Search results for 'tag:Countable nouns tag:Nouns' matching tags 'Countable nouns' and 'Nouns'

Re: which one is correct, than in a building or than building

CalifJim — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:15:18 GMT

A1 is possible. A2 is better in my opinion.

B1 is best among the B's. B2 is OK. B3 is not possible. crop cannot be used as an uncountable noun as is done in B3.

Re: I will go for washroom afterwards

Grammar Geek — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:38:49 GMT

No, I mean food. Food is usually uncountable too.

Your analysis was just fine until you got to the part about the uncountable noun. As I said, "apple" doesn't work nearly as well as an uncountable noun as other food items, like steak, rice or watermelon.

Jack: I think you really like steak.
Jane: Yes, I love to eat steak.

Here steak is an uncountable noun with no article.

Jack: I think you really like rice.
Jane: Yes, I love to eat rice.

Jack: I Think you really like watermelon.
Jane: Yes, I love it when watermelon is part of a picnic lunch.

Re: I will go for washroom afterwards

Jackson6612 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:40:45 GMT

Grammar Geek

While a lot of food does have an uncountable sense (I like beef, I like watermelon), I don't find that "apple" is often use that way. If it were, you final Jane line would be "I love to eat apple", not apples.
When it is used as uncountable, it seems to be used more in the sense of flavor: You're eating a slice of pie and say "Oh, I can taste berries... and ... is that apple? Yes, I can taste apple and berries and a hint of lemon!"

However, you certainly get the countable/uncountable difference. And since you do, why did you think that "three washrooms" wasn't using washroom as a countable noun?

Hi Barbara,

I believe you meant to say foods. Right?

I was wrong then. Now it's obvious to me that washroom was used as a countable noun.

Can you do me two favors, please? First, please check the below Analysis for any mistakes. Second, please check my second post on the following page:
http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhyNoArticleHere/ggjmr/post.htm. I'm kinda stuck there.

Apple can either be countable or uncountable noun.

Analysis:

Jack: What did you eat?
Jane: I ate an apple.

Jane used apple as a countable noun. Jane would not say the apple because there was no need to restrict apple

Jack: Where did you get it from?
Jane: I ate the apple that was on the table.

Jane still used apple an a countable noun but now she used article the because she had to specify that where she got it from. So, she restricted that apple using the.

Jack: There were many apples on the table. How many did you eat?
Jane: I ate three apples.

Jane still used apple as a countable noun. She used three to denote the quantity of apples she ate. In a way three also restricted apple.

Jack: I think you really like apples.
Jane: I love to eat apples.

Both, Jack and Jane, used apple as an uncountable noun and there was no article used in front of apples because articles a or an cannot be used with an uncountable noun and there was no need to restrict apples using article the.

Is my analysis correct?

Re: I will go for washroom afterwards

Grammar Geek — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:25:44 GMT

Jackson, you have come a LONG way!

While a lot of food does have an uncountable sense (I like beef, I like watermelon), I don't find that "apple" is often use that way. If it were, you final Jane line would be "I love to eat apple", not apples.

When it is used as uncountable, it seems to be used more in the sense of flavor: You're eating a slice of pie and say "Oh, I can taste berries... and ... is that apple? Yes, I can taste apple and berries and a hint of lemon!"

However, you certainly get the countable/uncountable difference. And since you do, why did you think that "three washrooms" wasn't using washroom as a countable noun?

Re: I will go for washroom afterwards

Jackson6612 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 05:27:57 GMT

Grammar Geek

I ate an apple. I ate the apple that was on the table. I ate three apples.

Do you really think the last one is wrong because "apple" is a countable noun? What role does "three" tell you in that sentence?

Apple can either be countable or uncountable noun.

Analysis:

Jack: What did you eat?
Jane: I ate an apple.

Jane used apple as a countable noun. Jane would not say the apple because there was no need to restrict apple

Jack: Where did you get it from?
Jane: I ate the apple that was on the table.

Jane still used apple an a countable noun but now she used article the because she had to specify that where she got it from. So, she restricted that apple using the.

Jack: There were many apples on the table. How many did you eat?
Jane: I ate three apples.

Jane still used apple as a countable noun. She used three to denote the quantity of apples she ate. In a way three also restricted apple.

Jack: I think you really like apples.
Jane: I love to eat apples.

Both, Jack and Jane, used apple as an uncountable noun and there was no article used in front of apples because articles a or an cannot be used with an uncountable noun and there was no need to restrict apples using article the.

Is my analysis correct?

Re: I will go for washroom afterwards

Grammar Geek — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:59:17 GMT

Jackson, you can answer that question yourself.

I ate an apple. I ate the apple that was on the table. I ate three apples.

Do you really thind the last one is wrong because "apple" is a countable noun? What role does "three" tell you in that sentence?

Re: I will go for washroom afterwards

Jackson6612 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:12:48 GMT

Grammar Geek
The plans called for three washrooms located throughout the buildilng.

Sorry, my mistake. Thanks for the correction.

three washrooms is still a countable noun, then why isn't any article used with it?

Re: I will go for washroom afterwards

Jackson6612 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:05:27 GMT

Madhulk, I think you are right. Washroom is an uncountable noun, therefore indefinite articles a or an cannot modify it. Of course, Jack would not go to his neighbour's home to use his washroom. So, the definite article the would be used to refer to Jack's own washroom.

Re: grammar. reason behind the verb (increases)

Mister Micawber — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:51:50 GMT

the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) increases

This is a plural countable noun. There have been one or more increases in both the GST and the ERP, so the minimum possible is two increases.

the Goods and Services Tax (GST) increases/increase

Again, this is a countable noun, but either the singular or the plural is possible, depending in how many increases the GST had-- one increase or several increases.
.

Re: 1) "It's the best movie yet"- Does this sentence mean this is the best movie ever?

Clive — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:45:23 GMT

Hi,

1) "It's the best movie yet"- Does this sentence mean this is the best movie ever? The best up to the present time.

2) What are the differences between exculpate and acquit and exonerate?

The first that comes to mind is that #1 is pretty rare, #2 is extremely common, and #3 is less common.

Here are a few comments.
exculpate - free someone from blame. Not necessarily related to crimes/courts.
acquit - decide someone is not giuilty. (Also has other meanings). Commonly related to crimes/coutrts.
exonerate - show someone is innocent after they are thought to be guilty.

3) Can two or more uncountable noun going with and go with a plural verb? <<< Hunh? This is a hard question to understand.

Money and love are two different things OK

Money and love is two different thingNot OK

4)How can you define self realization? Does it mean the same as realization or actualization?

self-realization - focuses on 'myself'.
realization - can focus on something outside 'myself'.

actualization - focuses on making ideas into reality.

5) In this sentence:" You have been tutored and refined by books and retirement from the world, and you are therefore somewhat (somewhat what? This statement seems incomplete); but this only renders you the more fit to appreciate the extradordinary merits of this wonderful man."

What class of words does fit stand in? Noun or adj? If it is noun, how can it come after the more? It's an adjective. McCain and Obama are both fit to be Prsident, but of the two of them, Obama is the more fit.

Supposed you don't know the word "render" and have to base on the context to guess. So here are two possible choices" provide" and "make". What is your choice? Why? It depends on the context. Would you like to provide a few, for comments?

Best wishes, Clive