Singular / Plural: Spoon and Fork

Question

Singular:A.  Can I have spoon and fork?B.  Can I have a spoon and fork?C.  Can I have a spoon and a fork?D.  Can I have some spoon and fork?E.  Can I have a set of spoon and fork?F.  Can I have a pair of spoon and fork?Plural:G.  Can I have two spoon and fork?H.  Can I have two spoons   and forks?I.  Can I have two spoons and two forks?J.  Can   I have some spoons and forks?K.  Can I have two sets   of spoon and fork?L.  Can I have two pairs of spoon and   fork?M.  Can I have two sets   of spoons and forks?N.  Can I have two pairs of spoons and   forks?Questions:1.  Which of the above sentences are acceptable?2.  Of the answers in #1?  Which is/are common and natural?2.  Is 'spoon and fork' countable or uncountable?3.  I believe 'some' refers to an unspecified amount or quantity, but does it include the quantity of one?  Can I say "Can I have some spoon and fork?" when I mean only one?4.  I understand we can say "Can I have a Coke?" = a bottle of Coke, but if plural, do we say:Can I have two Coke?  ORCan I have two Cokes?  ORCan I have two Coke's?5.  Is it "two bottles of Coke" or "two bottles of Cokes" or "two bottles of Coke's"?Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Singular:

A. Can I have spoon and fork? No
B. Can I have a spoon and fork?
C. Can I have a spoon and a fork?
D. Can I have some spoon and fork?No
E. Can I have a set of spoon and fork?No
F. Can I have a pair of spoon and fork?No

Plural:

G. Can I have two spoon and fork?No
H. Can I have two spoons and forks?
I. Can I have two spoons and two forks?
J. Can I have some spoons and forks?
K. Can I have two sets of spoon and fork? Maybe, but odd
L. Can I have two pairs of spoon and fork?No
M. Can I have two sets of spoons and forks?Maybe, but odd
N. Can I have two pairs of spoons and forks?Maybe, but odd

Questions:
1. Which of the above sentences are acceptable?
2. Of the answers in #1? Which is/are common and natural?
B and C. You might like to note that in most/all English-speaking countries, you are more likely to need a knife and fork than a spoon and fork.
2. Is 'spoon and fork' countable or uncountable? Countable
3. I believe 'some' refers to an unspecified amount No. But you can say 'some spoons and forks' in the plural.
or quantity, but does it include the quantity of one? Can I say "Can I have some spoon and fork?" when I mean only one? No

4. I understand we can say "Can I have a Coke?" = a bottle of Coke, but if plural, do we say:

Can I have two Coke? ORNo
Can I have two Cokes? OR Yes
Can I have two Coke's?No

5. Is it "two bottles of Coke"

or "two bottles of Cokes" No
or "two bottles of Coke's"?No

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you, Clive, for answering all my questions. This is really helpful.

CliveB. Can I have a spoon and fork?

1. Since fork is countable, I wonder why this is OK not to have the article 'a' before 'fork'?

CliveH. Can I have two spoons and forks?

2. Is it understood that I mean two forks here?

CliveNo. But you can say 'some spoons and forks' in the plural.

3. As I've understood this, we cannot use 'some' if the quantiy is one or for a singular noun. However, sometimes I read from books saying "Some man called." Is this incorrect? Please clarify.

Also, why can't we use "a set" and "a pair" when we can use "two sets" and "two pairs" although it's odd?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

“B. Can I have a spoon and fork?”

1. Since fork is countable, I wonder why this is OK not to have the article 'a' before 'fork'? Such items are commonly spoken of together, so it's idiomatic to omit it.
However, you wouldn't say something like 'Today, I saw an elephant and spaceship'.

Clive

“H. Can I have two spoons and forks?”

2. Is it understood that I mean two forks here? Yes. If you wanted some other number, you'd say
eg Can I have two spoons and three forks?

Clive

“No. But you can say 'some spoons and forks' in the plural.
”

3. As I've understood this, we cannot use 'some' if the quantiy is one or for a singular noun. However, sometimes I read from books saying "Some man called." Is this incorrect? Please clarify. The meaning there is basically 'some unidentified man that I, the speaker, do not consider very important'. It's a less common and rather idiomatic meaning.

Also, why can't we use "a set" and "a pair" when we can use "two sets" and "two pairs" although it's odd?
I suppose you mean
a set of spoon and fork
a pair of spoon and fork
My main attempt at explaining this would be to say that it is not at all natural.
You might say 'a spoon and fork set', although it still sounds pretty awkward.
'A pair' suggest two similar things, eg a pair of shoes.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you so much, Clive, for your clarification.  This is all clear to me now.  I really appreciate it.

Singular / Plural: Spoon and Fork

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