This document discusses nouns that can be used as both count and non-count nouns. It provides examples of nouns like glass, hair, iron, light, paper, time, work, coffee, chicken, fish, and experience that have multiple meanings depending on whether they are used in a counted or uncounted sense. These nouns take on different meanings based on whether they are referred to as singular units that can be counted or as unmeasured quantities.

1. 11.6 Nouns That Can Be Count
or Noncount
Page 300

2. Noun Used as a noncount
noun
Used as a count
noun
glass Windows are made
of glass.
I drank a glass of
water.
Janet wears glasses
when she reads.
hair Rita has brown hair.
In the morning, I
comb my hair.
There’s a hair on my
jacket.
He is starting to get
a few gray hairs.
Somenounshave
bothcountand
noncountmeanings:

3. Noun Used as a noncount
noun
Used as a count
noun
iron Iron is a metal.
Iron is used to make
steel.
I pressed my shirt
with an iron.
light I opened the curtain
to let in some light.
My apartment
doesn’t get much
light.
Please turn off the
lights.
The street lights
come on when it gets
dark.
Somenounshave
bothcountand
noncountmeanings:

4. Noun Used as a noncount
noun
Used as a count
noun
paper I need some paper to
write a note.
We need more paper
for the photocopier.
I wrote a paper for
Professor Lee.
I bought a paper.
Who doesn’t have a
paper?
time How much time do
you need to finish
your work?
Time passes quickly
when you are having
fun.
How many times
have you been to
Mexico?
I had to tell my son
to take out the trash
three times before he
did it.
Somenounshave
bothcountand
noncountmeanings:

5. Noun Used as a noncount
noun
Used as a count
noun
work I have some work to
do tonight.
Teaching online is a
lot of work.
That painting is a
work of art.
Moby Dick is a work
of American
literature that many
students read in
high school.
coffee I had some coffee
after dinner.
I drink a lot more
coffee now that I
am working at
home.
Two coffees, please
Somenounshave
bothcountand
noncountmeanings:

6. Noun Used as a
noncount noun
Used as a count
noun
chicken
fish
I ate some
chicken.
I ate some fish.
Chicken is less
expensive than
fish.
She drew a picture
of a fish.
Can you keep
chickens in the city?
experience I haven’t had
much
experience with
computers.
Do you have
any work
experience?
I had many
interesting
experiences on my
trip.
A car accident is an
upsetting
experience.
Somenounshave
bothcountand
noncountmeanings: