A few drinks - countable nouns

[mari]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #56 "Chit Chat: In the Aeroplane", question 5

Linda: I had a ......... drinks before I came on board and that hasn't helped.

(a) lot
(b) few
(c) little
(d) many

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #56 "Chit Chat: In the Aeroplane", answer 5

Linda: I had a few drinks before I came on board and that hasn't helped.

Correct answer: (b) few

Your answer was: incorrect
Linda: I had a little drinks before I came on board and that hasn't helped.
_________________________

why few?drinks is uncountable.and we use few with countable.

mari

[Comenius]

Actually, drinks is a countable noun.

Examples:

I had two drinks last night.

He had too many drinks last night.

They only had a few drinks last night.

Hope this helps,

-David

[Dina27]

Hi, :-)

In this sentence drinks means gulps of smth.?

Dina

[Beeesneees]

Hi Dina,

'drinks' means glasses of something.

Please avoid using 'smth' as an abbreviation of 'something'. You will find more details regarding the reason for this request in the forum introduction here.
_________________
Cheers m' dears!

[Gilson]

Following this same subject, I would add the following question:"Have some coffe" or "drink some coffe/water" Is it supposed to be the same?? I mean,could I just say: "Drink a few coffe/water as well?

[Mordant]

Hi, Gilson.

The word is spelled "coffee."

Unfortunately, the examples you've chosen are not black and white.

If you are referring to coffee generally, "few" is incorrect. If you perceive you are referring to cups of coffee, "coffee" can be countable.

I bought two coffees.
I bought us a few coffees.

The same is true of water.

Please go into the store and buy us a few waters.

You are especially likely to encounter these as countable in informal speech and writing, where "cups of" or "bottles of" are often implied.

[Gilson]

Thanks for the explanations and examples!!*Coffee*...thanks for the correction as well (*_*)

[Lourdes]

Hi Comenius:
Why I cann't say: a lot drinks, I mean it can be "a lot" or "a few" it depends how do you understand the sentence. Please explain me. thank you.

[Torsten]

Hi Lourdes, of course you can say 'a lot of drinks' which means 'a large amount of drinks' (many drinks).
You can also say 'a few drinks' which means 'not many drinks'.

Basically, a lot of drinks is the opposite of 'a few drinks'.

TOEIC listening, question-response: Where is the nearest ATM machine?

[Lourdes]

Hi Torsten:

Thank you, I understood the difference between both.

[Torsten]

You're welcome.

TOEIC listening, photographs: Going for a walk

[Lili6]

drinks are countable?

[Beeesneees]

They are if they come in separate glasses.
It's like
"Do you want a tea or a coffee?" Which actually means 'do you want a cup of tea or a cup of coffee."

Would you like a drink? actually means would you like a glass (or other container) of a drink." - it's just that the specific drink isn't mentioned.

People talk about 'buying a round of drinks', for example.
_________________
Cheers m' dears!