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Is “bit of oil” countable or uncountable?
The Next CEO of Stack OverflowCountable and uncountable nounsCountable/uncountable “judgement” vs. “evidence”Listing differnet kinds of an uncoutable noun. Are they countable or uncountable?How to distinguish countable and uncountable senses?Money - Countable or Uncountable nounThe correct way of using the nouns that are both countable and uncountableHow to use a word when its meaning is both countable & uncountable?Why some countable nouns treated as uncountable?How to ‘guess’ if a noun is countable or uncountable?a … quantity of + plural countable nouns
If it is countable why do we say
a little bit of oil
and can I say the following?
a little quantity of seeds
idioms uncountable-nouns countable-nouns
migrated from english.stackexchange.com Mar 23 at 20:47
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
add a comment |
If it is countable why do we say
a little bit of oil
and can I say the following?
a little quantity of seeds
idioms uncountable-nouns countable-nouns
migrated from english.stackexchange.com Mar 23 at 20:47
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
A fistfull of dollars is hardly worth thinking about. A fistfull of hundred dollar bills is more worth your attention, however.
– Hot Licks
Mar 22 at 12:08
A little bit of oil would be about half a drop, I think.
– Nigel J
Mar 23 at 1:35
add a comment |
If it is countable why do we say
a little bit of oil
and can I say the following?
a little quantity of seeds
idioms uncountable-nouns countable-nouns
If it is countable why do we say
a little bit of oil
and can I say the following?
a little quantity of seeds
idioms uncountable-nouns countable-nouns
idioms uncountable-nouns countable-nouns
asked Mar 22 at 9:09
Nour389
migrated from english.stackexchange.com Mar 23 at 20:47
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
migrated from english.stackexchange.com Mar 23 at 20:47
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
A fistfull of dollars is hardly worth thinking about. A fistfull of hundred dollar bills is more worth your attention, however.
– Hot Licks
Mar 22 at 12:08
A little bit of oil would be about half a drop, I think.
– Nigel J
Mar 23 at 1:35
add a comment |
A fistfull of dollars is hardly worth thinking about. A fistfull of hundred dollar bills is more worth your attention, however.
– Hot Licks
Mar 22 at 12:08
A little bit of oil would be about half a drop, I think.
– Nigel J
Mar 23 at 1:35
A fistfull of dollars is hardly worth thinking about. A fistfull of hundred dollar bills is more worth your attention, however.
– Hot Licks
Mar 22 at 12:08
A fistfull of dollars is hardly worth thinking about. A fistfull of hundred dollar bills is more worth your attention, however.
– Hot Licks
Mar 22 at 12:08
A little bit of oil would be about half a drop, I think.
– Nigel J
Mar 23 at 1:35
A little bit of oil would be about half a drop, I think.
– Nigel J
Mar 23 at 1:35
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
Oil isn't countable when referring to a single type of oil, but it is countable when referring to different types of oil: if I rub two different kinds of oil into my skin, then I could say I have rubbed two different oils into my skin. Consider phrases like "Essential oils" for example.
Even with a single type of oil, the phrase "bits of oil" could be countable. It's countable if it has a plural - "You have some bits of oil on your shirt".
If one of those "bits of oil" was small, then you could say "You have a little bit of oil on your shirt".
It's worth noting that "You have some bits of oil on your shirt" could be replaced with "You have a bit of oil on your shirt", even if there was more than one patch of oil. "A bit" here means "some".
You can say "A little quantity of seeds", though I think "A small quantity" or "a small amount" would be more idiomatic. (Quantity in this sense is synonymous with "amount".)
answered Mar 22 at 9:59
Max WilliamsMax Williams
44823
add a comment |
The expression
a little bit
is a fixed phrase or if you prefer, an idiom, and can be used with any noun, countable or uncountable. It is the word bit which is countable
SINGULAR
- Here's a little bit of advice… (advice is normally uncountable)
- There's a little bit of apple left. (apple is normally countable)
PLURAL
- Here are some bits of advice
- There are some bits of apple on the plate
Therefore, a little bit of oil is grammatically sound, and breaks no rules.
To talk about a restricted quantity of a substance we might say
a small amount of sugar.
a small quantity of rice.
If we can literally count the thing being nominated then IMO "number" is preferable
a small number of eggs…
answered Mar 22 at 10:31
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
13.9k74078
2
Thank you so much
– Nour389
Mar 22 at 11:09
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Oil isn't countable when referring to a single type of oil, but it is countable when referring to different types of oil: if I rub two different kinds of oil into my skin, then I could say I have rubbed two different oils into my skin. Consider phrases like "Essential oils" for example.
Even with a single type of oil, the phrase "bits of oil" could be countable. It's countable if it has a plural - "You have some bits of oil on your shirt".
If one of those "bits of oil" was small, then you could say "You have a little bit of oil on your shirt".
It's worth noting that "You have some bits of oil on your shirt" could be replaced with "You have a bit of oil on your shirt", even if there was more than one patch of oil. "A bit" here means "some".
You can say "A little quantity of seeds", though I think "A small quantity" or "a small amount" would be more idiomatic. (Quantity in this sense is synonymous with "amount".)
answered Mar 22 at 9:59
Max WilliamsMax Williams
44823
add a comment |
Oil isn't countable when referring to a single type of oil, but it is countable when referring to different types of oil: if I rub two different kinds of oil into my skin, then I could say I have rubbed two different oils into my skin. Consider phrases like "Essential oils" for example.
Even with a single type of oil, the phrase "bits of oil" could be countable. It's countable if it has a plural - "You have some bits of oil on your shirt".
If one of those "bits of oil" was small, then you could say "You have a little bit of oil on your shirt".
It's worth noting that "You have some bits of oil on your shirt" could be replaced with "You have a bit of oil on your shirt", even if there was more than one patch of oil. "A bit" here means "some".
You can say "A little quantity of seeds", though I think "A small quantity" or "a small amount" would be more idiomatic. (Quantity in this sense is synonymous with "amount".)
answered Mar 22 at 9:59
Max WilliamsMax Williams
44823
add a comment |
Oil isn't countable when referring to a single type of oil, but it is countable when referring to different types of oil: if I rub two different kinds of oil into my skin, then I could say I have rubbed two different oils into my skin. Consider phrases like "Essential oils" for example.
Even with a single type of oil, the phrase "bits of oil" could be countable. It's countable if it has a plural - "You have some bits of oil on your shirt".
If one of those "bits of oil" was small, then you could say "You have a little bit of oil on your shirt".
It's worth noting that "You have some bits of oil on your shirt" could be replaced with "You have a bit of oil on your shirt", even if there was more than one patch of oil. "A bit" here means "some".
You can say "A little quantity of seeds", though I think "A small quantity" or "a small amount" would be more idiomatic. (Quantity in this sense is synonymous with "amount".)
answered Mar 22 at 9:59
Max WilliamsMax Williams
44823
Oil isn't countable when referring to a single type of oil, but it is countable when referring to different types of oil: if I rub two different kinds of oil into my skin, then I could say I have rubbed two different oils into my skin. Consider phrases like "Essential oils" for example.
Even with a single type of oil, the phrase "bits of oil" could be countable. It's countable if it has a plural - "You have some bits of oil on your shirt".
If one of those "bits of oil" was small, then you could say "You have a little bit of oil on your shirt".
It's worth noting that "You have some bits of oil on your shirt" could be replaced with "You have a bit of oil on your shirt", even if there was more than one patch of oil. "A bit" here means "some".
You can say "A little quantity of seeds", though I think "A small quantity" or "a small amount" would be more idiomatic. (Quantity in this sense is synonymous with "amount".)
answered Mar 22 at 9:59
Max WilliamsMax Williams
44823
answered Mar 22 at 9:59
Max WilliamsMax Williams
44823
answered Mar 22 at 9:59
Max WilliamsMax Williams
44823
answered Mar 22 at 9:59
Max WilliamsMax Williams
44823
44823
add a comment |
add a comment |
The expression
a little bit
is a fixed phrase or if you prefer, an idiom, and can be used with any noun, countable or uncountable. It is the word bit which is countable
SINGULAR
- Here's a little bit of advice… (advice is normally uncountable)
- There's a little bit of apple left. (apple is normally countable)
PLURAL
- Here are some bits of advice
- There are some bits of apple on the plate
Therefore, a little bit of oil is grammatically sound, and breaks no rules.
To talk about a restricted quantity of a substance we might say
a small amount of sugar.
a small quantity of rice.
If we can literally count the thing being nominated then IMO "number" is preferable
a small number of eggs…
answered Mar 22 at 10:31
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
13.9k74078
2
Thank you so much
– Nour389
Mar 22 at 11:09
add a comment |
The expression
a little bit
is a fixed phrase or if you prefer, an idiom, and can be used with any noun, countable or uncountable. It is the word bit which is countable
SINGULAR
- Here's a little bit of advice… (advice is normally uncountable)
- There's a little bit of apple left. (apple is normally countable)
PLURAL
- Here are some bits of advice
- There are some bits of apple on the plate
Therefore, a little bit of oil is grammatically sound, and breaks no rules.
To talk about a restricted quantity of a substance we might say
a small amount of sugar.
a small quantity of rice.
If we can literally count the thing being nominated then IMO "number" is preferable
a small number of eggs…
answered Mar 22 at 10:31
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
13.9k74078
2
Thank you so much
– Nour389
Mar 22 at 11:09
add a comment |
The expression
a little bit
is a fixed phrase or if you prefer, an idiom, and can be used with any noun, countable or uncountable. It is the word bit which is countable
SINGULAR
- Here's a little bit of advice… (advice is normally uncountable)
- There's a little bit of apple left. (apple is normally countable)
PLURAL
- Here are some bits of advice
- There are some bits of apple on the plate
Therefore, a little bit of oil is grammatically sound, and breaks no rules.
To talk about a restricted quantity of a substance we might say
a small amount of sugar.
a small quantity of rice.
If we can literally count the thing being nominated then IMO "number" is preferable
a small number of eggs…
answered Mar 22 at 10:31
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
13.9k74078
The expression
a little bit
is a fixed phrase or if you prefer, an idiom, and can be used with any noun, countable or uncountable. It is the word bit which is countable
SINGULAR
- Here's a little bit of advice… (advice is normally uncountable)
- There's a little bit of apple left. (apple is normally countable)
PLURAL
- Here are some bits of advice
- There are some bits of apple on the plate
Therefore, a little bit of oil is grammatically sound, and breaks no rules.
To talk about a restricted quantity of a substance we might say
a small amount of sugar.
a small quantity of rice.
If we can literally count the thing being nominated then IMO "number" is preferable
a small number of eggs…
answered Mar 22 at 10:31
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
13.9k74078
answered Mar 22 at 10:31
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
13.9k74078
answered Mar 22 at 10:31
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
13.9k74078
answered Mar 22 at 10:31
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
13.9k74078
13.9k74078
2
Thank you so much
– Nour389
Mar 22 at 11:09
add a comment |
2
Thank you so much
– Nour389
Mar 22 at 11:09
2
2
Thank you so much
– Nour389
Mar 22 at 11:09
Thank you so much
– Nour389
Mar 22 at 11:09
add a comment |
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A fistfull of dollars is hardly worth thinking about. A fistfull of hundred dollar bills is more worth your attention, however.
– Hot Licks
Mar 22 at 12:08
A little bit of oil would be about half a drop, I think.
– Nigel J
Mar 23 at 1:35