Two cups of tea vs Two cups of teas

Question

Hi guy, I'm new over here would like to have some help on the above question... I understand that tea is a dual class noun meaning there can be either a plural nor a singular form.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Hello, bowenkhong—and welcome to English Forums.

Let me help you get started well by explaining that 'Hi guy' is rather supercilious and not a proper greeting to someone you do not know and who might be a professor, a young lady, or a 70-year-old teacher. On the other hand, a simple 'hello' is generally acceptable in English-speaking society.

As to your question: Yes, 'tea' is dual class. It is uncountable when speaking of the liquid, so the proper phrase is 'two cups of tea'; 'much tea is grown in Sri Lanka'.

'Tea' can be countable (and therefore singular or plural) when it means 'a cup/glass/etc of tea', so that we can order 'One tea, please' or 'two teas, please'. It can also be countable when speaking of varieties of the herb: 'Japanese usually drink one of three teas: green tea, black tea, or barley tea'.

Bowenkhong · Answer

Hi Mister Micawber

Thank you so much for your time explaining, I have learned a lot from it.

Two cups of tea vs Two cups of teas

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