Equipment vs. Equipments : Quelle est la différence ?
water ou furniture. Jamais de s à la fin !
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Equipment is a mass noun, meaning it is always singular and never takes an 's'.
- Never add an 's' to equipment; 'equipments' is incorrect. Example: 'The equipment is new.'
- Use 'some' or 'a lot of' for quantity. Example: 'We have a lot of equipment.'
- To count it, use 'pieces of'. Example: 'I bought three pieces of equipment.'
Overview
equipment et equipments est l'un des pièges les plus classiques pour nous, francophones. Pourquoi ?equipments n'existe tout simplement pas dans l'usage standard moderne. Equipment appartient à une catégorie grammaticale particulière que l'on appelle les uncountable nouns (noms indénombrables) ou mass nouns.s interdit.equipment, il faut revenir aux bases de la distinction entre countable (comptable) et uncountable (indénombrable). C'est la pierre angulaire de la grammaire anglaise, et c'est souvent là que les erreurs de transfert linguistique se produisent.- Tu peux mettre un chiffre devant :
one tool,two tools. - Tu peux utiliser l'article indéfini :
a computer. - Ils ont une forme plurielle distincte (souvent avec un
-s).
Equipment fait partie de cette catégorie, au même titre que furniture (meubles), information, advice (conseils) ou luggage (bagages).- Pas de pluriel : On n'ajoute jamais de
-s.Equipmentresteequipment, qu'il s'agisse d'un petit tournevis ou d'une usine entière remplie de machines. - Pas d'article
aouan: Tu ne peux pas direan equipment. C'est une erreur majeure. - Accord du verbe : Puisque le mot est grammaticalement singulier, le verbe qui le suit doit TOUJOURS être au singulier.
tool) | Uncountable (ex: equipment) |tools | Impossible (jamais d' s) |a tool | Impossible (pas de an equipment) |three tools | Impossible (pas de three equipment) |The tools are... | The equipment is... |How many tools? | How much equipment? |equipment est comme de l'eau (water). Tu ne peux pas dire « j'ai trois eaux », tu dois dire « j'ai trois verres d'eau ». Pour equipment, c'est la même logique : c'est une substance conceptuelle.a piece ofa piece of equipment.This camera is an expensive piece of equipment.(Cet appareil photo est un équipement coûteux).I need one more piece of equipment to finish the setup.(J'ai besoin d'un élément de matériel supplémentaire pour terminer l'installation).
pieces ofpiece qui prend la marque du pluriel, jamais equipment.We ordered five new pieces of equipment.(Nous avons commandé cinq nouveaux équipements).How many pieces of equipment are missing?(Combien d'éléments de matériel manquent à l'appel ?)
an item ofitem.Please list every item of equipment in this room.(Veuillez lister chaque équipement dans cette pièce).
equipment est indénombrable, tu dois utiliser les mots de quantité réservés à cette catégorie :- Beaucoup : Utilise
much(en phrases négatives ou interrogatives) oua lot of/a great deal of(en phrases affirmatives). We don't have much equipment.They have a lot of equipment.- Un peu : Utilise
a littleousome. I have some equipment in my car.We only need a little equipment for this task.- Peu (pas assez) : Utilise
little. There is little equipment available for the students.
equipment est extrêmement polyvalent. En tant qu'apprenant de niveau B1, tu le rencontreras dans presque tous les domaines de la vie quotidienne et professionnelle.The IT department is responsible for maintaining all computer equipment.(Le département informatique est responsable de l'entretien de tout le matériel informatique).We need to upgrade our office equipment.(Nous devons mettre à jour nos équipements de bureau).
equipment (ou souvent gear en langage plus courant, qui est aussi indénombrable !).Do you have all the necessary camping equipment?(As-tu tout l'équipement de camping nécessaire ?).Gym equipment is very expensive to replace.(Le matériel de sport est très cher à remplacer).
Laboratory equipment must be cleaned after every experiment.(Le matériel de laboratoire doit être nettoyé après chaque expérience).Protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory on site.(L'équipement de protection est obligatoire sur le site).
The band is currently loading their sound equipment into the van.(Le groupe est en train de charger son matériel de sonorisation dans le camion).A professional photographer carries a lot of heavy equipment.(Un photographe professionnel transporte beaucoup de matériel lourd).
s de la discorde (equipments)the equipments.- Pourquoi ça arrive ? C'est ce qu'on appelle l'interférence de la langue maternelle (L1 transfer). Ton cerveau applique la logique du français à l'anglais.
- Comment corriger ? Visualise
equipmentcomme un bloc de béton. Tu ne peux pas lui ajouter un morceau. C'est un bloc unique. - Faux :
The new equipments are here. - Juste :
The new equipment is here.
s, tu pourrais être tenté de mettre le verbe au pluriel parce que tu sais qu'il y a plusieurs objets.- Pourquoi ça arrive ? Tu fais un accord « au sens » (notional agreement) plutôt qu'un accord grammatical.
- Comment corriger ? Rappelle-toi que
equipment=it. On ditit is, donc on ditequipment is. - Faux :
The equipment were damaged. - Juste :
The equipment was damaged.
many ou a few- Pourquoi ça arrive ? Tu veux dire « quelques équipements » et tu traduis par
a few equipments. - Comment corriger ? Utilise
someoua few pieces of. - Faux :
How many equipment do you have? - Juste :
How much equipment do you have?ouHow many pieces of equipment do you have?
equipment, il est utile de le comparer à d'autres mots qui fonctionnent de la même manière ou, au contraire, de manière opposée. En anglais, pour chaque catégorie globale (indénombrable), il existe souvent des mots spécifiques (comptables).s) | Objets Spécifiques (Countable - Avec s) |Equipment (Le matériel) | Tools, Machines, Devices, Gadgets |Furniture (Le mobilier) | Chairs, Tables, Desks, Beds |Luggage / Baggage (Les bagages) | Suitcases, Bags, Backpacks |Information (L'information) | Facts, Reports, Details |Advice (Les conseils) | Tips, Suggestions |Software (Les logiciels) | Programs, Applications, Apps |I have a lot of photography equipment.(Général)I have three cameras and two tripods.(Spécifique)
equipments ?a piece of equipment ?a piece of equipment te semble trop long, utilise le nom spécifique de l'objet si tu le connais (a tool, a machine, a device). Sinon, tu peux parfois utiliser a unit dans un contexte industriel.gear est différent de equipment ?Gear est plus informel. On l'utilise beaucoup pour le sport, la musique ou le camping (camping gear, fishing gear). La bonne nouvelle ?Gear est AUSSI indénombrable ! Donc, pas de s non plus. On dit My gear is ready, jamais My gears are ready (sauf si tu parles littéralement des engrenages d'une machine !).equipment est une catégorie et non un objet, tout devient plus logique. C'est une question d'habitude, comme pour le tu et le vous en français qui semble complexe aux anglophones !Grammar Rules for 'Equipment'
| Feature | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Plural Form
|
Never add -s
|
Equipment (NOT equipments)
|
|
Verb Agreement
|
Always singular
|
The equipment is...
|
|
Indefinite Article
|
Never use 'a/an'
|
Some equipment (NOT an equipment)
|
|
Counting
|
Use 'piece(s) of'
|
Two pieces of equipment
|
|
Quantifier (Large)
|
Use 'much' or 'a lot of'
|
Too much equipment
|
|
Quantifier (Small)
|
Use 'little' or 'some'
|
A little equipment
|
Meanings
The set of articles or physical resources serving to equip a person or thing, such as tools, machines, or gear for a specific task.
General Gear
Tools or supplies needed for a specific activity like sports, camping, or work.
“Do you have all the camping equipment in the car?”
“The gym replaced its old weightlifting equipment.”
Industrial/Technical
Heavy machinery or complex electronic systems used in business or manufacturing.
“The factory installed new automated equipment last month.”
“Telecommunications equipment requires regular maintenance.”
Mental/Qualitative
The mental or emotional qualities needed for a particular task (metaphorical).
“She has the intellectual equipment to solve this complex problem.”
“The training provides students with the necessary mental equipment for the exam.”
Reference Table
| Concept | Nom indénombrable (Correct) | Nom(s) dénombrable(s) (Correct) |
|---|---|---|
|
Matériel général
|
The `equipment` is ready.
|
The `tools` are ready.
|
|
Articles de bureau
|
We bought new `furniture`.
|
We bought three `chairs`.
|
|
Bagages de voyage
|
My `luggage` was lost.
|
My `suitcase` was lost.
|
|
Informations
|
She gave me some `advice`.
|
She gave me a `tip`.
|
|
Matériel de cuisine
|
All the cooking `equipment` is clean.
|
All the `pots` and `pans` are clean.
|
|
Matériel d'entraînement
|
The gym's `equipment` is modern.
|
The gym's `dumbbells` are heavy.
|
|
Articles de musique
|
The band set up their `equipment`.
|
The band set up their `guitars` and `drums`.
|
Spectre de formalité
Has the necessary equipment been prepared for the operation? (Work/Preparation)
Is the equipment ready yet? (Work/Preparation)
Is the gear ready? (Work/Preparation)
Got the kit? (Work/Preparation)
Comprendre 'Equipment'
Règles clés
- Pas de 's' au pluriel Never say 'equipments'
- Verbe singulier The equipment IS...
Comment le compter
- a piece of... a piece of equipment
- Utilise des noms spécifiques a camera, two tools
Contextes d'exemple
- Sports football equipment
- Bureau computer equipment
- Camping camping equipment
Noms indénombrables vs. dénombrables
Dois-je ajouter un 's' à 'equipment' ?
Parles-tu de la catégorie générale de matériel pour une tâche ?
Parles-tu d'éléments spécifiques et individuels ?
Travailler avec 'Equipment'
Utilise ces mots
- • much
- • a lot of
- • some
- • piece of
Évite ces mots
- • many
- • several
- • a/an
- • equipments
Exemples par niveau
The school has new equipment.
I need some equipment for football.
Is the equipment in the box?
This equipment is very heavy.
We don't have enough equipment for everyone.
She bought a lot of kitchen equipment.
The gym equipment was very expensive.
Please put the equipment away.
A piece of equipment is missing from the lab.
How much equipment do we need to rent?
The technical equipment requires a specialist to fix it.
All the necessary equipment has been ordered.
The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment.
Despite having the latest equipment, the team failed the mission.
The cost of new office equipment has skyrocketed this year.
Several pieces of heavy equipment were moved to the site.
The sheer volume of equipment needed for the expedition was daunting.
Modern telecommunications equipment is increasingly compact.
The athlete's mental equipment was just as important as his physical training.
We must ensure that all safety equipment complies with federal regulations.
The obsolescence of existing equipment necessitates a total system overhaul.
One might argue that the human brain is the most complex piece of equipment in existence.
The military's reliance on sophisticated electronic equipment proved to be a vulnerability.
The workshop was cluttered with an eclectic array of specialized equipment.
Facile à confondre
Both are uncountable and refer to similar things.
One is countable, the other is not.
Learners often say 'an equipment' when they mean 'a device'.
Erreurs courantes
I have many equipments.
I have a lot of equipment.
An equipment is here.
A piece of equipment is here.
The equipments are new.
The equipment is new.
I need one equipment.
I need one piece of equipment.
Where are the equipments?
Where is the equipment?
Few equipments were used.
Little equipment was used.
These equipments are broken.
This equipment is broken.
We ordered several equipments.
We ordered several pieces of equipment.
The laboratory equipments are expensive.
The laboratory equipment is expensive.
All equipments must be checked.
All equipment must be checked.
The equipments' costs are rising.
The cost of the equipment is rising.
Structures de phrases
I need some ___ equipment for ___.
The ___ equipment is ___.
A piece of ___ equipment was ___.
How much ___ equipment does the ___ require?
Real World Usage
Please wipe down the equipment after use.
The IT department is installing new computer equipment.
Heavy equipment is required to clear the site.
I spent $2,000 on new camera equipment.
The hospital needs more life-saving equipment.
Check your equipment before heading into the woods.
Pense 'Catégorie', pas 'Objets'
I need new equipment.
L'accord du verbe est crucial
The equipment is old,et non
The equipment ~~are~~ old.Tes oreilles peuvent te tromper, alors fais confiance à la règle !
Utilise 'Piece Of' pour être précis
a piece of equipmentest ton meilleur ami. Ça sonne professionnel et c'est toujours correct.
I need to buy one new piece of equipment.
'Gear' est le cousin cool
My gaming gear is awesome.
Smart Tips
Stop and delete the 's'. If it feels too small, add the word 'some' before it.
Use 'Items of equipment' to sound more formal and precise than just 'equipment'.
Try to put 'a' in front of it. If 'a equipment' sounds weird, it's probably uncountable.
Use 'kit' in British contexts or 'gear' in American contexts to sound more natural.
Prononciation
Stress
The stress is on the second syllable.
Silent 't'
In fast speech, the final 't' is often a 'stop t', meaning the tongue blocks the air but doesn't release it.
Rising on questions
Is the equipment NEW? ↗
Asking for confirmation
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Equipment is like Water: You can't count drops (equipments), only the whole glass (equipment).
Association visuelle
Imagine a giant box labeled 'EQUIPMENT'. No matter how many tools you throw inside, the label on the box never changes to 'EQUIPMENTS'.
Rhyme
One tool, two tools, that's the rule. But for equipment, don't be a fool—keep it singular, keep it cool.
Story
A clumsy worker once tried to order 'ten equipments' for his factory. The supplier was so confused he sent ten empty boxes. The worker learned that if he wanted ten things, he should have asked for 'ten pieces of equipment'.
Word Web
Défi
Look around your room or office. Identify 5 items that belong to the category of 'equipment' and write one sentence using 'a piece of equipment' and one using 'some equipment'.
Notes culturelles
In the UK, 'kit' is a very common informal synonym for equipment, especially for sports or military gear.
Americans often use 'gear' as the go-to informal word for equipment related to hobbies like camping or photography.
In technical fields (IT, Engineering), using 'equipments' is seen as a sign of low English proficiency and can affect professional credibility.
Derived from the Old French word 'esquiper', meaning 'to fit out a ship'.
Amorces de conversation
What kind of equipment do you use for your favorite hobby?
If you could buy one new piece of equipment for your home, what would it be?
How has office equipment changed in the last 20 years?
Discuss the importance of protective equipment in dangerous jobs.
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
The gym just got a lot of new ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
All the camping equipments are in the garage.
Choisis la phrase correcte :
Score: /3
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesWhich of these is grammatically correct?
We need to buy three new ___ of equipment.
Find and fix the mistake:
How many equipments do you need for the project?
Select the uncountable noun from the list.
The tools are very old.
You can say 'an equipment' if you are only talking about one thing.
A: Did the new gear arrive? B: Yes, all the ___ is here.
Match the following:
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesHow ___ equipment do you think we'll need?
The laboratory equipment need to be cleaned.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Necesitamos un nuevo equipo de audio.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the nouns with how you would count them:
This is a very useful ___ of equipment.
The company invested in many new office equipments.
Choose the correct question:
The sound equipment for the concert ___ arriving now.
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Translate into English: 'Compraron dos equipos nuevos para la oficina.'
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
In 99.9% of cases, no. It is considered a grammatical error in modern English. Some very old technical or legal documents might use it, but you should avoid it entirely.
Grammatically, yes. Even if you are talking about a thousand computers, you say 'The equipment is...'.
You can say 'a piece of equipment' or simply name the tool, like 'a hammer' or 'a laptop'.
'Gear' is more informal and often used for sports or hobbies. Both are uncountable.
Usually, those websites are written by non-native speakers or translated poorly. It is a very common mistake worldwide.
Yes! 'Some equipment' is perfect for an unspecified amount.
They are similar, but 'machinery' specifically refers to machines. 'Equipment' can include clothing, tools, and non-mechanical items.
If you use 'pieces', the verb becomes plural: 'Two pieces of equipment ARE missing.'
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Equipo / Equipamiento
Spanish allows plural forms for gear; English does not.
Équipement
French pluralizes the noun; English keeps it strictly singular.
Ausrüstung / Geräte
German has a direct singular equivalent but common synonyms are plural.
備品 (Bihin) / 装備 (Sōbi)
Japanese doesn't use plural markers at all, avoiding the 's' mistake.
معدات (Mu'iddat)
The Arabic base word is plural; the English one is singular.
设备 (Shèbèi)
Mistakes are caused by over-applying English rules, not L1 transfer.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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