a toast or a piece of toast

[Yourjones]

Hello,

I never have really understand what is a (piece) of toast. Is this "a toast cut into 3 slices", or are these "3 toasts"?

Second question is if "toast" is countable at all.

Thanks a lot.

 

[emsr2d2]

That is a picture of three slices of bread. If you toast them, they will be three slices of toast. "Toast" itself is not countable. "Slices of toast" are.

I am going to have toast for breakfast. (We have no idea how many slices.)
I am going to have some toast for breakfast. (We have no idea how many slices.)
I am going to have a couple of slices of toast for breakfast. (Now we know how many slices.)
I'll just have one slice of toast please. (We know how many slices.)

Note that you should have started your post with "I have never really understood what a piece of toast is.

 

[Yourjones]

Thank you so much for your speedy help! Now I understand it's not a countable word, and it is called "toast" only when it's baken. Thanks again.

 

[Roman55]

I am not a teacher.

The French, who already had a perfectly good word (in fact two words) for toast, couldn't help themselves from borrowing the word from the English and then proceeded to turn it into a countable noun. I just had 'deux toasts' for breakfast.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you so much for your speedy help! Now I understand it's not a countable word, and it is called "toast" only when it's [STRIKE]baken[/STRIKE] baked. Thanks again.

Note that we don't "bake" it, we "toast" it. "To toast" is a verb.

I'm toasting some bread.
I'm making some toast.
(Those two sentences basically mean the same thing.)

Note that it's possible to toast other things. We frequently toast spices and nuts by putting them in a frying pan with no oil and putting them over a medium heat for a short period. Some people call that "dry-frying" but most recipes I have say "First, toast your spices until they are golden-brown".

Also note that the simple past of "bake" is "baked", not "baken".