When a countable noun is singular, we must use a word like a/the/my/this with it:
I want an orange. (not I want orange.)
When a countable noun is plural, we can use it alone:
I like oranges.
How about non count nouns? Are they always considered plural?
I.e. There's water in the table. (not There's a water in the table.)?
Are non-count nouns considered as plural all the time?
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- Aikuzo
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Are non-count nouns considered as plural all the time?
Pls correct any errors you see on my writings on: nouns, tenses :)
"Practice makes perfect!" xD
"Practice makes perfect!" xD
- Joe
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Re: Are non-count nouns considered as plural all the time?
Non-count or uncountable nouns are actually always considered singular and they take a singular verb:
Water is essential for life.
But you are right, they do not need anything like a determiner:
There is water on the table. <---correct
Water is essential for life.
But you are right, they do not need anything like a determiner:
There is water on the table. <---correct
- Aikuzo
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- Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:24 am
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Re: Are non-count nouns considered as plural all the time?
I think I got alot of questions here Josef, bear w/ me.
Question about no determiner rule.
- Can I have some water?
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Another one:
Does that rule for non-count nouns also apply for abstract nouns?
- There is violence in the neighborhood.
- There is information at the board. (not There's an information at the board)
Thanks in advance, Sir Josef xD
Question about no determiner rule.
- Can I have some water?
----------
Another one:
Does that rule for non-count nouns also apply for abstract nouns?
- There is violence in the neighborhood.
- There is information at the board. (not There's an information at the board)
Thanks in advance, Sir Josef xD
Pls correct any errors you see on my writings on: nouns, tenses :)
"Practice makes perfect!" xD
"Practice makes perfect!" xD
- Joe
- Admin/Teacher
- Posts: 1797
- Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2003 6:56 am
- Status: Teacher of English
- Location: England
Re: Are non-count nouns considered as plural all the time?
I should have made it clearer. I wrote:Aikuzo wrote:Question about no determiner rule.
- Can I have some water?
"they [noun-counts] do not need anything like a determiner..."
so it is not obligatory (as it is with a singular countable noun) but in fact they can take the, some, any etc.
What they cannot take is "a/an" or any number.
Please see uncountable nouns
It applies to abstract nouns that are uncountable. (But remember that some abstract nouns are countable. He made two decisions.)Aikuzo wrote:Does that rule for non-count nouns also apply for abstract nouns?
- There is violence in the neighborhood.
- There is information on the board. (not There's an information on the board)
There is information on the board.
There is some information on the board.
There is a lot of information on the board.
There isn't much information on the board.
Is there any information on the board?
There is an information on the board.
Please see uncountable nouns