[Grammar] Countable and Uncountable Nouns

[Jaslyn]

"We get much of our food from plants. Here are some examples: rice, fruit, vegetables and nuts. We get other substances, such as wood and rubber, from trees"


Could anyone kindly advise why "fruit", in the above quote, is uncountable noun, but "vegetables" is countable noun?

Your kind advice will be greatly appreciated. :-D


Cheers,
Jaslyn

 

[teechar]

"Fruit" is mostly used in the singular as a mass noun.
"Vegetable" is never a mass noun; it's either singular or plural.

 

[GoesStation]

Many aspects of language defy explanation. One such aspect is that unlike "vegetable", "fruit" can be both a mass noun and a countable one.