Questions tagged [countable-nouns]
The countable-nouns tag has no usage guidance.
147
questions
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1answer
24 views
Use of 'less' with countable nouns
Supposing that, a player is supposed to spend 60 minutes in a training session. He spends 57 minutes. We say:
You have spent less minutes.
Is it right? I feel it is not, since 'less' modifies 'an ...
1
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3answers
28 views
How do I know whether a noun is countable or not?
I'm new learner and often confused with countable nouns.
Is there any way that I can know whether a noun is a countable noun?
Thanks
1
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1answer
29 views
about use of an article in front of 'trim'
I'd like to ask about use of an article before the noun 'trim' when 'trim' means: "material that is used to decorate clothes, furniture, cars, etc., especially along the edges, by being a different ...
1
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0answers
55 views
How do we use invariable plurals?
I'm trying to get my head round how we use so called invariable plurals. I have been through about a million different sites now, and come up with the following:
(i) There are three main groups of ...
-1
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1answer
35 views
Shall I use an article with the phrase “increasing trend”?
If I want to use the word increasing trend, shall I consider it countable or uncountable? i.e. should I write:
With an increasing trend towards using the Internet, the need for security is becoming ...
0
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0answers
26 views
Patient, countable or noncountable
"The company works with hospitals to develop VR games for patients. And we make sure that they’re re-orientable, so that the patient, whether they’re lying down or sitting up can enjoy them. VR is ...
1
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1answer
30 views
Is “set” countable or not?
This question comes from this post.
This figure is trying to illustrate 4 spaces defined by 4 different
set of standard basis.
In mathematics, the standard basis (also called natural basis) for ...
2
votes
1answer
246 views
“worth the effort” vs. “worth the efforts”
Is the noun used "differently" in "worth the effort" vs. "worth the efforts" ?
According to Merriam-Webster, effort has the following 5 definitions -
conscious exertion of power : hard work
a ...
0
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1answer
40 views
Why is “coma” countable in “go into a coma”?
I came across a phrase “go into a coma” and wonder why “coma” is countable here. Is there any rule which determines a noun followed by “go into” is countable or uncountable?
Here are some other ...
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1answer
31 views
ordinal numbers with uncountable nouns
I know countables can be used with ordinal numbers. We can say "the second book," etc. But what about uncountables like "information"?
I'd appreciate your help.
0
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1answer
17 views
as much / many as + countable plurals
I am wondering whether "much" or "many" should be used in the following.
it's unusual that people as much / many as four generations apart speak to each other in the same way.
I'd appreciate your ...
0
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1answer
24 views
The more buckets are allocated, the less the load factor gets
I was writing an answer on StackOverflow and came up with this sentence
The more buckets are allocated, the less the load factor gets. (x ?)
It sounds a bit off to me because of "the more buckets"....
3
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2answers
42 views
countable counterpart of “fruit”
I was taught that the noun "fruit" is non-countable in English.
If so, then what would be its countable counterpart? I am sure there should be one because the need for that is quite practical.
Let'...
2
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1answer
52 views
What is the countable version of “Run out of something”?
It seems like I can only use
Run out of time.
But how to describe there is no more something that is countable?
2
votes
1answer
39 views
Is there not much sugar and many candies in the shop?
I had such a sentence:
Are there not much sugar and candies in the shop?
And I was confuseed with "are".On the one hand it should be "are" for we combine "sugar" = "it" and "candies" = they ...
1
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1answer
219 views
'Morning'-->countable or uncountable?
1)There is written in the Macmillan dictionary that the word 'morning' can be both: countable or uncountable.
Could you give me an example sentence where 'morning' is uncountable?
2) Is 'morning' ...
3
votes
2answers
37 views
How much shrimps?
if i want to ask about the amount of shrimps that a person eats (kilograms) per year, should i ask
How many shrimps do you eat? - > I eat 1 kilo
a year.
Or maybe I should ask
How much ...
2
votes
3answers
30 views
“as much as” or “as many as” forty degrees?
"the temperature can vary by as much as forty degrees"
this sentence confused me, following as much as, there is plural word (forty degrees) but it was used with "as much as". Because there is a ...
1
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1answer
65 views
“Such plea” “such waiver”: ungrammatical legal jargon?
I have encountered the noun phrase "such plea" in a lot of legal texts. Examples:
In federal courts, such plea may be accepted as long as there is evidence that the defendant is actually guilty. ...
0
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1answer
32 views
uncountable noun used with countable noun
The controller controls power supplied to the PCs.
Does the sentence above imply that each PC will be supplied with an equal amount of power? If so, does the following make sense when each PC may be ...
0
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2answers
53 views
Is *flood* used as *a flood*?
I wonder if the word flood can be used as a flood. I think the word like water cannot be used as a water because it is a collective noun.
In my dictionary, it writes both countable and uncountable. ...
1
vote
2answers
109 views
Is “bit of oil” countable or uncountable?
If it is countable why do we say
a little bit of oil
and can I say the following?
a little quantity of seeds
0
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3answers
69 views
Is 'potential' countable noun?
I've konwn that 'potential' is uncountable noun so far. But i saw one vedio named Vox channel which said
"In any human endeavor, There is a potential for error"
In that sentence, potential is ...
2
votes
1answer
36 views
Omission of articles before countable nouns
It may be winter, dark and cold, but the village of Taft will be in
festive mood on December 18th.” “Ladies and Gentlemen, according to long-standing tradition…
From English collocations in use (...
0
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1answer
21 views
Can 'singer' be used as an uncount noun?
Singer Mizuki Nana and her sister took viewers by surprise with
their voracious eating of roasted duck.
Macmillan learner's dictionary says 'singer' is a count noun. Might I trouble you to tell me ...
2
votes
1answer
31 views
Neutral accent or a neutral accent (countable or not)
In the context of the sentence below, which should be applied so it's grammatical.
The only thing that is good about our country (as a single noun) is our spoken English, we've got neutral accent.
...
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2answers
148 views
Using 'shame', 'pity', and 'honor' as countable and uncountable nouns
Sometimes "a" is used with shame/pity/honor, sometimes it's not. What's the difference? How to understand when it should be used.
Have pity! Please have a pity on the helpless.
Shame on you! ...
1
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2answers
276 views
Is business countable or uncountable?
Walt thought I was crazy. In 20 months, he had gone from being head of a small $7.5 million (sales) medical development business to
manager of the chemical and metallurgical division, one of GE’s
...
1
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2answers
47 views
use of Indefinite Article
I have doubt about use of article in below sentence.
A cake is necessary when you have party.
Does sentence uses correct article?
0
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1answer
39 views
Singular countable nouns after “there isn't any”
Can I ever use singular countable nouns after there isn't any? I have read many books that say any can be used with both singular and plural countable nouns. Though plural nouns is more more common in ...
0
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1answer
29 views
Should I use 'isn't there' to show no food that I have been craving for? [closed]
"When the food you are craving for isn't there, the last choice you have is Maggi."
Is my grammar correct? Or can you change my sentence so it will be better than mine? Thanks!
0
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1answer
26 views
a … quantity of + plural countable nouns
I learned that "a ... quantity of ..." is typically followed by uncountable nouns.
I'd like to know whether there are restrictions on it when it is followed by plural nouns.
For example:
a large ...
0
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2answers
92 views
“Different influences”?
Then trade would have different influence on wages and employment.
This is a line I am writing. I know that "influence" is both a count and noncount noun and that it is used mostly uncountably to ...
0
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2answers
30 views
“Through critical engagement with philosophical texts” or “Through a critical engagement with philosophical texts”
Through (a) critical engagement with philosophical texts, I examine the phenomena and provide an in-depth analysis.
This is a line I am writing. The noun "engagement" seems tricky. Scrolling down ...
0
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2answers
258 views
“Comment on their character” or “comment on their characters”?
I would like to say a few words to comment on their character(s).
I am wondering if "character" in the sense of qualities of personality is a count noun and can be pluralized. Macmillan and Cambridge ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Is “There were hundreds of students, not much of whom were girls” correct?
Is the sentence " "There were hundreds of students, not much of whom were girls" correct? Can we use much instead of many in these structure.
1
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2answers
32 views
as much / many as
I'd like to know whether many or much should be used in the following:
a. A whale could weigh as much / many as two tons.
b. The company bought as much / many as two tons of cotton.
I'd ...
0
votes
1answer
118 views
Shouldn't it be “government or other institutions”?
I encountered a line in a dictionary in print:
designed to overthrow government: intended or likely to undermine or overthrow a government or other institution
I find the usage of institution in ...
3
votes
2answers
298 views
If it's “double” why is it singular?
A double number is two identical numbers, e.g. 007 (double O seven)
A double chin is someone who appears to have two chins
A double feature is a program showing two feature-length movies
A double D is ...
0
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1answer
137 views
“porn is widespread” or “porn are widespread”
Which one is grammatically correct?
porn is widespread.
porn are widespread.
I have found examples of both on the web, does it mean the sentences are correct and both have the same meaning?
2
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2answers
70 views
Is “profit” a special case?
Company profits are down from last year's figures.
(Copied from Cambridge dictionary.)
1) Why don't we use a possessive s?
2) Why do we use plural profits?
3) Why don't we use “the”? When you ...
3
votes
2answers
73 views
One/Two onion rings?
When making an order, is it correct to say the following? If so, Why? If not what is the correct way?
Can I get one onion rings?
In case you want two servings,
Can I get two onion rings?
4
votes
2answers
395 views
Is “prose” ever a count noun?
He writes a crystalline prose (source)
I find this countable usage of "prose" from the Oxford Dictionaries very unusual. I have never seen "prose" used countably. In contrast, several dictionaries ...
1
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1answer
70 views
Is the word “news” always singular?
Using Google Translate, I have this translation from Russian to English:
каковы спортивные новости?
what are the sports news?
I know, that the word "news" is uncountable, so it is ...
1
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1answer
251 views
countable and uncountable at the same time. What does that mean?
In Cambridge online dictionary there are nouns which can be countable or uncountable at the same time. Example https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/society?q=Societies
1)
What does ...
2
votes
1answer
3k views
“past experience” or “past experiences”?
I need to learn from past experiences.
It seems to me it makes sense to say "past experiences", since here experience refers an event that happened in the past. However, I do see a lot of occurrences ...
0
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1answer
70 views
Is “release” countable when used to mean “to let go” or “to make available”?
Is "release" a count noun or mass noun in the meaning of "let someone or something out of a place"? I see conflicting information from different dictionaries, even within the same dictionary.
...
1
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1answer
531 views
When is “dress” a mass noun?
I find the singular/uncountable usage of "dress" strange in this sentence.
Expansive skirts on fashionable dress of the period proved the perfect blank canvas to showcase chintzes lush with ...
2
votes
1answer
36 views
The countability of “memoir” and “stocktaking” in this sentence
I find two nouns in this sentence from a Time article very strange.
The Atlantic columns are enriched with personal memoir, and a stocktaking, as Coates takes the reader through his own life and ...
1
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2answers
256 views
“The farthest reach” or “the farthest reaches”?
I heard on TV (an American science program, forgot the name of the program):
We will venture out into the farthest reaches of the cosmos.
It makes me wonder if/when the noun "reach" is a count ...
