The word Mnemonic comes in almost everybody's mind the moment they hear words like memory tricks or memorization techniques. Mnemonic devices, one of the oldest techniques of learning, can be applied in almost all fields of human interest and English grammar is not an exception.
1. Do not add a "s" at the end of the uncountable nouns.
2. Do not add the word "the" preceding the uncountable nouns.
Remembering uncountable nouns becomes very easy by using this simple mnemonic; LAFINGS (pronounced Laughings).
L Stands for Languages:
• Arabic
• Japanese
• Spanish
• English
Avoid adding an "s" with these words. Also, avoid adding "the" with these words. The Arabic, the Japanese, the English.
• Beauty
• Ignorance ignorances is non-standard English
• Peace
• Bread
• Meat
• Butter
• Learning (not learnings)
• Shopping
• Working
• Steam, water, ice
• Smoke, ashes
• Oxygen
(Avoid saying steams, or waters)
• Luggage
• Furniture
(Adding "s", such as luggages or furnitures, are considered non-standard English)
• Rice
• Sand
• Sugar
Again, avoid using the word the in the beginning of the sentences with the above list. The rice, the luggage, the steam, the shopping, the bread, the beauty and the training are considered non standard.
For budding writers, language teachers, instructional designers, technical writers and academicians, LAFINGS mnemonic is a handy mnemonic when they want to recall some of the most commonly used uncountable nouns list in English.
Two Important Rules while Using uncountable Nouns
Two important rules in English while using uncountable nouns are:1. Do not add a "s" at the end of the uncountable nouns.
2. Do not add the word "the" preceding the uncountable nouns.
Remembering uncountable nouns becomes very easy by using this simple mnemonic; LAFINGS (pronounced Laughings).
L Stands for Languages:
• Arabic
• Japanese
• Spanish
• English
Avoid adding an "s" with these words. Also, avoid adding "the" with these words. The Arabic, the Japanese, the English.
A Stands for Abstract Concepts
These abstract concepts often have endings like -ness, -ance, -ence, -ity:• Beauty
• Ignorance ignorances is non-standard English
• Peace
F Stands for Food Staples uncountable List
Food staples can be purchased in various forms:• Bread
• Meat
• Butter
I Stands for -Ing forms (most of them)
Training (many people say "trainings" and "learnings"Â, which are considered as non-standard English)• Learning (not learnings)
• Shopping
• Working
N Stands for Natural Substances
Natural substances can change shape, depending on natural laws:• Steam, water, ice
• Smoke, ashes
• Oxygen
(Avoid saying steams, or waters)
G Stands for Group of things
Group of things that have different sizes and shapes:• Luggage
• Furniture
(Adding "s", such as luggages or furnitures, are considered non-standard English)
S Stands for Small Parts
Substances with many small parts:• Rice
• Sand
• Sugar
Again, avoid using the word the in the beginning of the sentences with the above list. The rice, the luggage, the steam, the shopping, the bread, the beauty and the training are considered non standard.
For budding writers, language teachers, instructional designers, technical writers and academicians, LAFINGS mnemonic is a handy mnemonic when they want to recall some of the most commonly used uncountable nouns list in English.
