[Grammar] Is this sentence right?

[Freight Forwarder]

I always have cereal, toast, and a cup of tea - never a cooked breakfast.

Q:
1. Is the sentence arove right with grammar?

2. Is "breakfast" countable or uncountable?

3. If it is uncountable, why the sentence has "a" before breakfast?

Thanks for your time to read through my question.

 

[Freight Forwarder]

Thank you so much!

 

[vgv8]

The "a" is in front of "cooked". Breakfast is generally uncountable - "I'll have breakfast now. You have specified a certain breakfast - a cooked breakfast. An article ("I'll have a quite breakfast, I'll have the popular breakfast") is required when a specific breakfast is noted.

Should I memorize that "a cooked breakfast" is countable?

 

[apex2000]

Should I memorize that "a cooked breakfast" is countable?

No. Whilst it is possible to have and eat, say, three breakfasts one after the other 'breakfast' with or without a descriptor is not countable.

 

[Barb_D]

Should I memorize that "a cooked breakfast" is countable?

No. You should memorize that an otherwise uncountable noun takes an article when it's modified.

She experienced happiness. She experienced a happiness never before experienced.
We all pray for peace. We hope for an everlasting peace.
I enjoy chocolate. A like a really dark chocolate.

 

[vgv8]

No. Whilst it is possible to have and eat, say, three breakfasts one after the other 'breakfast' with or without a descriptor is not countable.

IS it correct to write "three breakfasts" (with ending "s")?

 

[Barb_D]

Yes. This tour package include four nights at the hotel, four breakfasts, one lunch, and two dinners.

 

[Nightmare85]

No. You should memorize that an otherwise uncountable noun takes an article when it's modified.

I have never heard of that.

So it's also correct to say:
I have a bad news.
:?:

I would say:
I have some bad news.

Cheers!

 

[SoothingDave]

IS it correct to write "three breakfasts" (with ending "s")?

Sure. If I got up really early, I might have two breakfasts in one day.

 

[Barb_D]

I have never heard of that.

So it's also correct to say:
I have a bad news.
:?:

I would say:
I have some bad news.

Cheers!

Excellent counter example. Let me modify: It CAN SOMETIMES take an article, rather than always.

The point I wanted to make was that there is nothing special about "breakfast" in taking an article in this situation (a cooked breakfast, a fast breakfast), but that it works way with many (although as you have just shown, not all) uncountable nouns.

 

[vgv8]

Sure. If I got up really early, I might have two breakfasts in one day.

I hope we already returned to mundane countable breakfasts?
I hope:
"Two breakfasts are good for you"
but not
"Two breakfasts is good for you"?

I am just curious why cooked breakfats do not get their concreteness back?
Isn't it abstract notion of breakfast (when people do not eat but just think about possibilities of getting more than one breakfast and conditionals of having them) that is uncountable?

 

[lauralie2]

2. Is "breakfast" countable or uncountable?

Nouns can be count in one context and non-count in another:

• I have (a few) eggs on my table. <count>
• I have (a little bit of) egg on my tie. <non-count>

'Breakfast' can also be count in one context and non-count in another:

• I have eaten a few breakfasts in my time. <count>
• I had a little (bit of) breakfast this morning. <non-count>

In your example, you are dealing with a count-noun:

• a breakfast that is cooked
• a cooked breakfast

• a glass of water, please <'glass' is count>
• a water that is cold, please <'water' is count>
• a cold water, please <'water' is count>
• water that is cold, please <'water' is non-count>

• a bad news :cross: <non-count>
• a news that is bad :cross: <non-count>
• bad news :tick:
• news that is bad :tick:

 

[vgv8]

Nouns can be count in one context and non-count in another

Is "noncount" (instead of "non-count") also correct to write?
Are "non-count" and "uncountable" (nouns) both correct and equal in meaning?