Worry/countable or uncountable
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Message from mohammad51 posted on 28-11-2017 at 11:23:29 (D | E | F)
Hello,
First of all I know that nouns relating to mankind as behaviour, emotions, moral, beauty,etc...are considered abstract nouns ( can't be counted) simply can't be touched or seen. On the other hand, noun like 'snow' also is considered a mass noun(uncountable),however, it can be touched or seen( concrete).
Here the problem to distinguish which noun is count or non-count still a perplexing matter to all people native or non-native.
I asked about this matter, years ago when I was still a student in a department of translation, many grammarians in the world for example,Mr.Alan the British scholar, who also replied it is perplexing or difficult matter and agreed with me.
Again now, I notice two or three sites as well as a document I received considered the word 'worry' as a count noun and its plural is worries.
Here are examples of those people or sites:
· Incorrect: I have less worries than you.
· Correct: I have fewer worries than you.
Use less with uncountable nouns. Use fewer with countable nouns.
--
here is another:
worry2 ●●● S2 noun (plural worries)
1 [countable] a problem that you are anxious about or are not sure how to deal with
somebody’s main/biggest/real etc worry
My main worry is finding somewhere to live.
I had a lot of financial worries.
---
EX 3
Doctors still have a few worries about the effectiveness of the treatment.
----
countable enough plates, enough onions, enough restaurants, enough worries ( Link
)
But oxford dictionary considers the word worry once as uncountable and once as uncountable, so which one to believe?
Uncountable >>> Link
Countable >>>>>>> Link
Message from mohammad51 posted on 28-11-2017 at 11:23:29 (D | E | F)
Hello,
First of all I know that nouns relating to mankind as behaviour, emotions, moral, beauty,etc...are considered abstract nouns ( can't be counted) simply can't be touched or seen. On the other hand, noun like 'snow' also is considered a mass noun(uncountable),however, it can be touched or seen( concrete).
Here the problem to distinguish which noun is count or non-count still a perplexing matter to all people native or non-native.
I asked about this matter, years ago when I was still a student in a department of translation, many grammarians in the world for example,Mr.Alan the British scholar, who also replied it is perplexing or difficult matter and agreed with me.
Again now, I notice two or three sites as well as a document I received considered the word 'worry' as a count noun and its plural is worries.
Here are examples of those people or sites:
· Incorrect: I have less worries than you.
· Correct: I have fewer worries than you.
Use less with uncountable nouns. Use fewer with countable nouns.
--
here is another:
worry2 ●●● S2 noun (plural worries)
1 [countable] a problem that you are anxious about or are not sure how to deal with
somebody’s main/biggest/real etc worry
My main worry is finding somewhere to live.
I had a lot of financial worries.
---
EX 3
Doctors still have a few worries about the effectiveness of the treatment.
----
countable enough plates, enough onions, enough restaurants, enough worries ( Link
)
But oxford dictionary considers the word worry once as uncountable and once as uncountable, so which one to believe?
Uncountable >>> Link
Countable >>>>>>> Link
Re: Worry/countable or uncountable from gerondif, posted on 28-11-2017 at 11:56:10 (D | E)
Hello,
I would say that you can use it in the singular with a global meaning, but it doesn't mean it need be uncountable:
My main worry is finding somewhere to live. My main concern these days is finding somewhere to live.My main problem is finding somewhere to live.My main obsession is finding somewhere to live.
Worries in the plural is more precise:
He has had a lot of worries in his life eversince he is on the dole.
I have to face all the worries people usually have to cope with when they move into a new house.Here you could list all the things that go wrong....
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