desert/deserts

[diamondcutter]

Russia is a very beautiful country. It has huge forests, vast grasslands, mountains, lakes, and even desert.

(from a reading book by International Language Teaching Services Ltd.)

I wonder if it’s better to use the plural form of ‘desert’ to keep consistent with forests, vast grasslands, mountains and lakes.

 

[GoesStation]

It should say "a desert" or, if there's more than one, "deserts".

 

[Yankee]

"Desert" is OK as referring to a general, non-specific area.

 

[Phaedrus]

"Desert" is OK as referring to a general, non-specific area.

Another option for this meaning is to use "desert land," in which phrase the noncount noun is "land" and "desert" functions as an attributive noun.

I should sooner say that Russia has deserts or that Russia has desert land than that Russia has desert.

 

[tedmc]

I would say "deserts", for consistency with the other landscapes.

 

[emsr2d2]

I would say "deserts", for consistency with the other landscapes.

So would I. It would have helped if the various landscapes/landforms had been reordered so that those that can be used in the general singular were together (whether singular or plural).

It has mountains, lakes, forest, grassland and desert.
It has mountains, lakes, forests, grasslands and deserts.

 

[Tdol]

Wikipedia only lists one desert. If this is the case, then even a desert would work for me.

 

[Phaedrus]

Does England have desert?

 

[emsr2d2]

Does England have desert?

Yes, one.

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/articles/discover-dungeness-britains-only-desert/

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

"Desert" is OK as referring to a general, non-specific area.

True enough! But I'd only do that if forest and grassland were singular, too. Otherwise, having just desert be singular would look out-of-place.

 

[emsr2d2]

True enough! But I'd only do that if forest and grassland were singular, too. Otherwise, having just desert be singular would look out-of-place.

See my examples in post #6.