Uncountable nouns often used wrongly

Accommodation, advice, feedback, clothing, equipment, information, luggage, news, progress and software are uncountable nouns often used wrongly. These words are not used in the plural form and are not used with indefinite article (a, an) and a number.

Accommodation (accommodations in American English)

Definition: a place provided for someone to live, stay or work in

✓ We are looking for overnight accommodation for a couple.

✗ We are looking for an overnight accommodation for a couple.

✓ Accommodation in this city is cheap

✗ Accommodations in this city are cheap

Advice

Definition: an opinion on how to do something appropriately 

✓ The dietitian gave me a lot of advice on healthy eating.

✗ The dietitian gave me a lot of advices …

✓ Can I offer you advice on which car to buy?

✗ Can I offer you an advice on …?

We use a piece of/a word of to make advice countable.

Uncountable	Countable
advice	a piece of advice
	two pieces of advice

Difference between advice and advise

Advice (with c)	noun	The consultant gave me professional advice.
Advise (with s)	verb	I strongly advise you to change your hairstyle.

Feedback

Definitions: constructive [=useful and helpful] criticism, advice, or comments that are used to improve the product, performance, or situation.

✓ There is a lot of feedback about the new website.

✗ There are a lot of feedbacks about …

✓ I got positive feedback from my boss.

✗ I got a positive feedback  from …

Furniture

Definitions: objects typically made of wood, that are used in a room for sleeping, sitting or storing dishes, food or clothes

✓ We decided to buy some new furniture for the living room.

✗ We decided a new furniture…

✗ We decided some new furnitures…

We use a piece of/an item of to make furniture countable.

Uncountable	Countable
furniture	a piece of furniture
	two pieces of furniture

Clothing

Definition: things that you wear on your body

✓ You must wear protective clothing.

✗ You must wear a protective clothing.

✓ She will buy two items of clothing.

 ✗She will buy two clothings.

We use a piece of/an item of/an article of to make clothing countable.

Uncountable	Countable
clothing	a piece of clothing
	two pieces of clothing

Equipment

Definition: all the necessary things for a specific [particular] purpose or activity

✓ We have to buy new kitchen equipment for the restaurant

✗ We have to buy new kitchen equipments…

✗ We have to buy a new kitchen equipment …

We use a piece of to make equipment countable.

Uncountable	Countable
equipment	a piece of equipment
	two pieces of equipment

Information

Definition: facts that are received or known about something

✓ This diary gives a lot of information about my childhood.

✗ This diary gives a lot of informations…

✓ I found a piece of information about my hometown on this website.

✗ I found an information…

We use a piece of/a bit of to make information countable.

Uncountable	Countable
information	a piece of information
	two pieces of information

Luggage

Definition: bags and cases that are carried by someone who is travelling

✓ Where can I leave my luggage at the station?

✗ Where can I leave my luggages…?

✓ You can put a piece of luggage on the rack

✗ You can put a luggage…

We use a piece of/an item of to make luggage countable.

Uncountable	Countable
luggage	a piece of luggage
	two pieces of luggage

News

Definition: new, important or unusual information about events

✓ The good news is that my wife’s expecting a baby.

✗ The good news are that…

✓ I have some good news for my family.

✗ I have a good news…

We use a piece of/an item of to make news countable.

Uncountable	Countable
news	a piece of news
	two pieces of news

Progress

Definition: the process of improving (or developing) something gradually

✓ I think he’s making great progress in English.

✗ I think he’s making a great progress…

✓ The government has made a lot of progress in stimulating the economy.

✗ The government has made a lot of progresses…

Software

Definition: computer programs

✓ I want to buy antivirus software.

✗ I want to buy an antivirus software.

✓ What is the essential software for PC?

✗ What are the essential softwares…?

We use a piece of to make software countable.

Uncountable	Countable
software	a piece of software
	two pieces of software