Academic English- Countable and Uncountable Nouns with the Same Root

Academic English countable and uncountable words from the same root

The words and expressions below come from the same root but have different grammar. Decide which are countable and add “a” or “an” to them and decide which are uncountable and add “some” to those. There is always a combination on each line, e.g. two countable and one uncountable. As you as labelling, you might find some patterns that can help you with later examples and to recheck previous guesses.

Compare your answers with the answer key. (Ones given without “some” are uncountable but don’t often take that word).

Which suffixes often show that nouns are uncountable (= at least two examples above)?

Why are words with those suffixes usually uncountable?

Are there any exceptions to those patterns (e.g. in the list above)?

Which suffixes often show countable nouns (= at least two examples above)? Why are words with those suffixes usually countable?

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Suggested answers to the language analysis questions

Which suffixes often show uncountable nouns (= at least two examples above)?

• ation
• cy
• ing
• ism
• ity
• tion

Why?

They are abstract nouns.

Are there any exceptions? Many, for example:

An adaptation

A clarification

A creation

A facility

Which suffixes often show countable nouns (= at least two examples above)?

• ist
• ant
• er/ or
• al

Why?

Because they mean people, or in the case of “-al” because they are adjectives used to refer to people.

____ adaptability/_____adaptation                      

____advocacy/ ____advocate

____assistance/ ______assistant                                      

_____brevity/ _____brief

____clarification/ _____clarity                              

______complex/ _____complexity

______conformist/ _____conformity                    

______consultant/  _____consulting

_______consumer/ _______consumption         

_____cooperation/ _____cooperative

_______coordinate/ ______coordination/ ______coordinator

______couple/ ______coupling                           

______creation/ _____creativity

______cycle/ _____recycling                               

_____definability/ ______definition

_______deregulation/ _____regulation              

_______document/ _____documentation

______equivalence/ _____equivalent                

______expert/ ______expertise

_______export/ ______exportation                     

_______facilitation/ _____facilitator/ _____facility

______finance/ _____financier/ ______financing

_____function/ ______functionality                     

_____identification/ ____identity

_____image/ _____imagery                                 

_____immigrant/ ______immigration

______implement/ ______implementation                                                  

_____individual/ ______individualism/ _____individualist/ ______individuality

_____legislation/ _____legislature                      

______liberal/ _____liberalisation

______location/ _____relocation

______mediation/ _____mediator

______occupancy/ ______occupant/ ______occupation

______participant/ _______participation

_______predictability/ ______prediction

_______prioritisation/ _______priority

_______process/ _______processing

_________professional/ ______professionalism

______radical/ _______radicalisation

______research/ ______researcher

______respondent/ _______response/ ______responsiveness

______sequence/ ______sequencing

_______structure/ _____restructuring

_______supervision/ ______supervisor

______survival/ _______survivor

______symbol/ _______symbolism

______uniform/ _______uniformity

• adaptability/an adaptation
• advocacy/ an advocate
• some assistance/ an assistant
• brevity/ a brief
• a clarification/ some clarity
• a complex/ some complexity
• a conformist/ some conformity
• a consultant/ consulting
• a consumer/ consumption
• some cooperation/ a cooperative
• a coordinate/ some coordination/ a coordinator
• a couple/ coupling
• a creation/ some creativity
• a cycle/ some recycling
• definability/ a definition
• some deregulation/ a regulation
• a document/ some documentation
• equivalence/ an equivalent
• an expert/ some expertise
• an export/ exportation
• facilitation/ a facilitator/ a facility
• some finance/ a financier/ some financing
• a function/ functionality
• identification/ an identity
• an image/ some imagery
• an immigrant/ some immigration
• an implement/ implementation
• an individual/ individualism/ an individualist/ individuality
• some legislation/ a legislature
• a liberal/ liberalisation
• a location/ relocation
• some mediation/ a mediator
• occupancy/ an occupant/ an occupation
• a participant/ some participation
• predictability/ a prediction
• prioritisation/ a priority
• a process/ some processing
• a professional/ professionalism
• a radical/ some radicalisation
• some research/ a researcher
• a respondent/ a response/ responsiveness
• a sequence/ sequencing
• a structure/ some restructuring
• some supervision/ a supervisor
• survival/ a survivor
• a symbol/ some symbolism
• a uniform/ uniformity