IELTS & PTE lesson · Grammar

IELTS & PTE Nouns Grammar notesCan you count it?

The test that decides a, an, plural -s, much and many. This IELTS & PTE lesson is a deck of 9 visual cards from BandLadder's own study library, written and fact-checked by our team.
  • 9 cards
  • Free to read online
  • PDF with any plan
  • Updated 30 September 2026

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What's inside

Along the way you get worked examples with the key words marked, before-and-after fixes that show why the first version loses marks, a one-page visual summary, a quick check to test yourself and a recap of the rules to remember. Each card holds one idea, so you can read it on a phone between practice sessions.

Reading it online is free: create a free BandLadder account and the whole lesson opens in our study reader, on the web and in the app. Downloading the PDF to keep needs a plan; the free reader has every card.

The first 3 of 9 cards

Preview

  1. IELTS · PTEGrammar · Nouns

    Three nouns, three slips

    small words, big damage

    A noun decides its own a, an and -s. Get the noun wrong and the words around it go wrong too.

    Nowadays, an informationuncount: no 'an' about jobs is easy to find, and many peoples'people' is already plural give advicesuncount: no -s online.

    Fix: information, people, advice

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material1 / 9
  2. IELTS · PTEGrammar · Nouns

    Can you count it?

    two questions, then the words it takes

    1. 1Can you say 'two ___' and mean two separate things?
      • yes: two bridgesa, an, -s, many
      ↓ no: it sounds odd
    2. 2Then it is uncount. Which words go with it?
      • some, much, a littleuse these
      • a, an, two, plural -snever

    A dictionary marks nouns [C] or [U]. A few are both, so check the meaning.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material2 / 9
  3. IELTS · PTEGrammar · Nouns

    Uncount nouns stay bare

    six that catch people out

    Uncount nounNever write
    advicean advice, advices
    informationinformations
    equipmentequipments
    furniturea furniture, furnitures
    newsa news
    homeworka homework, homeworks

    Need a number? Add a unit: 'a piece of advice'. A few nouns swap sides: 'an experience' is one event.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material3 / 9
  4. Card 4 of 9 onwards

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9 cards

Contents

  1. 1Three nouns, three slipssmall words, big damageIn the preview
  2. 2Can you count it?two questions, then the words it takesIn the preview
  3. 3Uncount nouns stay baresix that catch people outIn the preview
  4. 4In an IELTS essaycount and uncount, side by sideFree account
  5. 5In a PTE gap-fillread left of the blank firstFree account
  6. 6Fix the nounone rule behind each fixFree account
  7. 7Where a wrong noun is noticedthe wording behind the marksFree account
  8. 8Your turncount it, then chooseFree account
  9. 9Save thisthe noun checklistFree account

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The PDF download comes with any BandLadder plan. Free accounts read the lesson online in the study reader, on the web and in the app.

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The BandLadder team wrote and checked it. It is original BandLadder material, not copied from books or other websites, and its exam facts are checked against the official IELTS and PTE pages.

Is it for IELTS or PTE?+

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