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Old 29-Apr-2007, 04:50
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Default fruit and vegetables

Countable or Uncountable nouns are very confusing.
Especially, when it comes to fruit and vegetables - they are very similar to me- why is fruit uncountable and why are vegetables countable?

How about these sentences?

Apples are fruit.
An apple is fruit.
Tomatoes are vegetables. ( whether it is true or not )
A tomato is a vegetable.
To lead a healthy life, you need to replace fatty foods and sweets with fresh fruit and vegetables.

Are all of the sentences correct?
Or would you correct some sentences?
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Old 29-Apr-2007, 05:35
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Default Re: fruit and vegetables

Quote:
Originally Posted by siruss View Post
why is fruit uncountable and why are vegetables countable?
The number, most likley. Which of these is easier to count, apples in an apple tree, berries in a bush, or pumpkins in a patch? Way back when, vegetable gardens were not as expansive as they are today. (Note, fields were and still are expansive: rice and wheat are non-count.)

Apples are fruit.
An apple is fruit.
Tomatoes are vegetables.
A tomato is a vegetable.
To lead a healthy life, you need to replace fatty foods and sweets with fresh fruit and vegetables.

All the best.
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Old 29-Apr-2007, 05:51
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Default Re: fruit and vegetables

The way you explain countable and uncountable nouns is simple and clear to me.

How about these sentences?
Bananas are sweet fruits.
Lemons are sour fruits.

Are fruits ok in the sentences?
or Should I say sweet fruit?
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Old 29-Apr-2007, 07:04
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Default Re: fruit and vegetables

Quote:
Originally Posted by siruss View Post
The way you explain countable and uncountable nouns is simple and clear to me.
You're most welcome.

Either fruit or fruits:

Bananas are sweet fruits.
Bananas are a (type of) sweet fruit.

Lemons are sour fruits.
Lemons are (a type of) sour fruit.

All the best.
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Old 29-Apr-2007, 10:23
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Default Re: fruit and vegetables

"fruits" means different kinds of fruit, such as apples, oranges, cherries and so on.

I am afraid I don't agree with the usage of "fruits" in "bananas are sweet fruits".
Here come some of my reflections:

1. Apples are fruit. Bananas are fruit. The banana fruit grow in hanging clusters. In this case, "fruit" is uncountable.
(in fact, bananas are not fruit since they don't have seeds, but anyway).

2. Bananas, oranges and apples are fruits. In this case, "fruit" is a countable noun.


Fruit is delicious in the summertime. (fruit, in general)
or
Fruits are delicious in the summertime. (if referred to different kinds of fruit)

/bianca

Last edited by bianca; 29-Apr-2007 at 11:18.
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Old 29-Apr-2007, 10:34
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Default Re: fruit and vegetables

Quote:
Originally Posted by Casiopea View Post
You're most welcome.

Either fruit or fruits:

Bananas are sweet fruits.
Bananas are a (type of) sweet fruit.

Lemons are sour fruits.
Lemons are (a type of) sour fruit.

All the best.
Thank you, Casiopea.
Both ways are possible.
I hope to see you again.
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