food & foods

[arzgol]

Hi,

I'm a little bit confused with the word "food'' sometimes it is singulare and sometimes plural like junk foods. Is there any rule to help us understand how to use it.

It is easy to prepare food if you use a foodprocessor.
She talked about a food.
She prepared an Indian food.

Thank you in advance.

[TutorVanessa]

Food is both plural and singular.

There is a group of words in the English language that are "uncountable" - in order to count them, you have to use a "counter". Food is one of them. Water, juice, wood, air are others.

In order to count these things (and make them singular or plural), they either have to be grouped into some countable "container" (baskets of food, glasses of water or juice, canisters of compressed air etc.), or you can use the words "some", "much" to describe them.

The way to find uncountable nouns is to see if you can "count" them without any other "container" between the number and the item:

"One cake"
"Two Cakes" - this word is countable

"One wood"
"Two woods" - not really. It would be better to say "One piece of wood". This word is uncountable.

"Foods" can be used when referring to different kinds of things, but it is a much less common usage.

Does this help?

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English Tutor for ESL Students in Victoria BC
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[angelay]

I agree, food can be use both in singular and plural form. Because when we say 'food' it is a group, it consists of more than two things.

[sweethuman]

Mostly used to consider it as plural (Many eatable things)

[ryancorn]

I agree, food can be use both in singular and plural form. Because when we say 'food' it is a group, it consists of more than two things.

You are absolutely correct on that~!
The English language can be inconsistent and difficult to understand.

[ryancorn]

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I agree, food can be use both in singular and plural form. Because when we say 'food' it is a group, it consists of more than two things.

Actually, I think I usually hear it in a singular form.

[linakhan]

I agree, food can be use both in singular and plural form. Because when we say 'food' it is a group, it consists of more than two things.

it is a very interesting logic. is food means ingredients . what is the difference between food in dish

[karoleq]

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I agree, food can be use both in singular and plural form. Because when we say 'food' it is a group, it consists of more than two things.

Actually, I think I usually hear it in a singular form.

Also I though the same. But don't you think that "food" in form of dish is plural? Because it consists of many "foods" :P