Noise or Noises – Which Is Correct Grammar?

Should “Noise” even have a plural?

Recently, at a barbeque, two friends were having a disagreement about who had the correct grammar. They came to me to settle the argument (knowing what I do, and because I’m a grammar geek). Here’s what happened:

The first one had been holding her phone in her hand, waiting to receive a message. To her friend, she said, “It hasn’t made any noises, so I’ll have to wait.”

The second one said, “‘Noises’? You mean ‘noise.’ It hasn’t made any noise.”

They disagreed on which is correct. Is it “noise,” or “noises”?

Looking at the information below, what would you say?
Which is correct?

I had to tell them that they’re both correct!

The word “noise” is both a count and noncount noun.

As a count noun, you can put a number before it, and make it plural by adding an -s at the end: “We heard three noises.”

As a noncount noun, it appears in the singular, and represents something that can’t be counted: “There was noise coming from the front tire.”

So, unfortunately for them, I was not able to settle the argument, since the noun noise can be countable or uncountable. But it was still a fun barbecue. Any other questions?

This information is from the Business Grammar & Usage and the Communicating Strategically class curriculums. If you’re looking for ways to improve your communication skills, register for one of our public classes.

Other Resources | Correct Grammar:

15 Common Grammar Mistakes To Avoid

Common Grammar Mistakes We All Need To Stop Making

The Importance of Writing Well: Does It Really Matter?