Practice
Equipment or equipments: which is correct?
A gym may have new equipment, and a film crew may need more equipment. Even when there are many cameras, lights, or machines, ordinary English usually keeps equipment in the singular form.
Use equipment as an uncountable noun in ordinary English, and count it with words such as piece, item, or type when a number matters.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
equipment /ɪˈkwɪpmənt/
The short answer
In ordinary English, use equipment, not equipments, for tools or machines in general. Use a counting phrase when the number matters: three pieces of equipment or two items of equipment.
The school bought three new pieces of equipment for the science room.
Why it works: Pieces is countable. Equipment stays in its usual uncountable form after of.
5 more examples
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Please check that all the safety equipment is in the vehicle.
The sentence names the collection of things needed for safety. It does not count each object.
Not this:Please check that the vehicle has
two safety helmets and one first-aid kit. What changes: The sentence counts the exact objects, so it uses plural nouns and numbers. -
The photographer packed her equipment before the trip.
Equipment includes the photographer's camera and related tools as a group.
Not this:The photographer packed
two cameras and three lensesbefore the trip. What changes: Named objects are countable, so they can take numbers and plural endings. -
We need another piece of equipment for the recording room.
Piece is the countable word. Equipment remains unchanged after of.
Not this:We need
more recording equipmentfor the room. What changes: More describes an uncountable amount, so no number is given. -
The clinic replaced several items of equipment this month.
Items lets the writer count separate things without changing equipment to a plural noun.
Not this:The clinic replaced
old medical equipmentthis month. What changes: This version describes the general collection and does not state a number. -
This equipment is expensive, so handle it carefully.
Use singular is with the uncountable noun equipment.
Not this:
These tools areexpensive, so handle them carefully. What changes: Tools is a countable plural noun, so it takes these and are.
Read the full guide
First decide whether you are naming the collection or counting separate objects. For a general collection, equipment is enough. For a number, add a countable word before of equipment, or name the objects directly.
Use equipment for the general collection
Use equipment when the exact number of tools or machines is not the point. It can name what a team, room, or activity needs as a whole.
The new office has modern computer equipment.
The sentence describes the office's computers and related devices as one collection.
Choose the natural phrase: some equipment or some equipments?
Use some equipment. Equipment is usually uncountable in ordinary English.
Count with piece or item
A number needs a countable word. Piece and item are useful when you do not need to name the object. Put the number before that word, then add of equipment.
The lab ordered five pieces of equipment.
Five counts pieces, not equipment.
Complete the sentence: We borrowed two ___ of equipment.
Use pieces or items: We borrowed two pieces of equipment.
Name the objects when that is clearer
A counting phrase is not always the best choice. If the reader needs to know what the objects are, name them. Cameras, cables, gloves, and monitors are ordinary countable nouns.
Bring two monitors and four charging cables.
This is more specific than saying bring six pieces of equipment.
Which version gives clearer instructions for a meeting room: three items of equipment or three microphones?
Use three microphones when microphones are the objects the reader needs to prepare.
Match the verb to equipment
Because equipment is uncountable, it usually takes singular grammar. Say the equipment is ready or this equipment works well. Do not use these equipments are in ordinary English.
The equipment is ready for the training session.
The singular verb is agrees with the uncountable noun equipment.
Choose the verb: The equipment is or are ready?
Use is: The equipment is ready.
Use specialist plurals carefully
You may see equipments in specialist documents that sort separate systems, categories, or sets. That use has a narrow technical purpose. For emails, conversations, lessons, and most general writing, equipment is the safer choice.
The report compares several types of laboratory equipment.
Types is plural because the report compares categories. Equipment remains uncountable.
Choose the general-English wording: new equipment or new equipments?
Use new equipment unless a specialist document has defined a different technical category.
Before you go
Remember this
Use equipment for tools or machines in general. Say some equipment, more equipment, or the equipment is ready. For a number, use pieces of equipment, items of equipment, types of equipment, or the exact countable nouns such as cameras and helmets.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Equipment or equipments: which is correct?"
Why is equipment uncountable when it can include many objects?
English often treats a collection of tools or machines as one general category. The noun can refer to many objects without becoming plural. Use a countable word such as piece, item, or type when you need to show how many separate things there are.
Please check that all the safety equipment is in the vehicle.
Can I say a piece of equipment?
Yes. A piece of equipment is a common way to refer to one tool, machine, or other object when you do not need to name it. For more than one, use pieces of equipment. The plural ending belongs on pieces, not on equipment.
Please check that the vehicle has two safety helmets and one first-aid kit.
Should I use is or are with equipment?
Use singular grammar in ordinary English: the equipment is ready, this equipment works, and the equipment has arrived. If you name countable objects instead, use plural grammar where it fits: the machines are ready and the tools have arrived.
The photographer packed her equipment before the trip.
What can I say instead of equipments?
Choose the phrase that matches your meaning. Say equipment for the general collection, pieces or items of equipment for a number, and types of equipment for categories. You can also name the things directly, such as monitors, helmets, or cables.
The photographer packed two cameras and three lenses before the trip.
Is equipments ever used in English?
You may see equipments in narrow technical writing that treats separate systems or classes as named categories. That use is not the normal choice in general English. For ordinary messages and learner writing, use equipment and make the number or category clear with another noun.
We need another piece of equipment for the recording room.