s? No s?

When "a lot of", "many", "a few" and "all (the)" are followed by a countable noun, that noun is always plural. Normally this means it ends with "s", but a few irregular plurals also exist:

a lot of computers
many apples
a few minutes
all the children

"a lot of" and "all (the)" may also be followed by an uncountable noun:

a lot o

Further to my first reply, there is also one special expression "a lot of + singular noun", e.g. "you get a lot of car for your money", in which a noun that is normally countable, such as "car", is used as if it were uncountable.

GPYWhen "a lot of", "many", "a few" and "all (the)" are followed by a countable noun, that noun is always plural. Normally this means it ends with "s", but a few irregular plurals also exist:a lot of computersmany applesa few minutesall the children"a lot of" and "all (the)" may also be followed by an uncountable noun:a lot of nonsenseall the water

Thanks GPY,

Equipment is uncountable.
All the sound equipment would be correct.

Blue JayEquipment is uncountable.All the sound equipment would be correct.

Oh, thanks Jay, I just search it, but come up another question....How can I identify a noun is countable or uncountable when I see it first time? Only read more and remember?

I don't know of any way to be certain about a new noun other than look it up and see. Countable nouns are much more common, and anything that is a distinct item where you can picture several of them is probably countable. The uncountable ones depend on how we perceive whatever it is that is being described. If we don't think of it as being distinct items that can be separately counted it may be un

jeffery216 another question....How can I identify a noun is countable or uncountable when I see it first time? Only read more and remember?

A simple test for count nouns is the ability to combine with the cardinal numbers (one, two, three, etc,). Non-count nouns cannot do that:

One car ~ two cars ~ three cars
*One crockery ~ *two crockeries ~ *t

This is fine for a native speaker, but I don't see how this helps a non-native. If the non-native doesn't know whether a noun is countable or uncountable he won't know whether he can combine it with a cardinal number or not.

Blue JayThis is fine for a native speaker, but I don't see how this helps a non-native. If the non-native doesn't know whether a noun is countable or uncountable he won't know whether he can combine it with a cardinal number or not.

Which is why I said he'd have to look it up in a dictionary if he was seeing a particular noun for the first time.

The '

BillJBlue JayThis is fine for a native speaker, but I don't see how this helps a non-native. If the non-native doesn't know whether a noun is countable or uncountable he won't know whether he can combine it with a cardinal number or not.Which is why I said he'd have to look it up in a dictionary if he was seeing a particular noun for the first time.The 'test' becomes very