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Are there any differences in grammar between the 'mass noun'  torment  and the 'count noun' torment.

For Example :

Waking me up all the time when I am asleep is torment. (mass noun)

Waking me up all the time when I am asleep is a torment (count noun)

This is torment. (mass noun) or This is a torment. (count noun)

Swearing is torment. (mass noun) or Swearing is a torment. (count noun)

Are there any differences between the usage of the mass noun, and the count noun, and which of the above sentences would be correct, in usage and grammar? Secondly, does the 'count noun' a torment change to 'torments' when there is a plural noun?

For Example :

Fights are a torment.

Fights are torments (Plural count noun)

Does grammar require one to use a plural noun when the subject of the sentence begins with a plural noun?

Does the 'count noun' (a torment) describe something or someone that harasses, or pesters, and does the mass noun (torment) describe mental, or physical suffering? Or can both nouns be used in the same manner to mean, annoyance, or harassment?.

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  • Hello, Josh. One thing you need to be aware of is that 'a' also occurs with non-count usages on occasion. 'He has a good knowledge of French' cannot be adapted to say 'He has two good knowledges ...'. 'She smiled at us with an unusual friendliness' is likewise a non-count usage; 'They smiled at us with 2 / 3 ... unusual friendlinesses' are not acceptable. Here, I'd say 'torment' is a non-count usage with or without the indefinite article. 'Waking me up all the time when I am asleep and swearing are two torments' isn't idiomatic.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jul 26, 2021 at 15:36
  • Both can be used but it's too much work to go through each one and point out which is more - or less - idiomatic.
    – Lambie
    Commented Jul 26, 2021 at 15:36
  • 2
    Does this answer your question? A blinding light / blinding sunlight / a blinding sunlight And this your other one? Number agreement between subject and object / complement
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jul 26, 2021 at 15:41
  • @EdwinAshworth: I agree your last example isn't idiomatic on its own, but adding "... that I can't abide" makes it acceptable for me. I think "torment" can be countable; there are certainly plenty of reasonable examples of "two torments" and "many torments" online (plus a lot of garbage too, but that should go without saying :) ).
    – psmears
    Commented Jul 26, 2021 at 15:49
  • @psmears Many if not most nouns have count and non-count usages nowadays. M-W has << 'the twin torments of his probable manic depression and chronic stomach pains' — Neal Karlen >> CGEL has the test of numeral (or equivalent, a score, twin (as here) – but not quantifier) insertion for the countness / non-countness of a particular usage. And 'padding' may alter acceptability.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jul 26, 2021 at 16:07

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