To Count or Not to Count?

In your English education, many of you were probably introduced to count and noncount nouns. 

If not, or if you forgot, a count noun is one that can be counted (surprise) and can be made plural. A noncount noun does not change spelling regardless of the amount because it is thought of as a whole, or an something that can not be separated into parts.

Non-count nouns never have “a” or “the” in front of them, and the verbs and pronouns used with these nouns are conjugated as though the noun was singular.
Example of a count noun in a sentence with business vocabulary:

• I took the checks to the bank. 
• In this sentence, check is a count noun and is made plural by adding an "s" to the end of check.

• He gave her plenty of poor business advice when she sought out a loan and started her company.
• In this sentence, advice is the the noun, and it is non count noun because we do not make it plural regardless of how much advice was offered. We think of this noun as a whole.

Noncount nouns commonly found in the professional world:

• Information
• Equipment
• Attire
• Money
• Advice
• Software
• Research
• Insurance

Still feel rusty? Try this quiz!

http://www.eflnet.com/grammar/countnouns.php#.U0TaLfldWSo