Search results for 'tag:Countable or uncountable' matching tag 'Countable or uncountable'

Re: Some problems with plural noun?

Avangi — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:39:27 GMT

Hi h & k, WELCOME TO THE FORUMS ! ! ! Thanks for joining us.

I guess we'd consider as irregular plurals, things like deer, deer; man, men; child, children; hoof, hooves.

"Vocabulary" can be either countable or uncountable. His English vocabulary comprises only a hundred words, but he has extensive vocabularies in French and German.

Improving vocabulary is a major goal of the new reading program.

Best wishes, - A.

Re: Use of a plural

CalifJim — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:27:08 GMT

Anonymous
a plural version of a noun that could be either countable or uncountable.

There's no such thing as an uncountable noun in the plural. Plurality is one of the marks of countability. Once the noun is in the plural you know you are dealing with a countable noun.

Anonymous
that a person desires to use it is a good enough reason to use it or them?

Not just desire. Very accomplished writers with a fine ear for the language are able to gauge when it is useful to present an apparent uncountable in the plural -- especially when it's a matter of abstract nouns. The majority of us merely competent writers don't typically invent such novel turns of phrase.

Use of a plural

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:19:04 GMT

Hi,
I am curious as to what is the guideline or are the guidelines for the use of a plural version of a noun that could be either countable or uncountable. Speech after speech, writing after writing, I think I have seen and heard the use of a plural in cases where either option seems to be viable. Merely thinking that should be used in the mind of a writer is a sufficient ground for such a use?

... he points us beyond styles and termperaments to recongnize ...

The writer didn't seem to have given us a clue as to why a plural version is necessary but went on to use the words 'styles' and 'temperaments' instead of 'termperament' and 'style', which I think could have done the job just as well, considering the lack of prior clues as to their coming in use.

So, a mere fact that a person desires to use it is a good enough reason to use it or them?

Re: creams and detergents

Kooyeen — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:20:00 GMT

I'd say I agree with MrM. My dictionary (Longman) lists those words saying [C or U], which means they can be treated as countable or uncountable nouns, generally speaking. Anyway, even for the uncountable words it doesn't explicitly list as countable too, I think we can say uncountable nouns can often be "categorized" and used with an article. I can't be sure, but I'd say a sentence like this is ok, for example: I've never heard an English like that. = I've never heard a kind of English like that.
By the way, another reason why certain uncountable nouns are often used as countable nouns might be that lots of commercial products are sold in its own container, and uncountable product + container = countable product. A soda. A cream. But this doesn't seem to work for every product, I'm afraid.
Just my opinion.

EDIT: I just read Goodman's post, and I started to think of "waters" to mean two "portions" of water, two bottles, whatever. It seems reasonable, if you think of beers and sodas, but that's exactly the kind of thing I'm not sure about yet. So I searched the net and... I was so lucky! Look, GG says "two waters" at the restaurant, so I guess it's ok to treat it as countable in that context, like other uncountable things.
http://www.englishforums.com/English/SoupEating/clhqn/post.htm

Re: creams and detergents

Mister Micawber — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:39:08 GMT

.
Cream is countable or uncountable according to the on-line Cambridge:

4 [C or U] a soft substance that you rub into your skin

Now, stop wasting my time.

Re: check sentences please

Mister Micawber — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:01:19 GMT

.
You need to be more careful when you type posts; use the Preview function to check yourself, so that we don't have to fix your simple mistakes.

1. We are going to hold/have a discussion on this matter now. -- I know that a certain word triggers a need for a countable or uncountable noun. Is this one of those cases?

2. Are you be able to / Can you take care of this?

3. I hope you will be able to take care of this right away.

4. Can you fix the handle of/to this door?
He went in by the main door of the house.

Re: write me vs. write to me

Cool Breeze — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:29:11 GMT

Whether e-mail, letter, post card/postcard or whatver you are writing is countable or uncountable is of no consequence. It all depends on the verb.

I'll send you a letter. = I'll send a letter to you.

I'll write you a letter. (Common in AmE.) = I'll write a letter to you. (Preferred in BrE in the old days. These days American usage may have influenced the British and the American English version may not sound so American to them any more.)

Cheers, CB

all types of ...

Seraphin — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:47:36 GMT

I found both kinds of sentences in books

"all types of opportunities" and "all types of opportunity" ,Â

I wonder if one of them is wrong, or if the use of plural or singular form

depends on whether the "opportunity" refers to aÂ countable or uncountable entity

thanksÂ

the word "lack" countable or uncountable

Anonymous — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:35:16 GMT

Hi there,

I am from an asian country (korea) and Korean doesn't distinguish countable or uncountable nouns so I have some problem with this concept even though I have been living in english speaking country for 10 years.

Now the word "lack" according to the online Longman dictionary is an uncountable noun, as well as a singular noun.

But we usually say "a lack of quality" or "a lack of resources".

Now we know for sure we never put "a" in front of "water" because "water" is an uncountable noun, as in "furniture" or "stuff".

So how is it that word "lack" can have an indefinite article in front of it?

Does it mean that the English language lacks logic inherently?

Thanks.

Re: The

Clive — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:57:40 GMT

Hi,

I said earlier that Blood pressure is a term that can be treated as countable or uncountable.

Marius has chosen to treat it as countable, although my choice would be uncountable. Sometimes such things are a subjective decision.

Best wishes, Clive