What are the rules of forming structures with 'no'?

Question

I cannot find information on the rules of forming structures with 'no' as in There is no milk ('no' + an uncountable noun). Thare are no bananas in the fridge ('no" + a plural countable noun).

I have been told that sentences where there is a singular countable noun after 'no' should be avoided as they aren't grammatical as in 'There's no banana in the fridge'.

I have checked 'Practical English Usage' by Michael Swan (3rd edition) and 'The Teacher's Grammar of English' by Ron Cowan (Cambridge) but failed to find anything on the matter.

A reference to a reliable source is highly appreciated.

Answer 1

There is no banana in the fridge

is not ungrammatical but it is idiomatic only if the speaker is asserting that fact emphatically, perhaps when telling another person that they are incorrect for insisting that there is indeed a banana in the fridge.

Do we have any bananas?
-- Check the fridge. I'm sure I saw some yesterday.
No, there are no bananas in the fridge.
-- Are you sure? You're not giving a lazy-ass little peek like you usually do? Did you check the drawers too?
As I said, there is no banana in the fridge.