"These information" or "this information"??

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Hugo_Lin

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Hi, teachers:

Question #1:

I know "information" is uncountable. But I've heard a lot of people say "these information" instead of "this information". I personally find "these information" more natural too. But I'm not a native speaker. Which one is the "legit" one?

Question#2:

I know "hair" is uncountable. But if a man is nearly bald, can I say:

"He has only three hairs on his head."

Question #3:

"tear" is also uncountable? (I'm less so sure). Can I say:

"Three tears seeped from her eyelashes"

Many thanks in advance.
 

Rover_KE

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I know information is uncountable. But I've heard a lot of people say "these info" instead of "this info". I personally find "these info" more natural too. But I'm not a native speaker. Which one is the "legit" one? This info(rmation).

Another question:

I know "hair" is uncountable. It's both countable and uncountable. But if a man is nearly bald, can I say:

"He has only three hairs on his head." Yes.


[STRIKE]Many thanks in advance.[/STRIKE] (Unnecessary)

Rover
 

Hugo_Lin

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Thanks, Rover. But there's a 3rd question:

"tear" is also uncountable? (I'm less so sure). Can I say:


"Three tears seeped from her eyelashes"

Many thanks in advance.(Unnecessary, I know. But I prefer to say it. ;) )
 

Barb_D

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Tears are countable.
 

BobK

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:up: (And making them countable in this sentence by specifying a small number has a particular implication that depends on the context: either she wasn't very upset (and put on a token display of only three tears), or she was trying very hard not to show any emotion (but three tears seeped out anyway).

When you said 'But I've heard a lot of people say "these info" instead of "this info"' you were referrring to a common mistake made by speakers of English as a second language. (There may be dialects where the 'mistake' has become recognized as acceptable - or even, dare I say, 'preferable'?. But those dialects don't include mainstream British or American English.)

b
 
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