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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Use countable noun or uncountable noun?
Hi. Please help.
1. Let's say there is a preacher who said these words to spur the people he is speaking to to live holy. I think the word "desire" can be used generally, which would be uncountable use, or in terms of individual instances ( or could it mean things a person desires?) of desire, which would be countable in use.
(speaking to a group of people)
1. Please free yourself from your heart's desire
2. Please free yourselves from your hearts' desires.
2. Let's say there is a teacher whose job entails him or her of assessing the students' performance (performances?) and making reports of the results. Which is correct? Thank you in advance.
1. His job in part involves assessing the students' performance.
2. His job in part involves assessing the students' performances.
1. Let's say there is a preacher who said these words to spur the people he is speaking to to live holy. I think the word "desire" can be used generally, which would be uncountable use, or in terms of individual instances ( or could it mean things a person desires?) of desire, which would be countable in use.
(speaking to a group of people)
1. Please free yourself from your heart's desire
2. Please free yourselves from your hearts' desires.
2. Let's say there is a teacher whose job entails him or her of assessing the students' performance (performances?) and making reports of the results. Which is correct? Thank you in advance.
1. His job in part involves assessing the students' performance.
2. His job in part involves assessing the students' performances.
Top answer
(speaking to a group of people) I would use the first, because preachers usually are addressing each individual in the group, not the group as a whole. 1. Please free yourself from your heart's desire.
- (speaking to a group of people) I would use the first, because preachers usually are addressing each individual in the group, not the group as a whole.
- 1.
- Please free yourself from your heart's desire.
- For the second, I would write this: His job in part involves assessing each student's performance.
- If I have to choose between yours, I would use the second.
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5 Answers
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(speaking to a group of people) I would use the first, because preachers usually are addressing each individual in the group, not the group as a whole.
1. Please free yourself from your heart's desire.
For the second, I would write this:
His job in part involves assessing each student's performance.
If I have to choose between y
1. Please free yourself from your heart's desire.
For the second, I would write this:
His job in part involves assessing each student's performance.
If I have to choose between y
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Hi. Thank you. Would this be incorrect if we write "desires" instead of "desire" after the word "heart's"? I think we are using the word "desire" in an uncountable sense if we use the "desire" in the singular. Am I correct? Thank you again in advance.
Please free yourself from your heart's desire (desires?).
Please free yourself from your heart's desire (desires?).
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Would this be incorrect if we write "desires" instead of "desire" after the word "heart's"?
It would be fine, even better. The heart (at least mine) has quite a few different desires.
It would be fine, even better. The heart (at least mine) has quite a few different desires.
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Hi. Thank you. I think I was more focused on trying to get a clear idea as to nature of the word "desire" (in terms of countable versue uncountable) when a sentence has the phrase "the heart's desire." When used uncountably, I think the word "desire" denotes a feeling of wanting something strongly and when use countably, I think it means an instance of it.
Now, would you say the word "des
Now, would you say the word "des
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I think that it is used countably.
One can have one desire in life, or many desires every day. These feelings can persist or just come and go.
I have a great desire for chocolate ice cream.
The strength of this desire is unbounded.
Since he quit smoking, his desire for a cigarette has not diminished.
Desire for *** is a common expression of religious longing. I don't
One can have one desire in life, or many desires every day. These feelings can persist or just come and go.
I have a great desire for chocolate ice cream.
The strength of this desire is unbounded.
Since he quit smoking, his desire for a cigarette has not diminished.
Desire for *** is a common expression of religious longing. I don't
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