Nouns: number and quantity words — Digital SAT Reading & Writing practice
Countable versus noncountable nouns and consistent number.
Key ideas to know
Fewer vs less
Choose the correct word for each blank: “The new recipe uses ___ sugar and ___ eggs than the old one.” (less / fewer)
less sugar; fewer eggs. Use fewer for things you can count and less for amounts you cannot count one by one.
Watch out: Using less with countable nouns because it sounds natural in speech (less eggs).
Choosing Amount vs Number Quickly
When a Digital SAT question leaves a blank before a noun, how do you decide between amount and number?
Check if the noun represents discrete units or a mass. Use number for countable nouns (number of candidates) and amount for noncountable nouns (amount of research).
Watch out: Assuming all abstract nouns like research, data, or progress are uncountable without checking context.
Much vs many
Choose the correct words: “How (much / many) homework did you finish, and how (much / many) problems did you solve?”
much homework; many problems. Use much with amounts you cannot count one by one and many with things you can count.
Watch out: Using many with a noncountable noun such as information, research, or homework.