Timeline for Is saying "I had a fever" correct?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
12 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Feb 11, 2014 at 6:28 | comment | added | Anonym | Perhaps 'I had (a) fever' is short for 'I had a bout of fever' or something of that ilk. | |
| Mar 30, 2013 at 7:11 | comment | added | John M. Landsberg | May as well weigh in, because "I don't merely play a doctor on TV; I AM one!" And as it happens, saying "have fever" is not uncommon in medical contexts, but both forms are used, with no particular reason for choosing one over the other. I do agree that "have a fever" is more common in general, and I "have a feeling" ;) that countability has something to do with this. But, as always, there are exceptions, for which I have no explanation, as in the example already cited, "I had tonsillitis" (episodes of which are countable). (Note the correct spelling of "tonsillitis" here.) | |
| Oct 1, 2011 at 4:46 | comment | added | David Schwartz | This is related to the common use of 'a' or 'an' before uncountable nouns to indicate a type or instance of the uncountable noun. Like "a dense fog" or "a hush fell over the crowd". When you say "I had a fever" you mean a single episode or incidence of fever. | |
| Sep 30, 2011 at 20:52 | history | edited | Jay | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
fix example
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| Sep 30, 2011 at 20:51 | comment | added | Jay | Okay, I'll concede you have counter-examples! But I think the common usage is still overwhelmingly "I had a fever". When were your examples printed? Maybe that's an older usage? | |
| Sep 30, 2011 at 16:27 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | I commented to OP on Pink Floyd's usage with the article. In the spirit of balance, here's Peggy Lee's You give me fever without an article. | |
| Sep 30, 2011 at 15:57 | comment | added | Some Guy | I know how to use articles, I just never thought of using articles differently for chronic and acute diseases. You make a good point there. And, well, there was my English teacher telling me I was wrong that brought me here wanting to clear it up. Thanks. | |
| Sep 30, 2011 at 15:56 | comment | added | Barrie England | ‘Phoenix fled and other stories’ by Attia Hosain | |
| Sep 30, 2011 at 15:54 | vote | accept | Some Guy | ||
| Sep 30, 2011 at 14:59 | comment | added | Urbycoz | What was the publication. It sounds great! | |
| Sep 30, 2011 at 14:56 | comment | added | Barrie England | Here’s an example from a 1953 publication: ‘I had fever all night, but my sister said I was lying and no one ran after me, and she said ghosts were in peepul trees, not mango trees.’ | |
| Sep 30, 2011 at 14:48 | history | answered | Jay | CC BY-SA 3.0 |