took three months and five surgeries

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New2grammar

#542011 Tue, 15 Jul 08 08:49 PM

It took doctors three months and five surgeries to remove the whole cancer.

Is the above correct?
Thanks.

New2grammar

Joined on Tue, Nov 21 2006

Veteran Member (7,670)

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optilang

#542014 Tue, 15 Jul 08 08:53 PM

New2grammar
It took doctors three months and five surgeries to remove the whole cancer.

Is the above correct?
Thanks.

I would say - five operations

I've never heard anyone say "I've had three surgeries/a surgery" "I've had three (surgical) operations/an operation".

I don't know if the term is used in American English.

optilang

Joined on Tue, May 13 2008

Poland

Senior Member (2,175)

OptiNative British English Speaker Wherever I may roam, I'm still a Londoner.

American English, Grammar

New2grammar

#542023 Tue, 15 Jul 08 09:02 PM

By the way, is there any difference between the whole tumor and the whole cancer?

New2grammar

Difference between

optilang

#542024 Tue, 15 Jul 08 09:05 PM

New2grammar
By the way, is there any difference between the whole tumor and the whole cancer?

I don't know! I know a tumour can be removed, but sometimes the cancer has already spread.

optilang

Grammar, Difference between

Anonymous

#562200 Wed, 03 Sep 08 11:31 PM

As I understand it all, surgery is an indefinite noun. In other words, it should not be used to refer to a specific surgical procedure, but rather to the art and/or science of surgery. Therefore, it's incorrect to say "surgeries" or "a surgery." The proper word is operation(s). But then, maybe the PC police have decided that saying operation could offend somebody for some unimaginable reason.

Anonymous