Grammar · Nouns
Countable & Uncountable Nouns
Some food words take “a” and -s. Some food words do not. Learn which is which with the film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
Grammar › Nouns › Countable & Uncountable Nouns
The rule in one sentenceCountable nouns can be one or many — a burger, two burgers — but uncountable nouns have no “a” and no -s — cheese, rice, water.
About the film
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a film from 2009 about a young inventor, Flint Lockwood. He lives in a small town on an island, and people there eat fish every day. Flint makes a machine that turns water into food, and soon burgers fall from the sky like rain.
What does it do?
Some things are easy to count. You can say one burger, two burgers, three burgers. These words take a / an and they take -s.
Some things are hard to count. Think of cheese, rice or water. You do not say “a cheese” or “two waters”. These words have no “a” and no -s.
Look at the tiles. You can count burgers, so you say “a burger” and “two burgers”. You cannot count cheese or water, so there is no “a” and no -s.
You can make a cheese word countable. Put a word like piece or bowl in front of it:
Flint catches a hot dog in his hand. Then ice cream falls on his head.
“A hot dog” is one thing. “Ice cream” has no “a”. You cannot count it.
Visual guide
Teacher Teddy’s illustrated guide to this rule is being drawn — the full swipe-through infographic will appear here soon.
How to make it
Countable — burgers, eggs, meatballs
Flint has an idea for a new machine.
There aren’t many shops in the town.
Use “many” with things you can count.How many meatballs can you eat?
Ask “How many” for things you can count.Uncountable — cheese, rice, water
There is some jelly on the table.
The town doesn’t have much money.
Use “much” with things you cannot count.How much food does the machine make?
Ask “How much” for things you cannot count.When to use each one
Countable — you can say one, two, three
Uncountable — no “a”, no -s
Words that help: count it or not?
Some small words only go with one type. Look for them before the noun.
Countable → one, two, many
Uncountable → no “a”, no -s
Common mistakes
❌ Flint drinks a water after work.
✅ Flint drinks some water after work.
You cannot count water. Use “some”, not “a”.
❌ Some cheeses fall on the school.
✅ Some cheese falls on the school.
Cheese has no -s here, and the verb is “falls”.
❌ Flint eats two burger for dinner.
✅ Flint eats two burgers for dinner.
Two or more? Add -s to a countable word.
❌ How much meatballs are on the plate?
✅ How many meatballs are on the plate?
You can count meatballs, so use “many”.
One more thing
This part is a little harder. You can come back to it later.
Some words can be both. Chicken is countable when it is the animal. It is uncountable when it is the food on your plate.
✅ There are three chickens on the farm. (animals you can count)
✅ Would you like some chicken with your rice? (food)
Other words like this: a cake / some cake, a coffee / some coffee.
Practice: choose the right word
Eight questions. Choose one answer. You get the answer, and why.
1. Flint eats ___ egg for breakfast.
You can count eggs, and “egg” starts with e → an.
2. There is ___ rice on the car.
You cannot count rice → some.
3. Two ___ fall from the sky.
Two is more than one → burgers.
4. How ___ water does the machine need?
You cannot count water → much.
5. How ___ hot dogs can Steve eat?
You can count hot dogs → many.
6. Can I have a ___ of cheese, please?
One piece of cheese → a piece of.
7. The ice cream ___ cold.
Ice cream is uncountable, so the verb is “is”.
8. Flint has ___ good ideas.
You can count ideas → a few.
Your turn
Choose one ending. Then listen to your sentence.
Every sentence here is correct. Pick the one that is true for you. Say it out loud too!
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