pile of ash / ashes

Question

0 Hi, I need to know if this is acceptable for writing a lyric. Songwriters are "allowed" leeway with writing but I'd like to know if this sounds odd or if it is okay. (It's about the results of a building burning down.) 02br02br00  a pile of ash is sad02br02br00  vs.02br02br00  a pile of ashes is sad02br02br00  The latter, I am sure is correct. The plural of "ash" is "ashes." Or can "ash" also be plural?0-

Yoong Liat · Accepted Answer

0 01blockquote

01cite10LiveMusic12cite10Hi, I need to know if this is acceptable for writing a lyric. Songwriters are "allowed" leeway with writing but I'd like to know if this sounds odd or if it is okay. (It's about the results of a building burning down.) 12br
12br
10a pile of ash is sad12br
12br
10vs.12br
12br
10a pile of ashes is sad12br
12br
10The latter, I am sure is correct. The plural of "ash" is "ashes." Or can "ash" also be plural?12br
12br
12blockquote

10As 'ash' is an uncountable noun, it cannot be plural; 'ashes' is a countable noun and the plural form.0-

Philip · Answer

0 01blockquote

01cite10LiveMusic12cite10Hi, I need to know if this is acceptable for writing a lyric. Songwriters are "allowed" leeway with writing but I'd like to know if this sounds odd or if it is okay. (It's about the results of a building burning down.) 12br
12br
10a pile of ash is sad12br
12br
10vs.12br
12br
10a pile of ashes is sad12br
12br
10The latter, I am sure is correct. The plural of "ash" is "ashes." Or can "ash" also be plural?12br
12br
12blockquote

10 01b01font00You dropped an ash (some ash) from your cigarette onto the table.02font02b02br
02br
01b01font00The house is nothing but ashes.02font02b0-

Believer · Answer

0Hi, Yoong Liat02br
02br
00I was looking at my Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner's English Dictionary for the word 'ash' and it had a notation among other notations something like this. Can you tell me if that tells anything about its countability. I am confused about the "also N in pl" part. What does that mean?02br
02br
00N-UNCOUNT02br
02br
00also N in pl0-

Marius Hancu · Answer

0>N-UNCOUNT02br
00 Noun, uncountable 02br
00 (in one of the versions for "ash")02br
02br
00>N in pl02br
00 plural noun. 02br
02br
00 ------02br
01b00But it would be better to make references to this online dictionary, to which everybody can have a look (and which is very good in terms of (un)countables)02b02br
02br
0500240hrefhttp://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=4259&dict=CALD

Yoong Liat · Answer

0 01blockquote

01cite10Believer12cite12br
10Hi, Yoong Liat12br
12br
10I was looking at my Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner's English Dictionary for the word 'ash' and it had a notation among other notations something like this. Can you tell me if that tells anything about its countability. I am confused about the "also N in pl" part. What does that mean?12br
12br
12blockquote

10I'm quoting from the same dictionary.02br
02br
00Ash (01b00uncountable noun02b00) 01b00is02b00 (01b00singular verb02b00) the grey or black powdery substance that is left after something is burnt. You can also refer to it as 01b00ashes02b00. (01b00plural noun02b00)02br
02br
00He brushes the cigarette 01b00ash (uncountable noun02b00) from his sleeves.02br
02br
00A dead man's ashes (01b00plural noun02b00) are (01b00plural verb02b00) their remains after their body has been burnt. 02br
02br
00So whether the word is 01b00uncountable 02b00or01b00 plural02b00 depends on which word you use: 'ash' (uncountable), 'ashes' (plural).02br
02br
00I hope you are no longer confused.02br
02br
00Best regards0-

Green tile 154 · Answer

A dead man's ashes (plural noun) are (plural verb) their remains after their body has been burnt

This is an incorrect sentence.

It should be "A dead man's ash is his remains after his body has been burnt." The subject or noun is a single entity and therefore; the remaining sentence should be as well.

pile of ash / ashes

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