🧠 Countable vs Uncountable Nouns in TOEIC Grammar
🧠 Countable vs Uncountable Nouns in TOEIC Grammar
Mastering a Common Trap in TOEIC Part 5
If you’ve ever wondered whether to say “much information” or “many information,” you’re not alone. This is one of the most frequent causes of lost points in TOEIC Part 5 grammar questions. Japanese learners especially struggle here because the English rules about countability don’t always match Japanese logic.
🔍 What Are Countable and Uncountable Nouns?
Countable nouns are things that can be counted individually. You can say “one email,” “two emails,” or “three reports.” These nouns have singular and plural forms.
Uncountable nouns, on the other hand, refer to general masses, concepts, or categories. These cannot be counted directly and are always treated as singular. You don’t say “an information” or “many informations.” Instead, you say “some information” or “a piece of information.”
✅ Examples of Countable and Uncountable Nouns
Common countable nouns in TOEIC include: email, report, file, contract, suggestion, and meeting.
Common uncountable nouns tested in TOEIC include: information, advice, equipment, furniture, luggage, traffic, progress, and research.
⚠️ Common Grammar Mistakes in TOEIC Part 5
Students often use “many” with uncountable nouns, which is incorrect. For example, “many informations” is wrong — it should be “much information.” Another mistake is adding “s” to uncountable nouns. TOEIC will frequently use these incorrect forms as trap answers.
📝 Sample TOEIC Part 5 Question
The department received a large amount of useful ___ about the new software update.
A) informations
B) information
C) informations are
D) informing
Correct answer: B) information.
Why? “Information” is uncountable. It cannot be pluralized. And “a large amount of” is a phrase used with uncountable nouns. The TOEIC test is checking whether you understand both countability and collocations.
🔧 How to Recognize Countable and Uncountable Nouns
There is no perfect rule, but there are strong patterns.
If the noun refers to something physical and countable — like a file, meeting, or product — it is likely countable.
If it refers to a general concept or mass — like knowledge, advice, or equipment — it is likely uncountable.
If it sounds strange to say “one [noun],” then it’s probably uncountable.
❌ TOEIC’s Favourite Confusing Pairs
These are words that look plural in Japanese but are uncountable in English:
You should say “much information,” not “many informations.”
You should say “some advice,” not “several advice.”
You should say “a piece of equipment,” not “a few equipment.”
You should say “some research,” not “two researches.”
You should say “heavy traffic,” not “many traffics.”
Each of these will likely show up in incorrect answer options on the TOEIC test.
📏 Quantifier Rules to Remember
Use “many,” “few,” and “several” with countable nouns — like reports, emails, and meetings.
Use “much,” “little,” and “a large amount of” with uncountable nouns — like information, time, and advice.
Watch for common phrases like:
“much information”
“a little time”
“many suggestions”
“a few ideas”
If the noun doesn’t take an “s” in plural form, you can assume it’s uncountable and needs the correct matching quantifier.
🧠 Why TOEIC Loves This Grammar Trap
Because it’s subtle. You won’t see a direct question asking “Is this countable or uncountable?” Instead, you’ll get sentence completion questions with four choices that test your understanding indirectly. You’ll need to choose the right quantifier, spot incorrect plurals, and make sure the subject-verb agreement is grammatically correct.
🗣️ Real-World English Examples
These grammar rules appear constantly in real business situations:
“Please send the information by Monday.”
“We received some excellent feedback.”
“There is too much traffic on the way to the airport.”
“Let’s go over the advice the client gave us.”
You’ll hear them in emails, meetings, and presentations — exactly the kinds of English TOEIC wants you to be able to understand.
🎯 Final Tips for TOEIC Grammar Success
Memorize the most common uncountable nouns tested on the TOEIC, especially “information,” “equipment,” “advice,” and “research.”
Don’t add “s” to these nouns — there’s no such thing as “equipments” or “advices.”
Learn the correct quantifiers to use. Use “much” and “little” for uncountables. Use “many” and “few” for countables.
Practice with real TOEIC-style grammar questions so you get used to how the test frames these traps under pressure.