fruit and vegetables

[siruss]

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?

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by siruss

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.

[siruss]

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?

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by siruss

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.

[bianca]

"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

[siruss]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

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.