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#2 (permalink) Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:52 am command: countable or uncountable? |
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| I'm not sure but I think that 'S' stands for 'singular.' |
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Klpno I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 17 Jun 2007 Posts: 485
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#3 (permalink) Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:55 am command: countable or uncountable? |
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Then why do S(singular) and U(uncountable) stand in line like they are mutually exclusive? Is it because "command" can be either countable singular or uncountable... If so, I'd be grateful if someone gave me an example where "command" is uncountable... That's a mystery to me ... |
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Lost_Soul I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 1861 Location: South Park, Colorado, USA
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#4 (permalink) Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:02 am command: countable or uncountable? |
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Alex, I just looked this word up in the Oxford Advanced Learner's dictionary:
KNOWLEDGE 5 [U, sing.] ~ (of sth) your knowledge of sth; your ability to do or use sth, especially a language: Applicants will be expected to have (a) good command of English. |
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Klpno I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 17 Jun 2007 Posts: 485
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#5 (permalink) Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:15 am command: countable or uncountable? |
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| KLPNO wrote: |
Alex, I just looked this word up in the Oxford Advanced Learner's dictionary:
KNOWLEDGE 5 [U, sing.] ~ (of sth) your knowledge of sth; your ability to do or use sth, especially a language: Applicants will be expected to have (a) good command of English. |
I think that this word can be either singular or uncountable. If it's used as uncountable, there's no (zero) article before it. If it's used as singular there is an article before it. |
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Klpno I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 17 Jun 2007 Posts: 485
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#6 (permalink) Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:18 am command: countable or uncountable? |
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Hi, KLPNO
Thank you, you did a good research job ! :)
But I'd like to ask native English speakers if these 2 sentences sound equally good:
1. He has good command of English 2. He has a good command of English
Thanks ! |
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Lost_Soul I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 1861 Location: South Park, Colorado, USA
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#7 (permalink) Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:36 am command: countable or uncountable? |
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| lost_soul wrote: |
Hi, KLPNO
Thank you, you did a good research job ! :)
But I'd like to ask native English speakers if these 2 sentences sound equally good:
1. He has good command of English 2. He has a good command of English
Thanks ! |
Hi Alex...
Believe yourself...."He has a good command of English"...is what I usually hear of... _________________ Nicholas |
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Nicholas I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 08 Aug 2007 Posts: 181 Location: Somewhere on the earth
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#8 (permalink) Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:57 am command: countable or uncountable? |
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. I think they're both OK, with the countable version much more prevalent. The uncountable, I think, appears more often in some collocations, like 'in command of' and 'have command'. . _________________ Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's |
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Mister Micawber Language Coach
Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 13015
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#9 (permalink) Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:15 pm command: countable or uncountable? |
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Thank you !
I have no more questions. The prosecution rests. |
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Lost_Soul I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 1861 Location: South Park, Colorado, USA
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| deceptive vs. deceitful/tricky/fraudulent | the meaing of the word 'chime' |