- The name of illnesses are usually U in English, including those ending in –s: If you’ve get measles, you can’t get it again.There’s a lot of flu around at the moment.
- The words for some minor ailments are C; a cold, a sore throat, a headache. However toothache, earache, stomach-ache and backache are more often U in British English.
In American English, these words are generally C it they refer to particular attacks of pain.
Love isn’t as bad as toothache. (GB)
Love isn’t as bad as a toothache. (US)

Mixed uses:

- Many nouns have both C and U uses with some differences of meaning:
I’d like some typing paper.
I’m going out to buy a paper. =newspaper
Have you got any coffee?
Could I have two coffees? =cups of coffee
- And normally U nouns can often be used as C if we are talking about different kind of material, liquid etc:
Not all washing powders are kind to your hands.
The 1961 wines were among the best on the last century.
- Many abstract nouns can have both U and C uses; corresponding to more ‚general‘ and more particular‘ meanings:
Don’t hurry - there’s plenty of time.
Have a good time.
- Singular C nouns are sometimes used as U (with enough, such, plenty of/a lot of) in order to express the idea of amount:
I’ve got too much nose and not enough chin.
We’ve got enough paint for about 20 square feet of wall.

a/an with uncountable nouns:

We needed a secretary with a first-class knowledge of Germen.
She has always had a deep distrust of strangers.
My parents wanted me to have a good education.

Plural uncountable nouns:

- Some U are plural, have no singular forms with the some meaning, and cannot be used with numbers:
groceries, arms, remains, goods, customs, clothes, thanks, regards, police
I’ve bought the groceries.

Gender
(references to males and females)

- English does not have many problems of grammatical gender. Usually people are he or she and things are it.

- note the following points:
animals, cars, ships and countries:
- people sometimes call animal he or she, especially when they though of as having personality, intelligence or feelings. This is common with pets and domestic animals like cats, dogs and horses:
Go and find the cat and put her out.
- he is sometimes used in cases where the sex of an animal is no known:
Look at the little frog. Isn’t he sweet?
- some people use she for cars, motorbikes, sailors often us she for boat and ships
- we can use she for countries, but it is more common in modern English:
France has decided to increase its trade with Romania. (OR her trade)

he or she
- traditionally, English has used he in cases where the sex of person is not known, or in references that can apply to either men or women, especially on formal style:
If a student is ill, he must send a medical certificate to the College office.
A doctor can’t do a good job if he doesn’t like people.
- now the expression he or she is becoming increasingly common:
If a student is ill, he or she must send a medical certificate to the College office.
A doctor can’t do a good job if he or she doesn’t like people.