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TeacherJapan Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Any difference?

I understand that sickness, illness, and disease have both plural and singular form. How would you distinguish them?

which form would you use, singular or plural, in the following example?

Teeth are very important to your health. You have to brush your teeth well to prevent ( ? ).
  

Top answer

teacherJapan You have to brush your teeth well to prevent ( ? ). You could use "gum disease" or" decay" at the end of that sentence; "illness" or "sickness" don't work.

— Teechr

  • teacherJapan You have to brush your teeth well to prevent ( ?
  • ).
  • You could use "gum disease" or" decay" at the end of that sentence; "illness" or "sickness" don't work.
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4 Answers
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teacherJapanYou have to brush your teeth well to prevent ( ? ).
You could use "gum disease" or" decay" at the end of that sentence; "illness" or "sickness" don't work.
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Thank you for that. when you use "gum disease", do you make it plural as in "You have to brush your teeth well to prevent gum diseases" or just "singular?"
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Singular.
teacherJapangum disease
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I see. What about this?
"To prevent sickness / illness, you should get enough sleep."
"To prevent sicknesses/ illnesses, you should get enough sleep."

My understanding is that when you want to pick up a particular sickness or illness or emphasize "different kinds", you want to go for
the plural form, whereas when you want to generalize, just go for the singular form. Am I
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