Information refers to facts, data, or knowledge about a subject, person, or event. It is an uncountable noun — it has no plural form and cannot be used with the article an.
What Does Information Mean?
Information comes from Latin informatio (an outline, a concept), derived from informare — meaning "to give form to" or "to educate". It entered English via Old French informacion in the 14th century. The root forma (shape, form) connects it to words such as form, format, and reform.
In everyday English, information describes anything communicated to someone that adds to their knowledge — a bus timetable, a doctor's explanation, a news report, a recipe. The word spans registers from very informal ("Have you got any information about the party?") to highly formal ("Classified information must not be disclosed.").
It is worth distinguishing information from related words. Data refers to raw, unprocessed facts and figures; information is data that has been organised and given meaning. Knowledge goes a step further — it is information that has been understood, retained, and can be applied. News is timely information about recent events, while advice is information accompanied by a recommendation about what to do.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & note |
|---|---|
| Please read the information carefully before answering. | A2 — basic instruction context |
| The tourist office has a lot of useful information about the city. | B1 — uncountable noun with quantifier and adjective |
| She searched the internet to find more information about the course. | B1 — collocation: find information |
| The report contains detailed information on employment trends across the region. | B2 — formal register; collocation: contain information |
| Withholding relevant information from the committee could be considered a breach of duty. | C1 — legal/formal register; collocation: withhold information |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| gather information | Researchers gathered information from over 500 participants. |
| provide information | The helpline provides information about local support services. |
| share information | The two departments agreed to share information more openly. |
| access information | Students can access information through the online library portal. |
| store information | The database stores information about every registered user. |
| personal information | Do not give your personal information to unknown websites. |
| detailed information | The brochure contains detailed information about each course. |
| background information | The introduction provides useful background information for new readers. |
| further information | For further information, please contact the main office. |
| a piece of information | She gave me one very useful piece of information. |
Usage Notes
Uncountable noun: Information has no plural form. Never write "informations" or "an information". To refer to a single item, use "a piece of information".
Determiners: Use some, any, much, little, a lot of, or further before information — not many or few, which are reserved for countable nouns.
Verb patterns: Common patterns include: give / provide / share + information (transferring information to others), gather / collect / find + information (obtaining it), and contain / include + information (describing where it resides).
Prepositions: Use about to specify the subject: "information about the schedule". Use on in more formal or academic contexts: "information on current trends".
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
Can you give me an information about the train times?
Can you give me some information about the train times? (uncountable — no article an)
I need more informations before I decide.
I need more information before I decide. (no plural form)
She told me many informations about her trip.
She told me a lot of information about her trip. (use a lot of, not many)