Teacher Discussion Forums

We say, "Would you like a sandwich?". It seems like a countable noun to me. So do we also say that "Would you like sandwiches?"

Yes, sandwich is a count noun. "Would you like sandwiches?" is correct English, depending on the story behind it. If I am planning a party, and you are going to bring all the food, you could ask me if I'd like sandwiches. Maybe I would like sandwiches at the party, and maybe I'd like crackers and dip instead.

If you are asking someone if they want to eat a sandwich, then "Would you like a sandwich?" is the right question.

"Sandwich" is a count noun but all count and non-count nouns tend to be context driven. One could say, for example, that "there is sandwich in the world." This sounds like a rediculous example, but the point is that I used the word as a category which made it into a non-count noun.

Hmm it's a stretch to me--you mean there are sandwiches in the world?

thepostmodern wrote:This sounds like a ridiculous example...

Does your example strengthen or weaken the point you're trying to make?
Iain