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Cup cake Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Surgery versus operation

Hi Everyone,

A student asked me the other day why we don't say...

'Tony is having a surgery.' X

Yet, we say...

'Tony is having an operation.' v

You can't really say that surgery is uncountable, so I'm stumped on this one.


Thanks
CC Emotion: it wasnt me

  

Top answer

Surgery is a non-count noun, used like an academic subject. In the following sentences, it is not interchangeable with "operation" which is like a single project or procedure. He studies gastro-intestinal surgery at Catalan Medical School.

— AlpheccaStars

  • Surgery is a non-count noun, used like an academic subject.
  • In the following sentences, it is not interchangeable with "operation" which is like a single project or procedure.
  • He studies gastro-intestinal surgery at Catalan Medical School.
  • If you need heart surgery , the best heart surgeons in the world practice at St.
  • Lukes in Houston.
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2 Answers
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Surgery is a non-count noun, used like an academic subject. In the following sentences, it is not interchangeable with "operation" which is like a single project or procedure.

He studies gastro-intestinal surgery at Catalan Medical School.
If you need heart surgery, the best heart surgeons in the world practice at St. Lukes in Houston.
Dr. Guinn practices surge
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From the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English :

sur?ge?ry noun(plural surgeries)

1 [uncountable] medical treatment in which a surgeon

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