| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
BMO
Joined: 19 Feb 2004
Posts: 705
|
 Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 11:08 pm Post subject: cabbage Uncountable and Countable |
 |
|
Since cabbage is both countable and uncountable noun. Are the following correct:
1. I like cabbages. (right)
2. I like cabbage. (right)
3. I want to buy a cabbage. (right)
Hambuger - This is countable, so
4. I like hambuger. (wrong)
5. I like humbagers. (right)
Thanks.
bmo |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
iitimone7
Joined: 09 Aug 2005
Posts: 400
Location: Indiana, USA
|
| Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 5:03 am Post subject: cabbage and hamburger |
|
|
cabbage is a funny word that is the same in the singular and plural form.
the cabbage is good. used in the singluar form as you are eating a meal
I'm going to buy several cabbage for dinner. used in the plural form (you could leave out the word several)
hamburger can be used in the singular and plural forms
I ate a hamburger for lunch. meaning that you ate one hamburger
I cooked a package of hamburger for dinner. still singular
I ate hamburgers for lunch. the common meaning would be that you ate more than one hamburger for lunch.
I cooked packages of hamburger for dinner. the word package is made plural because you are counting the number of packages of hamburger that you cooked.
hope that helps |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
advoca
Joined: 09 Oct 2003
Posts: 422
Location: Beijing
|
| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 3:56 pm Post subject: Cabbages and cabbage |
|
|
| Quote: |
1. I like cabbages. (right)
2. I like cabbage. (right)
3. I want to buy a cabbage. (right) |
A cabbage is a round vegetable with white, green or purple leaves that is cooked before being eaten. (Countable noun)
After it is cooked, or parts of it are cooked, it called cabbage. (Uncountable noun)
A cabbage and cabbage are not the same thing. You could not go into a store and say, �I want to buy cabbage.� You would have to say, �I want to buy a cabbage, or I want to buy some cabbages.�
If you were asked what you had for dinner you could say, �I had some meat, potatoes and cabbage.� You could not say, �I had some meat, potatoes and a cabbage,� or �I had some meat, potatoes and some cabbages.�
You could say, "I like a cabbage," but this is most unlikely. It is grammatically correct but meaningless, just as it would be meaningless to say, "I lke a carrot," or "I like a horse." |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
asterix
Joined: 26 Jan 2003
Posts: 1654
|
| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 5:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
I think you can say, I like cabbage.
It just means that you like the taste of cabbage. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
BMO
Joined: 19 Feb 2004
Posts: 705
|
| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 11:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
Great, thank you all.
bmo |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
