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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > FOOD or FOODS?
FOOD or FOODS?
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Anneclaire
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FOOD or FOODS?
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Hi! I have a question:
My favourite FOODS are pasta, meat and pizza.
My favourite FOOD is pasta, meat and pizza.
My favourite FOODS are tomatoes and plums.
Are all the sentences correct?
Thanks for your help!
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3 May 2010
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potentina
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I think that only the second sentence is correct. In every sentence "Food" is uncountable and simply means food as a substance or material that you eat. While "Foods" is countable and means different types of food such as "baby foods" or "natural foods" that you can find in the market. Anyway let �s see others opinion. =)
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3 May 2010
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sulekra
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All the sentences sounds ok to me. I would generally only use foods when
talking about food groups though, but not a meal.
My favourite food
is tofu, beans and peanuts.
My favourite foods are tofu, beans and peanuts.
My favourite foods are legumes.
My favourite foods are dairy or fruits.
Food on it �s own is like a substance, which doesn �t change if you had
more of it - there was a lot of food.
There were lots of foods would suggest to me there were many
different types.
I �m looking forward to some other, better responses:)
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3 May 2010
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yelbey
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food is always singular I guess |
3 May 2010
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dturner
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I would use "foods" because it sounds right to my ears. As well, it gives the feeling that you are talking about all the foods you could possibly eat and these ones are your absolute favourites. My favourite foods are ...... may not be technically right, but this is what I would most likely say.
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4 May 2010
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yanogator
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I agree with dturner, and it seems that it is technically right.
"Food" can be uncountable, when talking about it collectively (as in sulekra �s example of "a lot of food"), but pasta, meat and pizza are individual foods, in which case it is countable and needs to be plural.
To go back to Anneclaire �s original question, I �d say that the first is right, the second is wrong, and the third is not quite the usual usage (at least in the US). We usually use "food" for something a little broader (like pasta, meat and pizza), rather than very specific things like tomatoes and plums. So her third sentence doesn �t seem to be wrong, but it sounds just a little unnatural. I �d be more likely to say, "My favorite things to eat are tomatoes and plums", or something like that.
I hope I haven �t added too much confusion to the mix.
Bruce
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4 May 2010
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Anneclaire
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Thanks a lot for your support!
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4 May 2010
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