Brought to you by the Purdue University Online Writing Lab After reviewing this document, practice with our count and noncount exercises , then check your answers . In order to make correct choices in using these forms, you must first know how to tell whether a noun is countable or noncountable. The first section of this document will help you do that. The sections that follow discuss the use of the noun plural ending -s, articles, and quantifiers with countable and noncountable nouns as mentioned above in the bulleted list. The main difference between count and noncount nouns is whether you can count the things they refer to or not.
Count nouns refer to things that exist as separate and distinct individual units.
They usually refer to what can be perceived by the senses. Here is an illustration that may clarify the concept. Think of the batter from which a cake is made. Before you put the batter into the oven, it can't be divided into parts because it's a thick liquid. Once it has been baked, however, it becomes solid enough to be cut into pieces.