Countable and uncountable noun use: discerning correct use

Question

Hi. Please help. Which of the two is correct? Please note the underlined parts.

1. Speaking requires you to gain mastery over several areas of language like pronunciation, vocabulary, structure and function.

2. Speaking requires you to gain mastery over several areas of language like pronunciation, vocabulary, structures and functions.

Also, I think it is correct to write "An apple is a fruit" and is incorrect to write "An apple is fruit," but I really don't know why. Can you tell me why the sentence "An apple is fruit" is incorrect? Likewise I think the sentence "Lying is sin" is incorrect, whereas "Lying is a sin" is correct." But I think both sentences "It is a sin to lie" and "It is sin to to lie" are correct. Please help.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

1. Speaking requires you to gain mastery over several areas of language like pronunciation, vocabulary, structure and function.-- #2 is not wrong, but #1 is more usual.

I think it is correct to write "An apple is a fruit". Can you tell me why the sentence "An apple is fruit" is incorrect?-- Because fruit there is countable: the sentence is considering different kinds of fruit (i.e., a countable number of varieties).

Likewise I think the sentence "Lying is sin" is incorrect, whereas "Lying is a sin" is correct."- For the same reason as for the fruit above.

But I think both sentences "It is a sin to lie" and "It is sin to lie" are correct. -- I think only the first is normal...for the same reason.

Countable and uncountable noun use: discerning correct use

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