These are watermelons here and those are melons over there.

[Soleil]

Hello! I’m confused about some fruits and vegetables. I’m not sure if they are countable or uncountable. For example: melon and watermelon. I say that I like melon and watermelon. But if I see some of them, can I say “These are watermelons here and those are melons over there.”?

Could you, please, also add to my list some fruits and vegetables that are uncountable: broccoli, garlic, cabbage, lettuce, corn, kiwifruit, …

 

[Tarheel]

Some things are either countable or uncountable depending on context. For example, "I'd like some of those melons."

 

[emsr2d2]

As long as you're looking at and indicating more than one of each, your sentence is fine. If you were looking at just one of each, you'd say "That's a watermelon and that one over there is a melon".

Please note that I have improved your thread title. Titles should be unique and relevant, and should include some/all of the words/phrases/sentences you're asking us to consider. The subject and any actual question should appear only in the main body of the post.

 

[Tdol]

Spinach

 

[Soleil]

As long as you're looking at and indicating more than one of each, your sentence is fine. If you were looking at just one of each, you'd say "That's a watermelon and that one over there is a melon".

Can I apply the same rule to the cabbage and lettuce or is it better to add the word “head”?

Which one is correct?
1. I see some heads of cabbage and lettuce.
2. I see some cabbages and lettuces.

 

[5jj]

1. I see some heads of cabbage and lettuce.
2. I see some cabbages and lettuces.

1. Nobody would say that.
2. You are not likely to need to say that very often, but it's correct.

 

[Soleil]

1. Nobody would say that.
2. You are not likely to need to say that very often, but it's correct.

In fact, I cannot understand if all these vegetables and fruits are uncountable nouns, why I can use them in the plural. When I see them, I can use the plural, and when I speak about them in general like “I love cabbage” I use them in the singular. Am I right to say that? I would like to get the rule.

 

[Tarheel]

Well, if you are talking about the fruits themselves you would most likely use the plural. (See below.)

I like

bananas, oranges, apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, strawberries, grapes, mangoes, ....

 

[Soleil]

Well, if you are talking about the fruits themselves you would most likely use the plural. (See below.)

I like

bananas, oranges, apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, strawberries, grapes, mangoes, ....

Yes, I know it... but what about watermelon, melon, cabbage, kiwifruit and other kinds of fruit and vegetables that are considered to be uncountable. Will you say: "I love watermelons."? It depends on what? Size? I try to understand if I can say "I see some watermelons over there.", why I cannot say "I love watermelons."

 

[5jj]

You can say "I love watermelons". However for fruits that are too big for one person to eat at one time, we generally use the uncountable form.

 

[Soleil]

You can say "I love watermelons". However for fruits that are too big for one person to eat at one time, wo generally use the uncountable form.

So, it's better to say "I love watermelon". If we take kiwifruit, even if it's small in size, we say "I love kiwifruit." because we added the word "fruit" which is an uncountable noun. And there is a list to remember such as spinach, corn, garlic... that we use only in the singular. Am I right?
One more question: which one would you prefer to say?
1. I love apples.
2. I love the apple. (I mean "the apple' as a kind of fruit. The apple is my favourite fruit.)

 

[Tarheel]

I would say I love apples. (Not really. I'm not that passionate about them.)

 

[Amigos4]

In fact, I cannot understand if all these vegetables and fruits are uncountable nouns, why I can use them in the plural. When I see them, I can use the plural, and when I speak about them in general like “I love cabbage” I use them in the singular. Am I right to say that? I would like to get the rule.

Can we all agree that there are too many rules in English?

 

[Rover_KE]

... can I say “These are watermelons here and those are melons over there”?

No. That's like saying 'These are greyhounds here and those are dogs over there'.

I'd say 'These are watermelons here and those are Galias/Ogens/honeydews/Cantaloupes/other varieties of melons over there'.

 

[5jj]

I don't agree. I think many of us think of watermelons as things completely different from melons such as honeydews.

 

[Soleil]

Can we all agree that there are too many rules in English?

I would say there are too many exceptions.

 

[Barque]

Which one is correct?
1. I see some heads of cabbage and lettuce.
2. I see some cabbages and lettuces.

They're both grammatical but you're more likely to hear "I see some cabbage and lettuce [over there/at the back/on those shelves]".

 

[emsr2d2]

... you're more likely to hear "I see some cabbage and lettuce [over there/at the back/on those shelves]".

Not in BrE, you're not. You're very likely to hear "I can see ...", but very few people would use the basic "I see".

 

[Barque]

Possibly. My emphasis was more on "cabbage and lettuce".

 

[emsr2d2]

And that's another thing you wouldn't hear in BrE. We'd say:
I can see some cabbages and lettuces over there.

We'd use the uncountable with things like recipe ingredients:
Add the shredded cabbage to the bowl and mix well.
Tear up lettuce and line the dish.