Icadia Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
The difference in each pair of sentences
-I got some advice
-I got a piece of advice.
-there was lightning
-there was a flash of lightning.
-I heard some news.
-I heard one piece of news.
could you tell me the difference -if it exists - in the pairs of sentences? these sentence are from my book. all nouns above are uncountable nouns.
I guess each pair of sentences has a similar meaning, but if there is a subtle difference, let me know please.
I think each noun in the first sentences is used as an uncountable noun in itself, however the noun in the second sentences is used a little like a countable noun by the structure "OF" although they are still uncountable nouns.
am I thinking right?
-I got a piece of advice.
-there was lightning
-there was a flash of lightning.
-I heard some news.
-I heard one piece of news.
could you tell me the difference -if it exists - in the pairs of sentences? these sentence are from my book. all nouns above are uncountable nouns.
I guess each pair of sentences has a similar meaning, but if there is a subtle difference, let me know please.
I think each noun in the first sentences is used as an uncountable noun in itself, however the noun in the second sentences is used a little like a countable noun by the structure "OF" although they are still uncountable nouns.
am I thinking right?
Top answer
Your reasoning is correct . I got some advice-- it could be a lot -I got a piece of advice. -- one bit only -there was lightning -- maybe all night -there was a flash of lightning.
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Your reasoning is correct.
I got some advice-- it could be a lot
-I got a piece of advice. -- one bit only
-there was lightning -- maybe all night
-there was a flash of lightning. -- just one instantanous manifestation
-I heard some news. -- could be several items
-I heard one piece of news. -- One juicy it
Your reasoning is correct.
I got some advice-- it could be a lot
-I got a piece of advice. -- one bit only
-there was lightning -- maybe all night
-there was a flash of lightning. -- just one instantanous manifestation
-I heard some news. -- could be several items
-I heard one piece of news. -- One juicy it
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