Staff

same story as personnel

Tung QuocHi,

Staff is countable noun or uncountable noun?
We say (1) or (2)?

1. A teaching staff, a medical staff, a library staff.
2. Teaching staff, medical staff, library staff.

If both, what is the difference btw them?

Q

In BrE staff can be singular: a staff of ten o

Yoong LiatIn NAmE, staff can only be singular: a staff of 10 (but not 10 staff). The staff in this store is very helpful.

I would have agreed with you a few years ago, but since then, I have heard "staff" used like the word "people." I don't think it's the more common way to use it (and maybe those who do hav

Thank you.

My question doesn't directly relate to the topic in discussion but why did you use "the" in your sentence in your response?

I don't think it's the more common way to use it.

Why not?

I don't think it is a more common way to use it.

(Not much difference??)

Thank you.

If there are only two choices, one way is more common, and one way is less common. So you have "the more common" and "the less common."