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Lagataw Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
"appetite"
I am again, verifying the wording of questions in this ESL book I'm using here.
The author is not a native speaker so I'm consulting native speakers here in EnglishForward as to how sound the wording of sentences in this book is.
One question here reads "Have you got an appetite?"
A reliable native speaker here (not sure if it was CalifJim or Mr Wordy) has already explained to me that there's not problem in using "have you got" in interrogative sentences although it is not very common. So I'm left with two other concerns:
1. Is it natural to use the article "an" for appetite when you mean appetite in general?
2. What could be the state of affairs upon asking this question? I can imagine possible states of affairs if the said question is in the negative form, i.e."Don't you have appetite?" But I can't imagine a scenario in which to blurt out "Have you got an appetite?'"
The author is not a native speaker so I'm consulting native speakers here in EnglishForward as to how sound the wording of sentences in this book is.
One question here reads "Have you got an appetite?"
A reliable native speaker here (not sure if it was CalifJim or Mr Wordy) has already explained to me that there's not problem in using "have you got" in interrogative sentences although it is not very common. So I'm left with two other concerns:
1. Is it natural to use the article "an" for appetite when you mean appetite in general?
2. What could be the state of affairs upon asking this question? I can imagine possible states of affairs if the said question is in the negative form, i.e."Don't you have appetite?" But I can't imagine a scenario in which to blurt out "Have you got an appetite?'"
Top answer
Appetite is both countable and uncountable. He has no appetite for soldiering. How is your appetite?
- Appetite is both countable and uncountable.
- He has no appetite for soldiering.
- How is your appetite?
- In this sense, you always have one, but it may be good or bad.
- Do you have an appetite tonight?
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6 Answers
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Appetite is both countable and uncountable. He has no appetite for soldiering.
How is your appetite? In this sense, you always have one, but it may be good or bad.
Do you have an appetite tonight? It really means, "Do you have a good appetite tonight?"
How is your appetite? In this sense, you always have one, but it may be good or bad.
Do you have an appetite tonight? It really means, "Do you have a good appetite tonight?"
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Have you got an appetite for hard labour? / for destruction? / for war?
I thought "an" is used because appetite starts with a vowel, and not to indicate any quantity of that item.
I thought "an" is used because appetite starts with a vowel, and not to indicate any quantity of that item.
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Thanks for the thought but I think I wasn't being clear when I said "appetite in general".
Anonymousan appetite for hard labour? / for destruction? / for war?are all examples of particular appetites (if there is such a
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Erratum:
That wasn't Cool Breeze's, it was Avangi's "Do you have an appetite tonight?"
That wasn't Cool Breeze's, it was Avangi's "Do you have an appetite tonight?"
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lagatawOne question here reads "Have you got an appetite?"I don't think it was me. In British English, "Have you got... ?" is common. It is les
A reliable native speaker here (not sure if it was CalifJim or Mr Wordy) has already explained to me that there's not problem in using "have you got" in interrogative sentences although it is not very common.
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