I have a coffee

[liliii]

Everyone says ''I have a coffee'' even though it is incorrect grammar? At what point does common usage make it correct?

 

[emsr2d2]

Everyone says "I have a coffee" even though it is incorrect grammar? At what point does common usage make it correct?

1. In what context do you hear "everyone" saying that sentence? I can only imagine someone saying that when they actually have a coffee in their hand or on the table in front of them. I don't know why they would say it though.
2. Why do you think "I have a coffee" is grammatically incorrect?

 

[Tarheel]

Q: Does everyone say "I have a coffee" even though it is incorrect grammar?
A: It's hard to imagine why anybody would say that. Nevertheless, I wouldn't say it is incorrect grammar.

There are any number of things people are unlikely to say even though they are grammatical sentences.

 

[Rover_KE]

Welcome to the forum, @liliii .

Are you really an English teacher?

 

[liliii]

I am not an English teacher. I was trying to change that on my settings.

''I have a coffee.''
shouldn't it be ''I have some coffee?''
or
''I have a cup of coffee?''

 

[Piscean]

''I have a coffee.''
''I have some coffee?''
''I have a cup of coffee?''

Each of them can be correct in the appropriate context, though most speakers of BrE would say I've got rather than I have these days.

 

[liliii]

I am asking about coffee as an uncountable noun. '' ......a coffee?'' How can this be correct? Coffee is uncountable. Yet I hear people saying ''a coffee'' in many contexts. So, does common usage make what is technically incorrect, correct?

 

[teechar]

The noun "coffee" can be countable, as in a drink/cup of coffee.

coffee

1. a dark brown powder with a strong flavour and smell that is made by crushing…

dictionary.cambridge.org

 

[liliii]

Yes, for example I have a drink of coffee in my hand. Or I bought a cup of coffee.

But I am asking about something different. People regularly say, '' a coffee''. For example, I had a coffee this morning. Or I grabbed a coffee on the way to work. This is common usage now. Does common usage make it correct?

 

[SoothingDave]

Once again, "coffee" can be both countable and uncountable.

When you stop off at a shop and get a cup of coffee, it is entirely normal to say you got "a coffee." It's discrete. Countable.

Just like "beer" is both. I can say "I had a bunch of beer." Or I can say "I had a bunch of beers." Because they come in discrete, countable units.

 

[Piscean]

But I am asking about something different. People regularly say, '' a coffee''. For example, I had a coffee this morning. Or I grabbed a coffee on the way to work.

That is correct and natural English. I have no idea why you think it's not,

 

[probus]

most speakers of BrE would say I've got rather than I have these days.

That goes for Canadian English too, and I believe for Americans as well, although I stand to be corrected on that point.

 

[emsr2d2]

I am not an English teacher. I was trying to change that on my settings.

You just need to get into your profile and change it there.

"I have a coffee."
Shouldn't it be "I have some coffee?" or "I have a cup of coffee?"

You need to find the quotation marks key on your keyboard. We don't make quotation marks by using two apostrophes.
Always start a sentence with a capital letter.

I am asking about coffee as an uncountable noun. "... a coffee?" How can this be correct? Coffee is uncountable no full stop here yet I hear people saying "a coffee" in many contexts. So, does common usage make what is technically incorrect, correct?

Note my corrections above. It's not technically incorrect.

Yes, for example "I have a drink of coffee in my hand" or "I bought a cup of coffee".

It's not natural to say "I have a drink of coffee in my hand". We'd say either "I have a coffee in my hand" or "I have a cup/mug of coffee in my hand".

But I am asking about something different. People regularly say, "a coffee". For example, "I had a coffee this morning" or "I grabbed a coffee on the way to work". This is common usage now. Does common usage make it correct?

It's already correct.

Don't start a sentence with "or". When you write two things with "or" between them, the "or" simply comes in the middle of the longer sentence.
Don't start a sentence with "But".

 

[liliii]

"Coffee remains an uncountable noun in a strict grammatical sense, but not in common parlance."

 

[Piscean]

"Coffee remains an uncountable noun in a strict grammatical sense, but not in common parlance."

The noun 'coffee' is uncountable in some senses but countable in others. 'In a strict grammatical sense' means little more here than 'in my uninformed opinion'.

 

[Rover_KE]

I am not an English teacher. I was trying to change that on my settings.

@liliii, click on your username at the top of the page and select ‘Account details’. Scroll down to ‘Member Type’ and tick ‘Student or Learner’.