countable & uncountable...

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anglista2008  #504500  Wed, 23 Apr 08 10:00 PM
Hi there,

1. When is soup a COUNT. noun and when an UNCOUNT. one?
2. When is food a COUNT. noun and when an UNCOUNT. one?
3. When is metal a COUNT. noun and when an UNCOUNT. one?
4. When is jam a COUNT. noun and when an UNCOUNT. one? (jam meaning here the thick sweet substance that we put on a piece of bread)
5. When is wood a COUNT. noun and when an UNCOUNT. one?

thanks, this stuff drives me crazy ;(


  
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New2grammar  #504502  Wed, 23 Apr 08 10:09 PM

Here's my take: 

1. When is soup a COUNT. noun and when an UNCOUNT. one? only when you refer to bowls. Two hot and sour please
2. When is food a COUNT. noun and when an UNCOUNT. one?
3. When is metal a COUNT. noun and when an UNCOUNT. one? never. metals means different types of metal like copper, silver, gold, etc.
4. When is jam a COUNT. noun and when an UNCOUNT. one? (jam meaning here the thick sweet substance that we put on a piece of bread)
5. When is wood a COUNT. noun and when an UNCOUNT. one? never. woods like metals means different types of wood.

  
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Aperisic  #504514  Wed, 23 Apr 08 10:51 PM
countable is something you can count, as simple as that
countable nouns have plural form (unless they are plural already)

All nouns you've mentioned are usually uncountable, but some of them may have countable meaning. Before deciding if one noun is countable or uncountable you have to know its usage i.e. precise meaning. Most of the time a noun which is considered as uncountable by definition might have countable usage in which case it is usually a shortened version (a water = a drop of water)
Uncountable nouns are uncountable because they are rarely measured. as soon as the context is such that you suspect measurement, including counting, then you might have countable usage.

First, it is absolutely essential to learn what the primary meaning of each word is and if it is countable or not. Only then you can understand the nuisance of uncountable noun becoming countable. At school and courses they teach us only uncountable usage, so this part you have to do on your own and clearly distinguish the two.

If you see uncountable noun like

  • accommodation
  • advice
  • baggage
  • bread
  • equipment
  • furniture
  • garbage
  • information
  • knowledge
  • luggage
  • money
  • news
  • pasta
  • progress
  • research
  • travel
  • work
used in plural it is to display differences. Some of them however are very rarely used in plural and if they are they have very restricted usage like Unclaimed Moneys Guidelines.
Because of that at the beginning you should avoid using uncountable nouns as countable. But if you find it somewhere you should know that you should go a step deeper in your understanding of the sentence.

So again all your words are uncountable, and if anybody ever asks you if furniture is countable or not, please respond "uncountable" but...


UNCOUNT.
Soup in your plate.
COUNT.
I bought four soups (four concentrate packages)

UNCOUNT.
Food in your mouth.
COUNT.
Can you really compare Kraft foods with that of your mother?
(foods - a type of food like cakes... food with certain typical ingredients)

UNCOUNT.
Metal is usually very hard.
COUNT.
We have several metals in periodic table: Li, Na, K...

UNCOUNT.
You have jam on your cheek.
COUNT.
These two jams are strawberry and peach.

UNCOUNT.
It is cold, please, put some wood.
COUNT.
Tiger Woods (:D) Big Smile
Glue that two woods together (two pieces of wood)

  
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