Such coffee

Question

Hello,I think coffee as drink is uncountable. Therefore we say, for example :I have never tasted such good coffee.I have seen sentences like this, though, on the Internet :I have never tasted such a good coffee.Are they both ok?Thank you for your help.

Prajwalkr · Accepted Answer

Both are OK.

Using 'a' doesn't refer to uncountable nouns

here. In fact, I think "I have never tastedsuch a good coffee." is more proper..

Prajwal

Coincidence · Answer

The structure is :

with countable nouns :

He is such a good boy.

with uncountable nouns :

it was such cold water we couldn't drink it

with plural nouns :

He had such dirty hands that he couldn't clean them

I don't understand why we should say "such a good coffee", if 'coffee' is uncountable...

I think it results from the fact we don't treat 'coffee' as uncountable here, as we say, for example 'two coffees, please'.

Coincidence · Answer

I don't know if I am rigth here...Would appreciate further help.

Prajwalkr · Answer

Hi

CoincidenceThe structure is :

with countable nouns :
He is such a good boy.
with uncountable nouns :
it was such cold water we couldn't drink it
with plural nouns :
He had such dirty hands that he couldn't clean them

I don't understand why we should say "such a good coffee", if 'coffee' is uncountable...
I think it results from the fact we don't treat 'coffee' as uncountable here, as we say, for example 'two coffees, please'.

We use 'a' after singular nouns like 'what' and 'such'.

Hope this answers your question.

Prajwalkr · Answer

Sorry, I meant "with singular pronouns."

Prajwal

CalifJim · Answer

I have never tasted such good coffee.

Here coffee is conceptualized as a liquid substance.

have never tasted such a good coffee.

Here coffee is conceptualized as a particular kind of coffee, brewed from a particular variety of coffee bean.

________

Using an uncountable noun as a countable noun often adds the meaning "a kind of".

This is wonderful wine. (this liquid itself) / This is a wonderful wine. (a wonderful variety of wine)

What tasty bread this is! (this bread-substance) / What a tasty bread this is! (a tasty kind of bread)

This is such delicious soup. (this soup itself) / This is such a delicious soup. (such a delicious type of soup)

In the first of each pair, you are usually referring to the substance that you are actually drinking or eating at the time you make your remark. In the second of each pair, you are not referring directly to the substance that you are eating or drinking. You are referring to the whole class of such substances.

Let's take the soup example. Suppose you are eating cream of asparagus soup. When you say that this is delicious soup, you mean the soup that you are eating. It is this particular cream of asparagus soup that you find delicious. When, on the other hand, you say that this is a delicious soup, you are referring to all soups that are cream of asparagus soup. In fact, you don't even have to be eating at the time. You might be at the supermarket with a friend, pick up a can of cream of asparagus soup from a shelf, show it to your friend and say, "This is a delicious soup". It means, "This kind of soup, namely, cream of asparagus soup, is delicious", or "All soups of this kind, namely cream of asparagus soups, are delicious".

CJ

Coincidence · Answer

Thank you very much!

Your explanation was very helpful to me!

Kind regards.

Such coffee

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