Advice, information, homework: no -s and no “a”

The rule

Some nouns are uncountable in English: advice, information, homework, furniture, news, luggage. They take no -s and no a/an: say some advice, a piece of advice or a lot of information.

In Arabic (نصائح, معلومات) and French (des conseils, des informations) these words have plurals, so learners write advices and informations. In English they never take -s, and the verb is singular: The information is correct.

Examples

In a conversation

A: Hello. Can I have some information about the evening course?

B: Of course. All the information is in this leaflet.

A: Thanks. Can I ask for some advice too? Is there much homework?

B: Not much. About an hour a week.

Practice

Choose the best answer. The answers are at the end of the lesson.

1. Can I give you ___?
   • a) an advice
   • b) some advice
   • c) some advices
2. We bought some new ___ for the flat.
   • a) furniture
   • b) furnitures
   • c) a furniture
3. The ___ not correct.
   • a) informations are
   • b) information are
   • c) information is

Tip

News ends in -s but is singular: The news is good. To count, use a unit: two pieces of luggage, a piece of furniture.

Answers

1. b) some advice. Advice is uncountable: some advice.
2. a) furniture. Furniture is uncountable: no -s, no a.
3. c) information is. Information is always singular: is.

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