, please visit:   https://grammar.collinsdictionary.com/english-usage .

All opinions expressed on this blog are those of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company, HarperCollins.

Related Articles

What’s the difference between café and coffee, what’s the difference between bass and base, what’s the difference between concerto and concert, what’s the difference between blame and fault, what’s the difference between advice and advise, other articles.

Making sure you’ve understood

Saying goodbye

Making a phone call

Sign up for the newsletter.

Get the latest news

collinsdictionary

• Dictionaries home
• American English
• Collocations
• German-English
• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Recent additions
• Resources home
• Text Checker

Definition of homework noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• I always do my homework on the bus.
• physics/geography/French, etc. homework
• I still haven't done my geography homework.
• How much homework do you get?
• for homework I have to write up the notes for homework.
• (especially North American English) I have to finish this homework assignment .
• acquire/​get/​lack (an) education/​training/ (British English) (some) qualifications
• receive/​provide somebody with training/​tuition
• develop/​design/​plan a curriculum/ (especially British English) course/ (North American English) program/​syllabus
• give/​go to/​attend a class/​lesson/​lecture/​seminar
• hold/​run/​conduct a class/​seminar/​workshop
• sign up for/​take a course/​classes/​lessons
• go to/​start preschool/​kindergarten/​nursery school
• be in (North American English) the first, second, etc. grade/ (British English) year 1, 2. etc. (at school)
• study/​take/​drop history/​chemistry/​German, etc.
• (British English) leave/​finish/​drop out of/ (North American English) quit school
• (North American English) graduate high school/​college
• be the victim/​target of bullying
• (British English) play truant from/ (both British English, informal) bunk off/​skive off school (= not go to school when you should)
• (both especially North American English) skip/​cut class/​school
• (British English) cheat in/ (North American English) cheat on an exam/​a test
• get/​be given a detention (for doing something)
• be expelled from/​be suspended from school
• do your homework/ (British English) revision/​a project on something
• work on/​write/​do/​submit an essay/​a dissertation/​a thesis/​an assignment/ (North American English) a paper
• finish/​complete your dissertation/​thesis/​studies/​coursework
• hand in/ (North American English) turn in your homework/​essay/​assignment/​paper
• study/​prepare/ (British English) revise/ (North American English) review/ (North American English, informal) cram for a test/​an exam
• take/ (both British English) do/​sit a test/​an exam
• (especially British English) mark/ (especially North American English) grade homework/​a test
• (British English) do well in/ (North American English) do well on/ (especially North American English, informal) ace a test/​an exam
• pass/​fail/ (especially North American English, informal) flunk a test/​an exam/​a class/​a course/​a subject
• apply to/​get into/​go to/​start college/ (British English) university
• leave/​graduate from law school/​college/ (British English) university (with a degree in computer science)
• study for/​take/ (British English) do/​complete a law degree/​a degree in physics
• (both North American English) major/​minor in biology/​philosophy
• earn/​receive/​be awarded/​get/​have/​hold a master’s degree/​a bachelor’s degree/​a PhD in economics
• Have you finished your homework?
• Have you done your physics homework yet?
• I was helping my sister with her maths homework.
• The homework assignments are worth 10% of the final grade.
• I have some homework to do on the Civil War.
• I want you to hand in this homework on Friday.
• The science teacher always gives a lot of homework.
• They get a lot of homework in English.
• They get masses of homework at secondary school.
• We had to write out one of the exercises for homework.
• for homework
• homework  on

Questions about grammar and vocabulary?

Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English.

• You could tell that he had really done his homework (= found out all he needed to know) .

Nearby words

Are   _____   _______?

It is rude to say this so please don't. It's here to practice vocabulary and structure. 

Are you old?

Are we old?

Nouns - Countable and Uncountable

Review of countable nouns.

Two chair s

Three table s

Three chair s

Four  table s

Five chair s

Six  table s

These nouns are easy to count so we count them.

Review of uncountable nouns

Liquids / hard to count.

There are different amounts of water in each picture, but all are still called water. 

There are different amounts of rice in each picture, but all are still called rice.

Uncountable material but with countable forms

cake - uncountable

slice of cake - countable form = slice

cake - countable as a whole cake

piece of cake - countable form = piece

'Cake' is uncountable but it has three countable forms: slice, whole and piece. For example:

two slices of cake

three cakes

four pieces of cake

'Chocolate' is also uncountable but it has three countable forms: bar, piece and whole.

Nouns where 'pieces' is the countable form

We will look at some uncountable nouns where their countable form is 'piece'. 

Is 'food' countable or uncountable?

 - 'Food' is uncountable. Let's look at why.

One piece of food

Two pieces of food

One  pizza

One  hamburger

Six pieces of food

Four pizzas

Two   hamburgers

On their own, pizzas and hamburgers can be counted. When they are together and called 'food', they can not be counted. 

There is a lot of food on the table. - Correct

There is a lot of food s on the table. - Incorrect

'Food' is uncountable and so 'foods' is incorrect.

This is what you need to make Mexican food. - Correct

This is what you need to make Mexican food s . - Incorrect

When I go to a pub, I have snack food.  - Correct

When I go to a pub, I have snack food s . - Incorrect

There are lots of different types of food here but 'food' is uncountable so it is without the 's'.

Food and the countable form 'pieces'

Five pieces of food

Lots of pieces of food

'Piece' can be counted (one piece, two pieces, three pieces, some pieces etc.) but 'food' remains uncountable.

Is 'furniture' countable or uncountable?

 - 'Furniture' is uncountable. Let's look at why.

One piece of furniture

Four chairs

Two   tables

Two pieces of furniture

Six pieces of furniture

Furniture is a noun which describes things in the home. Chairs, tables, sofas, beds, wardrobes etc are pieces of furniture.

There's a lot of furniture.

There's a little furniture.

Both these pictures have furniture. One has more than the other but we still use the uncountable noun 'furniture'. We never say 'furniture s '.

'Pieces' of furniture

There are two chairs and one table in the room. COUNTABLE ITEMS

There are three pieces of furniture in the room. COUNTABLE FORM

There is some furniture in the room. UNCOUNTABLE

There are six chairs, one sofa and two lamps in the room.

There are nine pieces of furniture in the room.

There is a lot of furniture in the room. 

Other example sentences

I need to buy a lot of new furniture for my new house.

I'm looking at some new furniture for my bedroom. What do you recommend?

Old furniture is my favourite. I love the dated look.

Wooden furniture is the best, but only dark wood.

I have to make all the flat-pack furniture that came yesterday. I'm going to be tired tomorrow.

Is 'homework' countable or uncountable?

- 'Homework' is uncountable. Let's look at why.

One piece of English homework

One piece of maths homework

Three piece s of English homework

Four piece s of maths homework

The countable form of homework is 'piece'.

Conversation

Mum: Did you get any homework today?

Son: Yes, I got two pieces of English and some maths.

Mum: When are they due?

Son: The maths is for tomorrow and the English is for next Monday.

Breaking the conversation down

Mum is asking if her son if he received homework. 'Any' is used to prompt a more specific answer - not just 'yes' or 'no'.

The son replies with the countable form of 'homework' (pieces) for English and the uncountable determiner for maths (some). We do not know if there is one piece, two pieces, or more. We do know there is not a lot.

Mum asks when the pieces of homework should be given back to the teachers.

The maths homework is due for tomorrow and the English homework (two pieces but IT IS NOT 'homeworks') is due next Monday.

Incorrect examples

I have four homework s due tomorrow.

She has not done her three homework s .

My teacher gave me three maths homework s and two science homework s .

Correct examples

I have four pieces of homework due tomorrow.

She has not done her three pieces of homework.

My teacher gave me three pieces of maths homework and two pieces of science homework.

You can play when you've finished all your homework.

Did you get much homework today?

I hate Mr. Simpson - he always gives at least two pieces of homework per day.

Doing homework will never be fun.

If I don't understand the homework, I ask my older brother.  

Is 'fruit' countable or uncountable?

- Fruit is uncountable. Let's see why:

One piece of fruit

Two pieces of fruit

Four  apples

Four pieces of fruit

Three  strawberries

Three pieces of fruit

Eight pieces of fruit

The countable form of fruit is 'piece'.

There is a lot of fruit.

There is some fruit.

There are three piece of fruit

A: Can I have some fruit please?

B: How many pieces to do want?

A: Can I have three apples, one pineapple and a few oranges?

B: Here you go.

A: Did you buy any fruit?

B: Yes, I got a few pieces.

A: What type of fruit did you buy?

B: I got three peaches.

A: Oh, lovely.

Fruit is my favourite dessert to have. It's so refreshing.

What kind of fruit do you like?

Would you like a piece of fruit? I've got some delicious pears today.

You never put tomato in a fruit salad!

I make a smoothie every morning using lots of different fruit. 

'Furniture', 'Homework' and 'Fruit' are uncountable nouns. 

They are words for groups of different items .

Two chairs and one table is a group of furniture.

There is a lot of fruit .

NOTE: there are lots of pieces of fruit. Fruit is the name of a group of items, like apples, pears, bananas etc.

One chair, one table and two sofas is a group of furniture.

There is some fruit .

NOTE: there are three pieces of fruit. Fruit is the name of a group of items, like apples, pears, bananas etc.

More examples

Clothes is an uncountable noun. It is used to describe a group of different items.

The countable form is 'piece' or 'item'.

There are a lot of clothes.

There are about 25 pieces of clothes.

There are not a lot of clothes.

There are three pieces of clothes.

Sushi is an uncountable noun. It is the game of a group of different items.

The countable form is 'piece'.

There are six pieces of sushi. = COUNTABLE FORM

There is some sushi. = UNCOUNTABLE

There are 12 pieces of sushi. = COUNTABLE FORM

There is a lot of sushi. = UNCOUNTABLE

There is one piece of sushi. = COUNTABLE FORM

There is not a lot of sushi. = UNCOUNTABLE

What is the difference between homework and housework ?

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

Expand your vocabulary, improve your grammar skills, and develop your own unique writing style.

'Do Your Homework' or 'Do The Homework'. Which Is Correct?

The expression “do homework” refers to the work that a teacher gives a student to do at home.

The expression “ do homework ” refers to the work that a teacher gives a student to do at home.

Doing homework is a boring activity for some students.

Use the article “the” or a possessive pronoun (my, your, his, etc.) to be more specific.

Have you done your math homework ?

Since homework is an uncountable noun, it is not possible to use the indefinite article a/an.

The history teacher gave us some homework to do by Monday.

The history teacher gave us a homework to do by Monday.

1. Homework Is Uncountable

2. using other determiners with ‘homework’.

“ Homework ” is an uncountable noun; therefore, it does not have a plural form.

I have some homework to do.

I have three homeworks to do.

Being uncountable, " homework " is always followed by a singular verb.

The science homework was extremely difficult.

And you cannot put the article a/an in front of it.

You should do some homework today.

You should do a homework today.

But you can use the word “ assignment ” to mention separate pieces of homework.

Complete the three homework assignments .

Rebecca, you did an impressive job on the homework assignments .

Or just say “ a/one piece of homework ” or " a bit of homework ".

You still have one piece of homework left to do.

Note that we always say “ do homework ”. Avoid the verbs make or write with this word.

It’s worth doing a bit of homework before playing video games.

It’s worth making/writing a bit of homework before playing video games.

But you can use the verbs give or help (somebody).

The teacher gave us some homework to do by Friday.

My mother used to help me with my homework .

Instead of referring to the work that a student is asked to do at home, you can use “ homework ” as a synonym of preparation.

Since we have done our homework , we are well prepared for the meeting with the investor.

Using "a" or "the" with common activities

We commonly add a possessive pronoun (my, your, his, her, our, their) before “ homework ”.

Do your homework before dinner.

Have the kids done their homework ?

Jennifer is very good at doing her homework .

But you can also use other determiners, such as:

• some (affirmative sentences)
• any (interrogative and negative sentences)

The teacher gives too much homework .

I don’t have any homework .

We can also omit the determiner to speak about homework in a general way.

Homework is boring.

Is it bad to do homework in bed?

For homework , finish the exercise on page 8.

PristineWord

Read more posts by this author

You might also like...

Combining 'Through' with Other Prepositions

How to combine the prepositions 'through' and 'under', how to combine the prepositions 'through' and 'over'.

bottom_desktop desktop:[300x250]

• English (US)

Is the word ( homework) countable or uncountable ?? See a translation

• Report copyright infringement

Usually uncountable. Most people would not say "I have two homeworks". Instead, you would say "I have two homework assignments". You also would not say "I have many homeworks". Instead, you would say "I have a lot of homework".

Was this answer helpful?

• Why did you respond with "Hmm..."?
• Your feedback will not be shown to other users.

@nada_m1993 Some homework. Simply "I have homework." is also good.

Uncountable. You CAN say I have a lot of homework tonight. You would NOT say "I have three homework to do tonight." You CAN say "I have three assignments to do for homework tonight."

• The word 'cloud' is countable or uncountable?
• Is 'noodle' countable or uncountable noun?? pls let me know 😢
• knowledge is countable or uncountable?
• noise is a countable or uncountable noun?
• fraction countable or uncountable?
• What does "not very beautiful" means? Is it "beautiful but not great" or "so-so" or "ugly"?
• Is this sentencecorrect? There were not enough chairs for all of them to sit on them.
• Is there any similarities between Spanish and Japanese? Some people in internet saying that there...
• "Have the gifts wrapped?" Can the sentence be taken as "(Did you) Have the gifts wrapped?"
• Hello there... If I'm taking an important test for academic english which type of pronunciation s...
• Is it possible to say “in turn” instead of “consequently”?
• 1) Neanderthals were as intelligent as us. 2) Neanderthals were as intellectual as us. What are ...
• Hello there. Please tell me the differences between the following sentences: 1) I was REALLY l...
• About Present Perfect. Why 'I've bought this thing today' but 'I bought this thing yesterday'? L...
• Guys, does this sound British to you "Who will look after the children while we're away?"
• Do both sound natural? I have a stuffy/blocked/congested nose. I'm a little congested.
• Is this server sentence grammatically correct: "Even if you just had arrived together, and she ha...
• Could you please give me some advice? ①Once I became a father, I’ve really come to appreciate ...
• Hello. Someone please help me understand the 3 lessons/mistakes in the video. https://youtube.c...
• hello everyone) i have a question about grammar and word order. you decide which changes i wil...
• how to become fluent in English?
• When I want to say “If you are a native English speaker, could you please correct the sentences b...
• Is “YouTuber” one type of the “video streamer”? If it’s not, is there any English word that expr...
• How do you say this in English (US)? 그 단어는 누가알려줬어?
• How do you say this in Korean? where is toilet?

The Language Level symbol shows a user's proficiency in the languages they're interested in. Setting your Language Level helps other users provide you with answers that aren't too complex or too simple.

Has difficulty understanding even short answers in this language.

Can ask simple questions and can understand simple answers.

Can ask all types of general questions and can understand longer answers.

Can understand long, complex answers.

Show your appreciation in a way that likes and stamps can't.

By sending a gift to someone, they will be more likely to answer your questions again!

If you post a question after sending a gift to someone, your question will be displayed in a special section on that person’s feed.

Ask native speakers questions for free

Solve your problems more easily with the app!

• Find the answer you're looking for from 45 million answers logged!
• Enjoy the auto-translate feature when searching for answers!
• It’s FREE!!

• Is the word ( homework)...

• Rules/Help/FAQ Help/FAQ
• Members Current visitors
• Interface Language

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

• English Only

Countable, uncountable: homework

• Thread starter antoit
• Start date Jan 19, 2020

Senior Member

• Jan 19, 2020

Hi, I would like to ask something with reference to this issue of the uncountable. There is a dialogue concerning homeword in my textbook, and I have to fill the gaps with appropriate words, which are listed. This is the text: A: Have you done the howework for tomorrow? B: I've done __ but I haven't finished __ all yet. I would put: them in the first gap and it in the second. Does it make sense? Basically, these two words are those that are left out after feelig the other gaps in the rest of the exercise. But I am not at all sure that it is OK, especially thinking at the uncountable nature of homework. What is your opinion? Thanks.  

The sentence itself is not natural regardless of the pronoun. If you say you have done it, then you are saying that you have finished it. (later) I missed something. See post #4  

tunaafi said: The sentence itself is not natural regardless of the pronoun. If you say you have done it, then you are saying that you have finished it. Click to expand...

I have no problem with the sentence, which is unremarkable. Homework is uncountable and grammatically singular. That doesn't allow "them". You haven't finished it all yet - what word goes with an uncountable to indicate that you are talking about part of your homework and not all of it?  

Andygc said: I have no problem with the sentence, which is unremarkable. Homework is uncountable and grammatically singular. That doesn't allow "them". You haven't finished it all yet - what word goes with an uncountable to indicate that you are talking about part of your homework and not all of it? Click to expand...

• Jan 20, 2020

antoit said: Some? Then: a) some b) it? Click to expand...

• Apr 19, 2021

Is the following sentence idiomatic? "Hey, Mom and Dad! Would you believe our teacher assigned us two homeworks today?"  

Ali Smith said: Is the following sentence idiomatic? "Hey, Mom and Dad! Would you believe our teacher assigned us two homeworks today?" Click to expand...

Andygc said: Homework is uncountable and grammatically singular. Click to expand...