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Is ‘News’ Countable or Uncountable in English?

In English, news is an uncountable noun. This is a very important rule to remember.

It means news always acts like a singular noun, even though it ends with -s. Think of it like information or advice – these are also uncountable.

• Always use a singular verb with news. For example, The news is on TV.
• Do not use a or an before news. You cannot say a news.
• You cannot make news plural by adding -s. There is no such word as newses.

How Do We Talk About One Item of News?

Since news is uncountable, we need special phrases to talk about individual items or specific reports.

Here are the most common ways to do this:

• Use a piece of news for one item. For example, I heard an interesting piece of news today.
• Use a news story to refer to a specific report or article. For example, Did you read the news story about the new park?
• You can also use an item of news, which is similar to a piece of news.

If you want to talk about a lot of news, you can say a lot of news or much news (in negative sentences or questions). For example, There was a lot of news about the election yesterday.

What Are Common Phrases with 'News'?

The word news is used in many common phrases. These phrases often combine news with other words to describe different types or aspects of information.

Learning these collocations will help you sound more natural when talking about current events.

Common Phrases with <span data-no-translation>News</span>

Phrase	Meaning
breaking news	Very important news that is happening right now.
good news	Positive information or a positive development.
bad news	Negative information or a negative development.
news report	A story or account of an event, often on TV, radio, or in a newspaper.
news channel	A television channel dedicated to broadcasting news.
news agency	An organization that collects news and supplies it to media outlets.
news headlines	The main points of the news, usually at the beginning of a broadcast or newspaper.

Examples

• The news is always changing.
• That's great news!
• Did you hear the breaking news about the storm?
• I read an important news story in the newspaper this morning.
• We received some bad news yesterday.
• Can you give me a piece of good news?

Practice

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Common Mistakes with 'News' for Spanish Speakers

Spanish speakers often make specific mistakes because 'noticia' is countable in Spanish.

• Saying a news: In Spanish, you can say 'una noticia'. But in English, news is uncountable.
  Incorrect: I have a news for you.
  Correct: I have a piece of news for you.
• Using a plural verb: Because news ends in -s, it might look plural. However, it's always singular.
  Incorrect: The news are very interesting.
  Correct: The news is very interesting.
• Saying many news: You cannot use many with uncountable nouns.
  Incorrect: There were many news on TV.
  Correct: There was a lot of news on TV. or There were many news stories on TV.

Frequently asked questions

Can I say 'two news'?

No, you cannot say two news. To talk about two separate items, you should say two pieces of news or two news stories.

Is 'news' always singular?

Yes, news is always treated as a singular noun in English. It always takes a singular verb, like is or was.

What is the difference between 'news' and 'information'?

Both news and information are uncountable nouns. Information is a general term for facts or knowledge. News specifically refers to new information about recent events or happenings.

How can I use 'news' in an exam like the Cambridge B1 Preliminary?

You might use news when describing your daily routine or interests in the speaking part, for example, I like to read the news online every morning. Or in the writing part, discussing current events. Remember to use it as an uncountable noun.