"Content" "contents"

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.

CPE Use of English lists "content" and "contents" in the words that have different meanings. But which meaning are they talking about? The only singular form is given in #4.
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/content1?q=Content

 

[Rachel Adams]

#3 looks at the uncountable form.

Do you have a sentence in which you wish to use 'content/contents' and are not sure which form to use?

No. The dictionary's examples are very helpful. Is it the difference they are talking about? Between 3, 4 and 5 and the first two meanings?

 

[Rachel Adams]

What do you think, Rachel?

The first two definitions in that dictionary deal with the plural form, the next three with the singular/uncountable form, Are there differences in the meanings given? Could these be what your book is talking about?

There is a difference between "the content of her speech" and "the book's contents" or "the letter's contents". So yes,I think that's what the book is talking about.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

In those examples, content and contents both work and mean the same thing.

There might be subtleties I don't appreciate. For instance, singular might imply the text as a whole while plural implies its many parts. But since the whole is the sum of the parts, it adds up to the same thing either way.

And I suspect that different people will have different opinions about which is better in each sentence.

Maybe someone who knows grammar rules can tell you more.

 

[Rachel Adams]

In those examples, content and contents both work and mean the same thing.

There might be subtleties I don't appreciate. For instance, singular might imply the text as a whole while plural implies its many parts. But since the whole is the sum of the parts, it adds up to the same thing either way.

And I suspect that different people will have different opinions about which is better in each sentence.

Maybe someone who knows grammar rules can tell you more.

I don't understand the difference. The contents of a book and the content of someone's speech both refer to what something consists of. Yes, I hope I will get a detailed explanation.

 

[Tdol]

What's the CPE question?

 

[Rachel Adams]

What's the CPE question?

There are no questions. It just lists the words that change their meaning in the plural