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Mitsuo23 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
bricks vs brick
Hi,
When I look up "brick" in a dictionary, it says as the definition "[uncountable and countable] a hard block of baked clay used for building walls, houses etc:" and gives an example "a house made of brick"
I think this brick in the example refers to the material aspect not the shape, but I am wondering if you still say, "brick" not "bricks" even when all the bricks used to build the house are remained the same, unbroken.
In other words, do you call "an onion or onions" as "onion" depending on the context?
Thank you,
M
When I look up "brick" in a dictionary, it says as the definition "[uncountable and countable] a hard block of baked clay used for building walls, houses etc:" and gives an example "a house made of brick"
I think this brick in the example refers to the material aspect not the shape, but I am wondering if you still say, "brick" not "bricks" even when all the bricks used to build the house are remained the same, unbroken.
In other words, do you call "an onion or onions" as "onion" depending on the context?
Thank you,
M
Top answer
'Onion' can be count or non-count depending on the context. I bought a kilo of onions this morning. I don't like onion in my scrambled egg.
- 'Onion' can be count or non-count depending on the context.
- I bought a kilo of onions this morning.
- I don't like onion in my scrambled egg.
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5 Answers
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'Onion' can be count or non-count depending on the context.
I bought a kilo of onions this morning.
I don't like onion in my scrambled egg.
I bought a kilo of onions this morning.
I don't like onion in my scrambled egg.
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Brick is used, in its uncountable (material) sense when we say "The house is made of brick."
We understand that it is the primary, but not sole material used for the house.
We can also use brick as an adjunct as "the brick wall."
The same is true for stone, straw and other materials.
We can say, "the house is made of straw", but we would never say "the house is made of straw
We understand that it is the primary, but not sole material used for the house.
We can also use brick as an adjunct as "the brick wall."
The same is true for stone, straw and other materials.
We can say, "the house is made of straw", but we would never say "the house is made of straw
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Thank you for the replies.
AlpheccaStars,
And what kind of picture do you imagine when you hear a sentence like "a house made of brick"? Do the brick(s) keep the original shape? Or it doesn't matter?
When I imagine a house or a wall made of brick, I actually see the outlines of each bricks. so I wonder why you say brick not bricks. Are we having a different picture?
AlpheccaStars,
And what kind of picture do you imagine when you hear a sentence like "a house made of brick"? Do the brick(s) keep the original shape? Or it doesn't matter?
When I imagine a house or a wall made of brick, I actually see the outlines of each bricks. so I wonder why you say brick not bricks. Are we having a different picture?
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Hi,
I think my question was too ambiguous to answer so I rewrote and repost it newly. Please forget about this post.
Thank you,
M
I think my question was too ambiguous to answer so I rewrote and repost it newly. Please forget about this post.
Thank you,
M
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