with chalks

[Ashiuhto]

Are the following sentence acceptable? Which is natural?

(1) Tony drew a robot with chalks on the blackboard.
(2) Tony drew a robot on the blackboard with chalks.
(3) Tony used a chalk to draw a robot on the blackboard.

[bhaisahab]

Are the following sentence acceptable? Which is natural?

(1) Tony drew a robot with chalks on the blackboard.
(2) Tony drew a robot on the blackboard with chalks.
(3) Tony used a chalk to draw a robot on the blackboard.

2 and 3 are OK.

[AlexAD]

Is chalk an uncountable noun? If so why chalks is correct?

[bhaisahab]

Is chalk an uncountable noun? If so why chalks is correct?

It can be countable or uncountable.

[susiedqq]

(1) Tony drew a robot with chalks on the blackboard.
(Means he used several pieces of chalk.)

(2) Tony drew a robot on the blackboard with chalks. (ditto)


(3) Tony used chalk to draw a robot on the blackboard. (used one piece of a category, called chalk; no article needed)

Tony used paint . . .

Tony used pencil . . .

[bhaisahab]

(1) Tony drew a robot with chalks on the blackboard.
(Means he used several pieces of chalk.)

(2) Tony drew a robot on the blackboard with chalks. (ditto)


(3) Tony used chalk to draw a robot on the blackboard. (used one piece of a category, called chalk; no article needed)

Tony used paint . . .

Tony used pencil . . .

I don't much like #1 because it could mean that he drew a picture of a robot with chalks, the robot was holding them perhaps?

[susiedqq]

Perhaps. But with so many "context clues" in the sentence, it is perfectly understandable what is meant.

#2 - use singular 'chalk'

#3 - delete the article "a"

[bhaisahab]

Perhaps. But with so many "context clues" in the sentence, it is perfectly understandable what is meant.

#2 - use singular 'chalk'

#3 - delete the article "a"

OK, fair enough.

[BobK]

I'm happier with the singular too, but if the speaker wanted to emphasize that the artist used several different colours I'd be happy with the plural ending. In most cases though, no s is best.

b

[Tdol]

#3 - delete the article "a"

Or say a piece/stick of chalk