Questions tagged [uncountable-nouns]
Questions about uncountable (non-count, mass) nouns
340
questions
1
vote
2answers
49 views
Meaning of velocity - mass noun vs countable noun
Dictionary entries like https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/velocity?q=velocity state that velocity can be a mass noun or a countable noun. What is the difference between the ...
0
votes
0answers
13 views
“All leaves are cancelled.” or “All leave is cancelled.”? [migrated]
How do we use the word "leave" in a sentence? Is it ever pluralized? Is it correct to say "How many days leaves do you get per year?" or "How much leave do you get per year?"
-2
votes
2answers
65 views
When is the word “Departure” countable or uncountable?
When is "Departure" a countable usage and when is it not?
0
votes
1answer
39 views
About collective noun
Information, crockery, stationery, luggage are nouns that refers to combination of heterogenous items.
Herd, flock, album, refers to collective nouns with homogenous items.
What is the difference ...
0
votes
0answers
43 views
When to use 'conflict' as uncountable noun?
I previously believed that conflict is a countable noun. Lately, I have encountered a sentence...
Translation is possible, and yet we are still bedeviled by conflict.
After that, I tried to ...
0
votes
0answers
78 views
Etymology of “pantyhose ”
The Wiktionary entries indicate that hose is uncountable (for 2. A stocking-like garment worn on the legs; pantyhose) while pantyhose or its synonym tights are "plural only".
Yet, Collins Concise ...
1
vote
2answers
244 views
How is 'fixture' a count-noun when 'furniture' is a mass noun?
Fixture is defined in the LEXICO Dictionary as:
A piece of equipment or furniture which is fixed in position in a building or vehicle.
Here're a couple examples from the dictionary:
Cathedral ...
1
vote
1answer
47 views
“The youth of today dream of high-quality educationS.” (Why) Is this sentence correct?
The youth of today dream of high-quality educationS.
Is this sentence correct? If so, then why?
A teacher I know often uses uncountable Nonouns such as knowledges, educations, sugars as plurals.
...
0
votes
1answer
67 views
Can Importance Be Different?
Importance is an uncountable noun, so one may shorten this sentence
We have external information and internal information. The importance of the external information and that of the internal ...
-1
votes
0answers
25 views
Uncountable Counterpart
Counterpart is a countable noun in Cambridge Dictionary. Can one use it for an uncountable noun?
He has good news and its bad counterpart.
Similarly, can one use one for an uncountable noun?
...
0
votes
1answer
71 views
What is the singular form of fennel?
If I have one fennel bulb, what do I call it? What is the singular form of fennel?
1
vote
1answer
56 views
“Weigh benefit(s) against risk(s)”
Both nouns can be either a count noun or a mass noun. I think individually benefit tends to be used countably more than it appears as a mass noun.
We list the potential benefits (count) of a thing. ...
2
votes
1answer
149 views
Are “measles, mumps, Diabetes, rabies, rickets, shingles” uncountable nouns or singular nouns?
Page http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv259.shtml say that these words are uncountable nouns, but page https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/...
1
vote
2answers
34 views
Using 'that' and 'the' with 'negotiations'
I came across this phrase:
I see negotiations have gone as planned.
Why is there no article before negotiations? For example:
I see the negotiations have gone as planned.
I think that the ...
2
votes
1answer
228 views
Can the grammar terms, the words 'subject' and 'object', be used as uncountable nouns?
I thought the grammar terms such as 'subject' and 'object' were countable. But I notice that they can sometimes be used without any determiner.
For example, here's the first sentence of a linguistics ...
1
vote
0answers
31 views
“less of” and “lesser” with uncountable nouns
1. She spends less of her time playing tennis now. - correct example
2. She had less of reason to complain than I. - incorrect example (I know we can make "reason" countable and write "less of a ...
2
votes
3answers
93 views
Are mental illnesses countable?
I know that the correct phrasing for this sentence is, but I don't know why.
Many of the volunteers had already shown some early signs of mental illness.
Since the illness is unspecified, shouldn'...
1
vote
0answers
76 views
Collins Dictionary error: “a new design”?
I am looking up the Collins Dictionary today for the word "design".
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/design
In meaning 4, I see this:
uncountable noun
The design of ...
0
votes
3answers
118 views
Riches vs richness
Is this sentence wrong, and why?
My richness is having friends.
A friend of mine corrected me in:
My riches are having friends.
A bit of context. I wanted to say that my friends are my ...
-4
votes
1answer
74 views
Is it really correct to say that some nouns are countable and others are uncountable?
It is generally accepted practice in linguistics that common nouns are classified into count nouns (aka, countable nouns) and non-count nouns (aka, uncountable nouns or mass nouns).
For example, in ...
1
vote
1answer
46 views
“The cohort were followed up at 2 months” or “The cohort was followed up at 2 months” [duplicate]
Here, cohort is a group of 12-13 year olds.
0
votes
1answer
35 views
their last hope or their last hopes
I have a confusion about the usage of plural forms of uncountable & abstract nouns.
I come across both usages like:
Their last hopes remain elusive
Their last hope remains elusive
Is it okay ...
3
votes
1answer
105 views
Is “the most amount of {countable things}” ever an acceptable replacement for “the greatest amount of {countable things}”?
A recent BBC article reads in part,
Yellowstone officials say bison can run up to 30mph (50km/h) and are the animal responsible for the most amount of injuries within the park.
The phrase “the ...
0
votes
1answer
167 views
Why “attention to detail” over “attention to details”
Why are people more likely to say "attention to detail" over "attention to details"?
I understand both are grammatically correct. But what slight difference between them, if there is any, makes it ...
4
votes
1answer
150 views
Can “plane” (aeroplane) be used as a non-count noun?
I'd appreciate it if someone would answer my question concerning the following sentence. Thank you.
Many times, planes would crash after they had already started their flight home, most often from ...
-1
votes
1answer
47 views
'Too much' with countable noun [closed]
He has too much friend.
Is this correct?
If so, what is rule for using much for countable noun or should I use many instead?
Please clarify.
0
votes
1answer
83 views
“Art” countable or uncountable? [closed]
I am developing a position titled "Fine Art Registrar/ Fine Arts Registrar"
I am wondering whether or not include the "s". Is art countable or uncountable in this situation? The position oversees the ...
1
vote
3answers
69 views
Is “a becoming humility” a correct use? [duplicate]
I found the sentence "She accepted the award with a becoming humility" as an example of the use of the word "becoming" in Merriam Webster Advanced Learner's English Dictionary. Is the use of the ...
0
votes
1answer
76 views
Is one-way communication a countable or uncountable noun?
I was wondering whether one-way communication is a countable or uncountable noun. I've seen both usages (e.g. The Guardian leaning more towards uncountable while The New York Times is more towards ...
3
votes
1answer
64 views
What's the pronoun for two uncountable nouns?
Which is correct?
I bought some beef and pork. All of it looks fresh.
I bought some beef and pork. All of them look fresh.
Since both "beef" and "pork" are uncountable nouns, I think the we should ...
2
votes
2answers
85 views
Why does the word “shop” behave like a non-count noun in phrases like “set up shop”?
The word "shop" seems to behave like a non-count noun in phrases like "set up shop", "shut up shop" and "close up shop". There's no article ("a"), no plural ending ("-s"). Dictionaries, such as Oxford ...
0
votes
1answer
138 views
Countable and Uncountable Nouns in a List [duplicate]
Since "information" is an uncountable-noun and "references" is a countable noun, which sentence is correct?
Please let me know if any additional information or references are needed.
Please let ...
1
vote
3answers
77 views
Why do U.S. Americans say “a good value” (using indefinite article “a”)
Take this example from the Airbnb website: "What would have made this listing a better value?"
This souds absolutely horrible and incorrect to my Australian ears (I would omit the "a"). I've also ...
-1
votes
2answers
73 views
Cardinalities in English language [closed]
I recently learned about the notions of countable and uncountable noun in English language. I understand that "How many integers are there?" is a gramatically correct sentence. However, is the ...
0
votes
1answer
35 views
Plural Noun + Are/Is + uncountable noun
I am trying to write a sentence like the following:
The skills I acquired is/are knowledge in A, B, and C.
However, I know that uncountable nouns such as knowledge doesn't go with are. Yet, the ...
1
vote
0answers
48 views
“one” as a pronoun for uncountable nouns
Is it grammatically right to use one as a pronoun to substitute for the word water?
I prefer plain water to sparkling one.
0
votes
1answer
30 views
Verbal agreement of “more of + plural noun”
Here Are More Of The Most Amazing Images Of Cars
Is the sentence grammatical?
Shouldn't it concoord is with the uncountable more (of), instead of its current plural are?
According to Microsoft® ...
0
votes
1answer
35 views
Following (a) training: verb and pronoun
I am not a native English speaker but I work in an organisation with English as corporate language. I have set up an automatic reply because I was following a 3-day course, and I have received a ...
1
vote
1answer
88 views
Why is “a” used before “smoke” in this sentence? [closed]
I only have half an hour-barely time for a smoke and a cup of
tea.
Smoke is uncountable so why is there an article used?
2
votes
3answers
93 views
Since 'few' is used for countable nouns and 'less' is for uncountable nouns
Since 'few' is used for countable things and 'Less' is for uncountable things then why do we say;
I have less than 2 days/months/years.
?
Yes, time is an uncountable concept but we sure can count ...
1
vote
0answers
165 views
Is 'coin' a non-count noun?
I noticed that in banks' publications, they speak of notes and coin (rather than coins).
So, is coin a non-count noun, like fruit and fish?
We'd say, "Do you have any fruit/fish in your fridge?" (...
1
vote
0answers
1k views
“On holiday” vs. “on a holiday”
The textbook "Oxford Practice Grammar" by John Eastwood has this example in Unit 15, Exercise 2:
Have you ever played beach volleyball?
Yes, we played it on holiday.
a) The holiday is still ...
22
votes
9answers
7k views
Why is it correct to say “fewer calories” when calories are continuous? [duplicate]
This question, "Discrete Units of a Continuous Quantity", asks whether units of a continuous quantity should be spoken of as discrete or continuous.
The top answer states
The rule is simple, and ...
0
votes
1answer
18 views
Question on “work” follows with a verb
I am writing to inquire the correctness of the following sentence:
both work rely on this technique
Or
both work relies on this technique.
While the first one seems more grammarly correct, I do ...
-2
votes
1answer
69 views
Is “…taken to be scholarly authority” missing a preposition or an article?
The sentence is from Harold Bloom's book Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human.
This chronology, necessarily tentative, partly follows what is generally taken to be scholarly authority.
I find ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Glasses - countable or uncountable noun?
Is word glasses countable or uncountable?
Are these sentences correct?
These glasses (referring to one pair of glasses) are my favourite!
I have quite a few glasses in my drawer, however, my favourite ...
2
votes
3answers
445 views
Is 'public' a mass noun?
Does anyone know which kind of noun 'public' is?
Is it a common noun or a collective noun?
1
vote
1answer
48 views
Growth as an uncountable noun
Hi: Since growth is an uncountable noun is it followed by a plural or singular verb?
for example, in this sentence: Wage and price growth (have or has?) picked up. Should we just have or has?
1
vote
1answer
86 views
When is “culture shock" uncountable?
According to Oxford Learner's, Wiktionary, and Cambridge dictionaries, “culture shock" is both countable and uncountable, but I've never seen or heard the word used in a way which shows it to be ...
1
vote
1answer
234 views
Nouns that can be both count and noncount nouns
I would like to ask how people who are familiar with English interpret these sentences regarding the nouns that can be both count and noncount nouns.
(1) I have to make more cake/cakes to offer a ...
