Countable nouns are nouns that can be counted. Most nouns in English are countable.
Examples:
I have two dogs. Jean has three cars. Jessie has ten dollars..
Uncountable nouns are not counted in English. Generally, we do not use plural forms of these words; alcuni uncoutable nouns finiscono per s Non fate confusione!
Examples:
Mack drinks a lot of water. Cindy gives great advice. Paul enjoys politics. Ends with “s” but uncountable.
Uncountable nouns by categories:
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Liquids and Gases
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Solid and Granular Substances
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Energy Words and Forces
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Subjects
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Grouped Concepts
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Information and Abstract Concepts
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Uncountable Plurals
Sometimes in English, we do use uncountable nouns in plural forms. This is most commonly done with liquids and substances. It usually takes on the meaning of “cups of”, “bottles of” or “types of”.
Qualche volta in inglese si usano gli uncountable nouns con la forma plurale. Si usa in particolare con i liquidi e sostanze. Di solito si sottintende tazze di caffe, …
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Different Meanings/significati diversi
There are certain words which have multiple meanings. It is possible for one meaning to be countable and the other to be uncountable.
Ci sono certe parole che hanno più significati. E’ possibile che il nome con un determinato significato sia countable e lo stesso nome con un significato diverso sia uncontable
Example the word “light”:
I couldn’t see anything because there was no light. Uncountable noun The first use of “light” is a form of energy..
The Christmas tree was covered with hundreds of lights. Countable noun
The second use of “light” means “small light bulbs/lampadine”, which are normal countable objects.
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We cannot “count” them. For example, we can not count “milk”.
We can count “bottles of milk” or “litres of milk”, but we cannot count “milk” itself/per se stesso:
Esamples
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music, art, love, happiness
advice/condiglio, information, news
furniture/mobilio, luggage/bagaglo,
rice, sugar, butter, water
electricity, gas, power
money, currency/denaro, valuta.
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We usually treat/consideriamo uncountable nouns as/come singular¶
We use a singular verb.For example:
This news is very important. Your luggage looks heavy..
We do not usually use the indefinite article a/an with uncountable nouns. We cannot say “an information” or “a music”. But we can say a “something” of:
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We can use some and any with uncountable nouns:
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We can use a little and much with uncountable nouns:
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Uncountable nouns are also called “mass nouns”.
ulteriori esempi/ more examples :
Countable – Uncountable
dollar – money
song – music
suitcase – luggage
table – furniture
battery – electricity
bottle – wine
report – information
tip – advice
journey – travel
job – work
view – scenery
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250 uncountable nouns¶
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Uncountable Nouns A-B¶
definition example sentence- access=accesso the right to see or use something Only a few people have access to this information.
- accommodation=sistemazione _a place to live in or stay at _ Does the company provide accommodation for the workers?
- adulthood=etâ adulta _the period of time when you’re an adult _ You’ll have more freedom in adulthood, but more responsibilities too.
- advertising=pubblicità the business of making companies and products well-known A lot of creative people work in advertising.
- advice=consiglio/i suggestions about what someone should do If you’re not sure what to do, ask your friends for advice.
- aggression=ostilitâ the urge to attack or to fight If he needs an outlet for his aggression, he could try boxing.
- aid=aiuto money or help given to those who need it Should rich countries give more aid to poor countries?
- air=aria the mixture of gases surrounding the earth If there’s not enough air in the room, open a window.
- alcohol =alcol substance in drinks that makes people feel drunk Whiskey contains much more alcohol than beer.
- anger=ira a strong feeling we can get if we think we’re being treated badly Why was someone with so much anger allowed to own a gun?
- applause=applauso the sound of clapping after a performance or a speech After the concert, the applause went on for at least five minutes.
- arithmetic=aritmetica simple mathematics like adding, multiplying, etc. I wanted to work in a bank because I was always good at arithmetic.
- art=arte paintings, sculpture, drawing If you want to learn about art, visit the national gallery.
- assistance=assistenza help given to someone After calling 911 for assistance, we waited for an ambulance.
- athletics=atletica track and field events, such as running and jumping Jenny’s very good at athletics, and she’s even won some medals.
- attention=attenzione focus of awareness on something or someone The teacher found it difficult to get her students’ attention.
- bacon=pancetta smoked or salted meat from a pig Would you like some bacon with your scrambled eggs?
- baggage=bagaglio bags and suitcases used while travelling The customs officer at the airport checked all my baggage.
- ballet=danza classica a style of dancing that tells a story My dad loved ballet, and he even took us to see Swan Lake.
- beauty=bellezza the quality that makes people or things beautiful Many poets have been inspired by the beauty of nature.
- beef=carne dimanzo/bovina meat from a cow I don’t eat beef or pork, but I like fish and seafood.
- beer=birra an alcoholic drink made with malt and hops It was a good party, but I think we drank too much beer.
- biology=biologia the study of plants, animals and other living things If you study biology, you’ll learn how amazing life really is.
- blood=sangue the red liquid inside our bodies Blood carries oxygen from the lungs to all the body’s cells.
- botany=botanica the study of plants When I studied botany, we often collected plants from forests.
- bread/pane a common food that’s made from wheat or other grains I sliced a loaf of bread and then made some sandwiches.
- business/affari any money-making venture or activity Before going into business, ask your father for some advice.
- butter=burro a dairy food that’s made from cream Would you like some butter on your toast?
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Uncountable Nouns C-D¶
definition example sentence- carbon=carbonio a chemical element that’s in all living things (symbol C) Climate change occurs when there’s too much carbon in the air.
- cardboard=cartone very thick paper that’s used to make boxes We could get cardboard for our signs by cutting up old boxes.
- cash=contante money in the form of notes and coins If you need some cash, go to an ATM machine.
- chalk=gesso material that’s used for writing on blackboards Don’t forget to take some chalk to your class.
- chaos=caos a situation that’s out of control There was chaos after the fire started, with people running in all directions.
- cheese=formaggio a solid dairy food Do you want some extra cheese on your pizza?
- chess=scacchi a popular board game Do you feel like having a game of chess?
- childhood/infanzia the period of life when you’re a child For most of my childhood, our family lived in London.
- clothing=vestiario things you wear, like shirts, socks, etc. We were poor, but we always had enough food and clothing.
- coal=carbone black substance that’s dug up and burned My grandmother used to cook on a stove that burned coal.
- coffee=caffë a drink made with ground, roasted seeds How many cups of coffee do you drink every day?
- commerce=commercio the buying and selling of goods and services Some historians say commerce began about 10,000 years ago.
- compassion=empatia/comprensione strong sympathy for others The Buddha taught us to feel compassion for all living things.
- comprehension=comprensione the ability to understand something Sayoko’s comprehension of written English is excellent.
- content=contenuto/argomento the material in a file or on a website This website’s content is great, and so is the design.
- corruption=corruzione dishonest or illegal activity by public officials All this corruption has made many politicians very rich.
- cotton=cotone a type of cloth made from plant fibres American farmers used African people as slaves to pick cotton.
- courage=coraggio the ability to act despite danger or fear The protesters showed so much courage, knowing they could be shot at any moment.
- currency=valuta the type of money used in a country How much local currency will I need to get a taxi from the airport?
- damage=danno harm caused to something or someone We couldn’t believe how much damage the storm had caused.
- dancing=ballo bodily movements made to music My legs are sore after so much dancing in the club last night.
- danger=pericolo the possibility of something very bad happening Before the hunter could shoot, the deer sensed the danger and ran off.
- data=dati/informazioni statistical or digital information How much data can your computer’s hard drive store?
- delight=piacere/delizia great happiness or pleasure We took great delight in watching our kids act in the play.
- dessert=dolce(fine pasto) sweet food eaten at the end of a meal Would you like some ice cream for dessert?
- dignity/dignitâ calm and mature self-respect He accepted his defeat with dignity, and waved to the crowd.
- dirt=terriccio/sporcizia soil, or anything that makes something dirty My brother’s face was covered in dirt and his hair was a mess.
- distribution=distribuzione a system for getting things to those who want them Marketing ebooks is difficult, but distribution is easy.
- dust=polvere tiny particles in the air or on surfaces All the furniture in the empty house was covered in dust.
Uncountable Nouns E-F¶
definition example sentence- economics=economia (scienza) the study of the production and distribution of goods and services One of our daughters wants to study economics at university.
- education=istruzione the systematic teaching of children or adults To get on in this world, you need a good education.
- electricity=elettricitâ the power that runs lights, computers, etc. Electricity is dangerous, so don’t try to fix the wires yourself.
- employment=occupazione/lavoro work given to someone for money She graduated from university two years ago, but she still hasn’t found full-time employment.
- energy=energia the power to do things, or the power that makes things work Using clean energy like wind and solar power is better than burning coal or oil.
- engineering=ingegneria (scienza) the design and building of roads, machines, etc. If she likes learning about machines, she should study engineering.
- enjoyment=piacere/divertimento the pleasure you get from something I never thought I’d get so much enjoyment from reading a book.
- entertainment=svago films, TV shows, etc. that we watch for enjoyment Television is one of the cheapest forms of entertainment.
- envy=invidia the feeling of wanting what someone else has You should have seen the envy on Harry’s face when he saw his neighbour’s new car.
- equipment=attrezzatura all the things needed to do a job or activity My gym costs more than hers, but it’s got much better equipment.
- ethics=etica (scienza) the study of the principles of right and wrong If schools taught ethics as a core subject, the world would be a much better place.
- evidence/evidenza information used to show that something is true There’s a lot of evidence proving he was there, like fingerprints and DNA.
- evolution=evoluzione gradual change or development over time Some people still don’t believe in evolution from natural selection, despite all the scientific evidence.
- failure=insuccesso lack of success in doing something Sometimes we learn more from failure than we do from success.
- faith=fede strong belief or trust I have faith in Mark because he always does what he says he’ll do.
- fame=fama being known about or recognized by many people Lots of people dream of fame and fortune, but very few achieve it.
- fiction=romanzo/narrativa books that tell imagined stories Alan’s favourite work of fiction is Lord of the Rings.
- flour=farina powder from grinding grains such as wheat If you’re going shopping, could you get some flour?
- flu=influenza an illness that feels like a very bad cold I’ve had the flu all week, and I can’t stop coughing and sneezing.
- food=cibo the things people or animals eat If you want to live a long and healthy life, eat good food.
- freedom=libertâ the ability, or the right, to do what you choose to do If you still don’t have freedom, you should be fighting for it!
- fruit/frutta foods like apples, oranges, bananas, etc. Fruit is delicious, and it’s also really good for you.
- fuel=carburante/combustibile anything that can be burned for heat pry The pump stopped working because it’d run out of fuel.
- fun=divertimento enjoyment from playful activities Our kids had lots of fun at the beach today.
- furniture/mobilio tables, chairs, beds, etc. My wife always wants to buy more furniture.
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Uncountable Nouns G-H¶
definition example sentence- garbage=spazzatura things that you throw away Did you remember to take out the garbage?
- garlic=aglio a vegetable similar to an onion People say garlic makes breath smell bad, but I can’t smell it.
- gas=gas a household fuel for heating and cooking We didn’t used that much gas last month, did we?
- genetics=genetica the study of genes and heredity People who breed animals usually know a lot about genetics.
- glass=vetro the material windows and bottles are made of Bottles made of glass are better for recycling than plastic ones.
- gold=oro a precious metal (symbol Au) European invaders stole a lot of gold from South America.
- golf=golf a game played with clubs and small white balls Why don’t we have a game of golf on Sunday afternoon?
- gossip=pettegolezzo/i the sharing of stories about other people’s private lives I can’t believe how much gossip I heard at Doreen’s dinner party.
- grammar=grammatica the rules of a language We need activities that make learning grammar more interesting.
- grass=erba a plant that’s grown to cover ground in parks and gardens The grass in the back yard’s getting too long, so I’d better cut it.
- gratitude=gratitudine the feeling of being thankful Ricardo expressed his gratitude to all those who’d helped him.
- grief=dispiacere a feeling of great sadness Maria was overcome with grief when her sister died.
- ground=terreno/suolo the surface of the earth We lay with our backs on the ground and looked at the stars.
- guilt=colpa a feeling of shame for doing something wrong Do politicians feel any guilt when they start a war to boost their popularity?
- gymnastics=ginnastica (ed. fisica -scuola) a sport involving physical exercises I really enjoyed watching the gymnastics at the Olympics.
- hair=capigliatura the thin strands that grow on your head Harry’s hair was long and blond when he was a teenager, but now it’s short and gray.
- happiness=felicitâ the feeling of being joyful or happy They enjoyed many years of happiness together.
- hardware=componenti di base, non modificabili, di un apparecchio o di un sistema the solid parts of a computer system Your hardware is fine, but you need to get some new software.
- harm=danno damage or injury Luckily the storm didn’t do any harm to our fruit tress.
- hate=odio strong dislike of someone or something Their eyes were full of hate as they beat and kicked their victim.
- hatred=disprezzo strong dislike of someone or something Why do they feel so much hatred towards gay people?
- health=salute the state of your body and mind His health improved a lot after he started exercising.
- heat=calore high temperature The heat from the fire kept us warm all night.
- height=altezza how tall something or someone is My brother and I are around the same height.
- help =aiuto assistance given to someone in need How much help did you get with your homework?
- homework=compiti schoolwork done at home I did all my homework myself!
- honesty=onestâ the quality of being honest, or of telling the truth Are you speaking with complete honesty about this?
- honey=miele a sweet food found in beehives Would you like some honey on your toast?
- hospitality=ospitalitâ welcoming behaviour towards visitors We were amazed by the hospitality of the people in the village.
- housework=faccende domestiche cleaning, washing and cooking done at home Does your husband do much of the housework?
- humour =umorismo the quality that makes something funny Even though it was a serious movie, it had moments of humour.
- hunger=fame the feeling you get when your body needs food By 2 o’clock in the afternoon, I was feeling pangs of hunger.
- hydrogen=idrogeno a gas that can’t be seen or smelled (symbol H) Hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water.
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Uncountable Nouns I-J¶
definition example sentence
- ice=ghiaccio frozen water Would you like some ice in your drink?
- ice cream=gelato _a frozen dessert food _ If I eat too much ice cream, I start to put on weight.
- importance=importanza the degree to which something is important The research shows the importance of regular exercise.
- inflation=inflazione rising prices Inflation has made everything more expensive than before.
- information=informazione facts about something or someone Do you think the information on this website is accurate?
- injustice=ingiusto unfair treatment Nelson Mandela spent most of his life fighting injustice.
- innocence=innocenza the fact of not being guilty of a crime Despite their innocence, many good people were sent to jail.
- intelligence=intelligenza the ability to think about complex ideas Do you think IQ tests really measure intelligence?
- iron=ferro a strong metal (symbol Fe) In ancient Rome, knives and spear tips were made of iron.
- irony=ironia humour in which someone says the opposite of what they really mean As we stood in the rain, Julie said, with much irony, “Lovely weather, isn’t it?”
- jam=marmellata di frutta sweet food made from fruit and spread on bread Can I have some strawberry jam on my toast, please?
- jealousy=gelosia a bad feeling experienced if we think someone we love wants someone else If she even looks at another guy, her boyfriend goes crazy with jealousy.
- jelly (British) a dessert made with gelatin Mum made some red jelly for dessert.
- joy=gioia a feeling of great happiness When I held our first baby, tears of joy ran down my cheeks.
- judo=judo a martial art that employs throws and holds Did you know that judo is an Olympic sport now?
- juice=succo any liquid that’s squeezed from fruit Every morning I have a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice.
- justice=giustizia the fair treatment of people Those boys who were jailed for a crime they didn’t commit are still waiting for justice.
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h2. Uncountable Nouns K-L
- karate=karate a martial art that employs kicks and punches My brother has a black belt in karate, so don’t bully me!
- kindness=gentilezza the quality of being kind to other living things If you speak and act with kindness, everyone will like you.
- knowledge=conoscenza facts and information known by someone We all need the knowledge and skills that an education provides.
- labour=fatica/lavoro work, especially physical work Does this price include the cost of labour?
- lack=carenza a shortage of something The lack of English-speaking workers is a problem.
- land=terreno an area of ground How much of this land can be used for farming?
- laughter=risata the act or the sound of laughing There’s always a lot of laughter in Maria’s classes.
- lava=lava hot, molten rock Look at all that lava coming down the side of the volcano!
- leather=pelllame animal skin used for making clothes, bags, etc. If you’re going to ride a motorbike, wear a leather jacket.
- leisure=agio free time, or things you do in your free time Her favourite leisure activities are reading and playing tennis.
- lightning/lampi flashes of light in the sky during a storm Did you see all the lightning during the storm last night?
- linguistics=linguistica the study of language If you study linguistics, you’ll learn all about language and how it works.
- literature=letteratura novels, short stories, poetry, etc. English literature was my favourite subject at school.
- litter=rifiuti rubbish dropped in public places People who leave their litter behind are lazy and selfish.
- livestock=bestiame animals that are kept on a farm Are you sure the livestock on this farm is well-treated?
- logic=logica reasoned thought Can you explain the logic behind your decision?
- loneliness=solitudine unhappiness caused by being alone She lives by herself, but she doesn’t suffer from loneliness.
- love=amore a very strong feeling of affection How many different kinds of love can you think of?
- luck=fortuna good fortune Kim never seems to have much luck when she gambles.
- luggage/bagaglio bags and suitcases used while travelling Can I leave my luggage here while I go to the bathroom?
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Uncountable Nouns M-N¶
definition example sentence- machinery several machines, esp. large ones We’ll have to buy a lot of new machinery for the factory.
- magic a mysterious power, or a magician’s tricks You don’t really believe in the power of magic, do you?
- mail letters and parcels sent by post Who collects your mail while you’re away?
- management the job of running an organisation or business Without good management, a company won’t last long.
- mankind all the people in the world He says mankind’s biggest challenge is global warming.
- marble a type of stone used for building Is this floor really made of Italian marble?
- mathematics the study of numbers and shapes If you want to be an engineer, you’ll have to study mathematics.
- mayonnaise a thick white sauce eaten with salads Do you want some mayonnaise on your salad sandwich?
- measles a type of disease His body was covered in red spots, so we thought he had measles.
- meat animal or bird flesh eaten as food Did you buy this meat from our local butcher?
- metal a hard substance, like iron or gold Bicycle frames are usually made of light-weight metal.
- methane a colourless gas that’s used as a fuel Is it possible to run a car on methane?
- milk the liquid that baby mammals get from their mothers How many litres of milk do you drink every day?
- money what you earn from work, and then spend or save I’m trying to save enough money to buy a car.
- mud soft, wet earth I fell over and got mud all over my clothes.
- music organised sound made for enjoyment What sort of music do you like?
- nature all living things and the habitats that sustain them The beauty of nature has inspired many artists and poets.
- news information about recent events My dad watches the news on TV every night.
- nitrogen one of the gases in our atmosphere (symbol N) Did you know that you can’t see or smell nitrogen?
- nonsense anything that isn’t true or sensible You don’t believe all that nonsense about ghosts, do you?
- nurture the care given to a growing person or animal Parents are responsible for the nurture of their young.
- nutrition food the body needs for health If we eat for nutrition instead of taste, we’ll all be healthier.
Uncountable Nouns O-P¶
definition example sentence
- obedience doing what someone tells you to do Military commanders expect obedience from their troops.
- obesity the condition of being too fat Diseases caused by obesity kill millions of people every year.
- oil a dark liquid from under the ground Saudi Arabia makes a lot of money from selling oil.
- oxygen a chemical element in air and water (symbol O) When you breathe in, your body gets oxygen from the air.
- paper material used for writing on or wrapping How many sheets of paper do you need?
- passion a very strong feeling People on both sides of the debate spoke with passion.
- pasta an Italian food made from flour and water Spaghetti, ravioli and lasagna are different types of pasta.
- patience the ability to wait without getting angry or upset After waiting an hour to see a doctor, I ran out of patience and left.
- permission the right to do something you can’t normally do You’ll need permission from the boss if you want to leave early.
- physics the scientific study of matter and energy These new theories in physics are difficult to understand.
- poetry literature in the form of poems and verses Have you ever read the poetry of Walt Whitman?
- pollution waste products that damage the environment Most air pollution comes from cars and factories.
- poverty the state of being very poor Millions of people are still living in poverty.
- power the ability to control people or things The police have the power to arrest and charge people.
- pride the feeling you have when you, or someone close to you, does something special We watched with pride as our son was awarded his medal.
- production the process of making or growing things Rice production has increased this year.
- progress improvement or development I hope you’re making progress in your English.
- pronunciation the sounds made when speaking a language Your pronunciation of English is excellent.
- psychology the study of the mind My sister wants to study psychology.
- publicity attention given to something in newspapers, TV, etc. The royal wedding got a lot of publicity in the media.
- punctuation small marks used when writing, like commas and question marks Good punctuation will make your writing easier to read.
Uncountable Nouns Q-R¶
definition example sentence- quality the standard of something, or how good it is Good quality shoes last longer than shoes of poor quality.
- quantity the amount of something, or the number of things The police found a large quantity of stolen goods in the house.
- quartz a very hard rock Quartz is often used in high-quality watches and clocks.
- racism the belief that some races of people are better than others Racism is still a problem in many parts of the world.
- rain water that falls from clouds in the sky All the farmers in our village are praying for rain.
- recreation the things you do for fun or pleasure Our students want less homework and more time for recreation.
- relaxation a state of rest or low stress Meditation is one of the best techniques for relaxation.
- reliability the quality of being unlikely to fail The main selling points for this car are its safety and reliability.
- research work done to find or discover knowledge Before writing his book, he put a lot of time into research.
- respect admiration for someone Children in Asia have a lot of respect for their teachers.
- revenge acts done to punish someone who has hurt you The kids got together and planned their revenge on the bully.
- rice a type of grain How much rice do you think we need to cook for the stir-fry?
- room the space needed for something Do you think there’s enough room for a piano in here?
- rubbish things you don’t need and throw away Put any rubbish in that bin over there.
- rum a type of alcoholic drink Pirates like Blackbeard loved to drink rum.
Uncountable Nouns: S¶
definition example sentence
- safety the lack of danger My grandma always worries about safety in airplanes.
- salad mix of raw vegetables like lettuce, tomato, etc. Would you like some salad with your meal?
- salt a white substance often added to food Could you pass the salt and pepper, please?
- sand material found at beaches and in the desert We went to the beach and built a castle out of sand.
- satire humour used to criticize someone or something A lot of political cartoonists use satire in their work.
- scenery views of mountains, lakes, valleys, etc. The scenery in the mountains was magnificent.
- seafood food from the sea, like fish, crabs, etc. My wife loves seafood, especially lobster and prawns.
- seaside an area near the sea Every year we spend our vacation at the seaside.
- shame the bad feeling you get after doing something wrong I’ll never forget the shame I felt when I was caught stealing.
- shopping the activity of going to shops and buying things Can’t you think of anything better to do in your free time than shopping?
- silence complete quiet, with no sound at all After a moment of silence, we started talking again.
- sleep a natural state of unconsciousness and rest All animals need periods of sleep, even fish and frogs.
- smoke clouds that rise from something that’s burning We could see the smoke, so we knew there was a fire.
- smoking the act of enjoying cigarettes, pipes, cigars, etc. Some politicians want to ban smoking in all public places.
- snow soft flakes that fall from the sky in cold weather Does it ever snow in Brazil, or is it too hot?
- soap a substance that makes cleaning easier There’s a new bar of soap in the cupboard in the bathroom.
- software computer programs and operating systems We used to buy software on discs, but now we download it.
- soil dirt or earth in which plants can grow The soil would be healthier if we added manure and compost to it.
- sorrow a feeling of great sadness Can you imagine how much sorrow his mother must have felt?
- soup a liquid food usually served in a bowl There’s a tin of tomato soup in the cupboard if you want it.
- speed how fast something moves I wonder what the new Ferrari’s top speed is.
- spelling forming written words with letters If you read more books, your spelling will improve.
- sport competitive activities like football, golf, tennis, etc. Do you think Uncle Bill watches too much sport on TV?
- steam hot gas that rises from boiling water Trains and ships used to be powered by steam.
- strength physical power Lifting that heavy sofa took all my strength.
- stuff undefined material or things What’s this brown stuff on the bottom of my shoe?
- stupidity lack of thought or intelligence We’re all capable of stupidity from time to time.
- success the achievement of a goal Success is great, but you can learn a lot from failure too.
- sugar sweet crystals put in tea and coffee How many teaspoons of sugar would you like in your tea?
- sunshine light from the sun We need a few minutes of sunshine every day to stay healthy.
- symmetry perfect balance in design or form The more symmetry there is in a face, the more beautiful it is.
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Uncountable Nouns T-V¶
definition example sentence- tea a drink made by adding boiling water to dried plant parts Would you like a cup of peppermint tea?
- tennis game played on a court with racquets and balls My grandma is too old for tennis, but she still plays golf.
- thirst the feeling you get when your body needs water No matter how bad your thirst gets, don’t drink sea water!
- thunder a loud sound heard during a storm There was a flash of lightning, and then a crack of thunder.
- timber wood for building and for making furniture The frame is made of timber, but the walls are made of brick.
- time duration as measured by clocks How much time do you spend at your computer every day?
- toast slices of bread that have been cooked in a toaster Would you prefer jam or honey on your toast?
- tolerance the ability to accept beliefs and behaviour that differ from our own Parents and teachers should encourage tolerance among children.
- trade the buying and selling of goods and services How much is our trade with African countries worth?
- traffic all the cars and other vehicles using a road The traffic on Main Street is always bad in the morning.
- transportation the moving of goods and people from place to place Don’t forget the cost of transportation from the airport.
- travel going to other places, esp. distant places How much travel will the job require?
- trust the belief that someone is honest A company that betrays a customer’s trust won’t last long.
- U definition example sentence
- understanding knowledge about something or someone The classes will improve your understanding of grammar.
- underwear clothing worn under other clothes Don’t forget to take plenty of underwear on the trip.
- unemployment the lack of paid work Unemployment is a serious problem in many countries.
- unity the state of forming one unit College initiation rituals are meant to create unity in the group.
- usage how, or how much, something is used Internet usage in China has increased a lot this year.
- V definition example sentence
- validity the state of being acceptable, legally or logically The officials checked the validity of everyone’s passport.
- veal meat from a calf After petting a young calf, my son said he wouldn’t eat veal any more.
- vegetation plants and trees Elephants can eat many different kinds of vegetation.
- vegetarianism the practice of only eating plant-based foods My doctor explained all the health benefits of vegetarianism.
- vengeance the act of punishing somebody who has hurt you These two families have been carrying out acts of vengeance on each other for fifty years.
- violence actions meant to hurt or kill Both families want to end the violence, but they don’t know how to.
- vision the ability to see The injury to his eye limited his vision.
- vitality energy and enthusiasm In their performance, all the dancers showed great vitality.
Uncountable Nouns W-Z¶
definition example sentence
- warmth=calore _the state, or the feeling, of mild heat _ We lay on the sand feeling the warmth of the sun on our bodies.
- water=acqua a clear liquid that we have to drink Is the water here safe to drink?
- wealth=ricchezza money and other valuable things His only goal in life was to accumulate more and more wealth.
- weather+tempo atmosferico local conditions, incl. temperature and rainfall The weather here is always beautiful in spring.
- weight=peso how heavy a person or an object is If I eat too much, I’ll start putting on weight.
- welfare=salute the health and well-being of people or animals A government’s main responsibility is the welfare of its people.
- wheat=grano a grain that’s used for making bread Every year we export millions of tons of wheat.
- whiskey=whiskey a strong alcoholic drink How many glasses of whiskey did you drink?
- width=larghezza _the distance from one side to the other _ The pool’s length is 100 metres, and the width is 20 metres.
- wildlife=fauna selvatica animals and other living things in their natural habitats Do you think shooting wildlife should be called a sport?
- wine=vino an alcoholic drink made from grapes Shall we have a bottle of wine with our meal?
- wisdom=saggezza knowledge of life that’s gained from experience There was a lot of wisdom in what our grandmother said.
- wood=bosco the hard material in trees Is Jenny’s new dining table made of wood?
- wool=lana thick hair that grows on sheep How much wool grows on a sheep in one year?
- work=occupazione a job done for money, or any productive activity Try to find work doing something you love doing.
- yeast =lievito a fungus used to make bread, wine and beer If you don’t add yeast to the dough, the bread won’t rise.
- yoga=yoga a system of techniques for body and mind control Yoga has been practised in India for thousands of years.
- youth=gioventù the time, or the state, of being young Is it better to spend one’s youth travelling or studying?
- zinc=zinco a chemical element (symbol Zn) Zinc is an important trace element, especially for men.
- zoology=zoologia the scientific study of animals Zoology is one of the most interesting branches of biology.
