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Somethingsimple Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Countable abstracts

0Was just wondering why the abstract nouns in both sentences below are countable?01blockquote
02br
12br
11font10I’ve just had a good sleep.12br
10The word has a different spelling.12font12br
12blockquote
10Seems as if we cant really test them with two good sleeps, three good sleeps, many good sleeps. 02br
00Equally, does not sound too good to say two different spellings, three different spellings, many different spellings. (sounds better than the first one, though)02br
02br
00Or does it?02br
02br
00Thanks a lot,02br
00Al.0-
  

Top answer

02font 00 We say this informally, but I wouldn't say it in formal speech or writing. Perhaps we are thinking 'a good night's sleep' or 'a good period of sleep' and we just shorten it. 02font 00 This is so commonly used that it just seems to me that 'spelling' can be counted in this way.

— Clive

  • 02font 00 We say this informally, but I wouldn't say it in formal speech or writing.
  • Perhaps we are thinking 'a good night's sleep' or 'a good period of sleep' and we just shorten it.
  • 02font 00 This is so commonly used that it just seems to me that 'spelling' can be counted in this way.
  • 02br 02br 00Best wishes, Clive0-
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1 Answers
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0Hi,02br
02br
01font00Was just wondering why the abstract nouns in both sentences below are countable?02font02br
02br
01font00I’ve just had a good sleep.02font00 We say this informally, but I wouldn't say it in formal speech or writing. Perhaps we are thinking 'a good night's sle
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