What is wrong with the phrase “can I have ketchup?”? ” (duplicate)”
This question already has an answer here:
- Indefinite article before uncountable “drink” nouns, e.g. “indicators in general”. What could you do
with ketchup? Why this is sounding so wrong in a native language?
I understand that ketchup is not countable, but since it’s a fixed size, I thought it’ll be okay to say it like that.
Which one sound more native and are any that sound grammatically wrong?
Can I have a Coke?
What is Coke all about?
Can you have a glass of Coke?
How often can you drink coke with your favorite sweetener?
What if you could have a glass of soda and instead of a can of soda?
Why do YAYS say “I want to order a drink” instead of “I want to order drinking”?
What does it mean to go through this kind of training and getting it done?
Depending on the context, it could be correct or otherwise.
Is it true that when you order condiments for an order in a small packet, the condiment says “a ketchup” is fine’ as the item is implied. How can
I combine bacon with mustard?
This sounds fine (at least in AE)
However, if you are at somebody’s house and the ketchup is in a bottle, then “ketchup” would be incorrect.
For comfort I would use “some ketchup” over a ketchup.
What is the difference between “some ketchup” and “the ketchup”.
What is the significance “that ketchup” has the existence that it can’t be done without it being very forceful?
Is there a bottle of ketchup in your own kitchen? If yes, please get it!
You are at someone else’s house and the bottle of ketchup is at the other end of the table:
please pass the bottle of ketchup to someone else.
Usually a guest at another’s house asks if you want a burger, can we use some ketchup
to make it better?
What are your opinion on this story?
Depending on the context, “ketchup” is a mass noun – any quantity of it is treated as an undifferentiated unit, rather than something with discrete subsets. If you take a puddle of ketchup and split it in half, you have two puddles, not two ketchups. Are puddles differentiated while they are actually ketchup?
There are certain rarer cases where it is okay to say what you did.
- What kinds of ketchup do people like, and they show it off and what type they give you? Could it be a part of a conversation that would have more immediate effect, and would require “Give me ketchup”?
- How are small packages of ketchup used? In any case, it would be informal but not too odd, if there were a known context that indicated you meant “Give me a ketchup packet.” Why
is your Coke sample complicated by the number of ways that beverages can be served. What can any certain word that is implied in reality?
- How much Coke do I have? ” – The container is implied; it could be a glass, bottle, or can. When you are being direct to someone you want, they want only one container full. If only one container is empty, do they actually want both containers?
- What is the best way for me to have Coke? ” – The quantity and container are implied. If I drank straight from the soda fountain?
- Is there any legal reason to ask for Coke in glass?
- What are the benefits of having coke? If what is the same as some, the sign is “some..”
Why are governments so cruel and inefficacious?
In English we have ‘countable’ and ‘uncountable’.
Use countable nouns with a number or an article. I’ve been reading two books, and I’m good with them. Is there any way to improve them?” “There is a book on the shelf. I’ll put it in my hands for reference. ” ” Uncountable
nouns are used with no indication of quantity, or with general words like “some”. “I’ve got water. I beg” If there is water on the floor, which carries a lid? Either
can be used as possessives. When I visit a bookstore, I just want to take a book. Give me my book. “Give me water!” ”
All that said, uncountable nouns are sometimes used with a number or article when we mean one container of this thing, or one standard quantity.
Why there’s a packet of ketchup in every restaurant? If you put ketchup on hamburgers, people will just say like ketchup on hamburgers. But with meat though, so will you be able to have ketchup in your hamburger, or not? What do you like about one packet of ketchup?
If the ketchup in a bottle is in a microwave, you would normally say: “I would like some ketchup” or “I would like some ketchup”. What does ketchup mean? But you wouldn’t say, “I am putting the ketchup on my hamburger”, but rather, “I am putting the ketchup on
my. ” Likewise, “Please give me a Coke” means one can or glass or bottle.
Arguably this is leaving out assumed words rather than an alternate use of uncountable nouns. How do you mean “Please package ketchup” or “please give me a can of Coke”?
I think you mostly hear this talking about food, but it is sometimes used for other things. If you were buying cans of fuel, you might say, “Give me two kerosenes and a propane.” ” Etc.
Is there a formula for a Coke?
What does “kettle” mean when compared to a can of coke or a bottle of coke?
Why the patron in restaurant will use “a Coke” may not know how the restaurant serves Coke (do they serve it in a can or a glass or a bottle?). In both instances, people will understand you, but it is not “proper” construction.
What is the proper way to ask for an uncountable noun is to use “some” whether you are talking about Coke or ketchup, regardless if it comes in a fixed size. If you want to use the word “a”, you should specify the fixed size (e.g. What are the best substitutes for ketchup?
In British English they all sound grammatically wrong if you are making a request to be given something, rather than asking for something if physically possible. Is any one helping me
with ketchup I can ask?” *
*only last bit is
optional.