Difference between news and information

[revazchik]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #70 "Chit Chat: In the train", question 3

Mrs Ashton: Well, that's good ..........

(a) information
(b) knowledge
(c) knowing
(d) news

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #70 "Chit Chat: In the train", answer 3

Mrs Ashton: Well, that's good news.

Correct answer: (d) news

Your answer was: incorrect
Mrs Ashton: Well, that's good information.
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what is the difference between news and informarion?

revazchik

[Alan]

Hi revazchik,

News is an account about what has recently happened as in a news programme on the tv or radio telling you what has happened in the world.

Information describes facts and details about a certain subject. When you go to a large store and you want to know where you can buy something, you go to the information desk to find out.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Adverbs

[Conchita]

Uncountable nouns are another small hurdle for English beginner sudents. Common mistakes are: ‘I would like an information’, ‘I heard a news’ or ‘we bought a furniture’, as they would say in their language.

This typical feature of English seems a bit strange at first and it may take some time to remember to use ‘a piece of’ when meaning just one article:

a piece of luggage/advice/furniture/information/news/clothing/writing/chalk/paper/work, etc.

[Saneta]

''Well, that's good news''.-Isn't it a mistake?. So why It shouldn't be: ''Well, that's a piece of good news''.

[Torsten]

Why would it be a mistake? You also say the following things:
- that's clear water
- that's good money
- that's good stuff

When you say 'that's good news' you don't refer to any specific piece of information but just to a situation as a whole.
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Saneta]

Mr Torsten, but ''that's'' = ''that is'', so ''is'' (from ''that is'') can be put before an uncountable nouns as: news, information, water, money? And after them we should write: news is...., information is....., water is...? and we shouldn't write: news are...money are.......?

[Torsten]

That's right. You say 'that's milk' not 'that are milk'. You ask "What is this?" Answer: That's milk/that's money/that's bread...
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary