|
Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
luciaC
Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Posts: 90
|
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 4:07 pm Post subject: Questions |
|
|
1. I know the expression a head of cabbage, but I want to know more nouns that we should use that quantifier. Can anyone give me more examples?
2. a stalk of celery, anything else?
3. a slice of pizza, cake, ham, anythingelse?
4. Is the word fish a countable noun or a non-count? How many fishes are there in the ocen? _________________ Mimi |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Bob S.

Joined: 29 Apr 2004 Posts: 1767 Location: So. Cal
|
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:02 am Post subject: Re: Questions |
|
|
luciaC wrote: |
1. I know the expression a head of cabbage, but I want to know more nouns that we should use that quantifier. Can anyone give me more examples?
2. a stalk of celery, anything else?
3. a slice of pizza, cake, ham, anythingelse?
|
Oh my gosh, there are hundreds of them. And for any given thing, there can be many alternate counters.
A slice of pizza (cake, pie), a piece of pizza (cake, pie)
A slice of cheese, a wedge of cheese, a wheel of cheese;
A pat of butter, a stick of butter, a tub of butter;
A tin of sardines;
A carton of eggs (a dozen eggs);
A loaf of bread;
A rack of ribs (beef or pork);
A gallon of gas, a quart of milk, a bottle of beer, a can of coke' a glass of wine; a cup of tea (coffee), a spoonful of sugar;
A bunch of carrots (bananas, grapes);
A cluster of grapes (a cluster of headaches!);
A sack of poatoes;
A barrel of monkeys!
And don't even get me started on animal group names.
Quote: |
4. Is the word fish a countable noun or a non-count? How many fishes are there in the ocean? |
Both depending on use.
I caught a fish. I caught 3 fish. I bought fish for dinner. How many fish are in your aquarium? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Bob S.

Joined: 29 Apr 2004 Posts: 1767 Location: So. Cal
|
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:44 am Post subject: A few more... |
|
|
A sheet of paper (a ream of paper!);
A packet of cigarettes (a carton of cigarettes!);
A box of cigars;
A fleet of ships;
A fleet of cars;
A six-pack of beer (sodas);
A wall of fog;
A tangle of string;
A rack of shoes;
A closet-full of shirts;
A bottle of pills (aspirin);
A vial of drugs (cocaine);
A pan of brownies;
A packet of buns (hamburger or hotdog);
A shelf of books;
A book of matches;
A pair of pants (count =1) (not the same as a pair of socks[count =2]);
A gaggle of old women;
A rack of magazines;
A rack of tools;
A stack of dishes;
A stack of chips (as in poker chips);
A bag of chips (as in potato chips);
A roll of film;
A roll of bills (as in money);
A book of stamps;
A ring of keys;
A bank of lights;
A bank of clouds;
A line of quesitons;
A plethora of answers! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|