Forum newsfeeds
Forum Newsfeeds


Sites for Teachers

Sites for Teachers


Go Back   UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum > Learning English > Ask a Teacher

Notices

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 02-Apr-2008, 15:32
Newbie
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Country: SA
Posts: 1
Current Location: SA
First Language: Arabic
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
brilliant08 is an unknown quantity at this point
Default countable or not

Is it possible to say copy papers, or is it uncountable?Thanks.
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 02-Apr-2008, 16:25
vil vil is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Country: Bulgaria
Posts: 1,354
Current Location: Varna
First Language: bulgarian
Thanks: 72
Thanked 121 Times in 111 Posts
vil will become famous soon enoughvil will become famous soon enough
Default Re: countable or not

Attention: I'm not a teacher.

Hi brilliant08,

There are a few words concerning the matter in question.

paper (n) [uncountable] material in the form of thin sheets that is used for writing on, wrapping things etc
I bought some paper.

piece/sheet of paper
Write it down on a piece of paper.

When paper refers to the material that you write on, it is an uncountable noun. Do not say that something is written on 'a paper'. Say that it is written on a piece of paper.

paper = newspaper [countable] a newspaper:
Have you seen today's paper?
You'll read about it in tomorrow's papers.

document/letters papers [plural]
a) pieces of paper with writing on them that you use in your work, at meetings etc:
I left some important papers in my briefcase.
b) documents and letters concerning someone's private or public life:
While I was organizing Simon's papers I came across his diaries.
c) official documents such as your passport, identity card etc:
My papers are all in order (=they are legal and correct).

examination [countable] British English a set of printed questions used as an examination in a particular subject, and the answers people write:
an exam paper
I have a stack of papers to mark.

piece of school work [countable] especially American English a piece of writing that is done as part of a course at school or university [= essay]
paper on
a paper on the Civil War

Regards.

V.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
urgent

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
countable and uncountable Ambitious Girl Ask a Teacher 3 01-Apr-2008 15:26
Countable vs Uncountable gorikaz Ask a Teacher 4 25-Mar-2008 10:58
countable and uncountable words kooiu Ask a Teacher 4 11-Jul-2007 15:22
to keep using uncountable nouns as countable nouns? dihen Ask a Teacher 13 28-May-2006 12:07
noncountable & countable nouns Anonymous Ask a Teacher 5 23-Apr-2004 16:28


New To Site? Need Help?

All times are GMT. The time now is 04:42.


vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.2.0 RC5
Copyright © 2002 - 2008 UsingEnglish.com