a housing/housing

Question

one question: i find it better to say "I want you to offer me a housing." and find no grammatical mistake. but, my friends say that it is grammatically wrong and it is right to say "I want you to offer me housing." Well, i know there's no perfect answer, but gramatically which is right? and I normally say "We offer a housing/housings" with an article or 's'. Is

Nona the brit · Accepted Answer

You can have a house or housing, but not a housing or a housings.

Anonymous · Answer

"Housing" -- a noun that is also used as an adjective -- has at least three definitions:
1a (collective noun) Buildings or other shelters in which people live
1b A place to live; a dwelling
2 the provision of accommodation
3 a rigid casing for a piece of equipment.

In 1a, 1b, and 2, no plural form is used:
1a There was a shortage of housing in the city.
1a The University offered low-cost student housing.
1b The apartment was inappropriate housing for a married couple with three children.
2 The department was responsible for the housing of refugees.
2 His contract included free housing.

In the third case, an article (a / the) is used and the plural form is allowed:
3 A new housing was needed for the motor.
3 They told him to check the wheel housings to make certain that all were in good condition.

If you want someone to offer you "a" housing, you are asking to be encased, not at all the same as being provided with a place in which to reside.

An example of "housing" as an adjective:

The housing market was booming in Atlanta. [All residential houses and apartments that are available for sale or rent]

Housing starts usually increase during the summer months. [The number of houses on which construction has begun]

a housing/housing

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