Accommodation, advice, feedback, clothing, equipment, information, luggage, news, progress and software are uncountable nouns often usedwrongly. These words are not used in the plural form and are not used with indefinite article (a, an) and a number.
Accommodation (accommodations in American English)
Definition: a place provided for someone to live, stay or work in
✓ We are looking for overnight accommodation for a couple.
✗ We are looking for an overnight accommodation for a couple.
✓ Accommodation in this city is cheap
✗ Accommodations in this city are cheap
Advice
Definition: an opinion on how to do something appropriately
✓ The dietitian gave me a lot of advice on healthy eating.
✗ The dietitian gave me a lot of advices …
✓ Can I offer you advice on which car to buy?
✗ Can I offer you an advice on …?
We use a piece of/a word of to make advice countable
Uncountable | Countable |
advice | a piece of advice |
two pieces of advice |
Difference between advice and advise
Advice (with c) | noun | The consultant gave me professional advice. |
Advise (with s) | verb | I strongly advise you to change your hairstyle. |
Feedback
Definitions: constructive [=useful and helpful] criticism, advice or comments that are used to improve the product, performance or situation.
✓ There is a lot of feedback about the new website.
✗ There are a lot of feedbacks about …
✓ I got positive feedback from my boss.
✗ I got a positive feedback from …
Furniture
Definitions: objects typically made of wood, that are used in a room for sleeping, sitting or storing dishes, food or clothes
✓ We decided to buy some new furniture for the living room.
✗ We decided a new furniture…
✗ We decided some new furnitures…
We use a piece of/an item of to make furniture countable
Uncountable | Countable |
furniture | a piece of furniture |
two pieces of furniture |
Clothing
Definition: things that you wear on your body
✓ You must wear protective clothing.
✗ You must wear a protective clothing.
✓ She will buy two items of clothing.
✗She will buy two clothings.
We use a piece of/an item of/an article of to make clothing countable
Uncountable | Countable |
clothing | a piece of clothing |
two pieces of clothing |
Equipment
Definition: all the necessary things for a specific [particular] purpose or activity
✓ We have to buy new kitchen equipment for the restaurant
✗ We have to buy new kitchen equipments…
✗ We have to buy a new kitchen equipment …
We use a piece of to make equipment countable
Uncountable | Countable |
equipment | a piece of equipment |
two pieces of equipment |
Information
Definition: facts that are received or known about something
✓ This diary gives a lot of information about my childhood.
✗ This diary gives a lot of informations…
✓ I found a piece of information about my hometown on this website.
✗ I found an information…
We use a piece of/a bit of to make information countable
Uncountable | Countable |
information | a piece of information |
two pieces of information |
Luggage
Definition: bags and cases that are carried by someone who is travelling
✓ Where can I leave my luggage at the station?
✗ Where can I leave my luggages…?
✓ You can put a piece of luggage on the rack
✗ You can put a luggage…
We use a piece of/an item of to make luggage countable
Uncountable | Countable |
luggage | a piece of luggage |
two pieces of luggage |
News
Definition: new, important or unusual information about events
✓ The good news is that my wife’s expecting a baby.
✗ The good news are that…
✓ I have some good news for my family.
✗ I have a good news…
We use a piece of/an item of to make news countable
Uncountable | Countable |
news | a piece of news |
two pieces of news |
Progress
Definition: the process of improving (or developing) something gradually
✓ I think he’s making great progress in English.
✗ I think he’s making a great progress…
✓ The government has made a lot of progress in stimulating the economy.
✗ The government has made a lot of progresses…
Software
Definition: computer programs
✓ I want to buy antivirus software.
✗ I want to buy an antivirus software.
✓ What is the essential software for PC?
✗ What are the essential softwares…?
We use a piece of to make software countable
Uncountable | Countable |
software | a piece of software |
two pieces of software |
Source: VocabularyPage.com