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How should i know which thing does the boy really need?



 
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usual vs. usually | Investigators vs invigilators
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How should i know which thing does the boy really need? Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:13 am  How should i know which thing does the boy really need?		  
English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #105 "Compound words with tooth", question 5

"Mum, can you please buy me a new ......... when you go the supermarket this afternoon?"

(a) toothpaste
(b) toothache
(c) toothbrush

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #105 "Compound words with tooth", answer 5

"Mum, can you please buy me a new toothbrush when you go the supermarket this afternoon?"

Correct answer: (c) toothbrush
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how should i know which thing does the boy really need?

chandra setiadji
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How should i know which thing does the boy really need? Sat Apr 29, 2006 11:19 am  How should i know which thing does the boy really need?		  
Additional explanation:

You can say 'a toothache', but you can't buy one. Toothaches cannot be bought and don't cost anything... until you have to pay a dentist to get rid of them. Wink

As for 'toothpaste': what you can buy is a tube of toothpaste. 'Tubes' are countable, toothpaste isn't.

The only possible (and logical !) answer here is 'toothbrush'.

EDIT(April 6, 2008):
There used to be an explanatory post before mine in this thread. I wonder where it went. Confused
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How should i know which thing does the boy really need? Sun Apr 06, 2008 21:22 pm  How should i know which thing does the boy really need?		  
good question
mantser
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How should i know which thing does the boy really need? Sun Apr 06, 2008 21:32 pm  How should i know which thing does the boy really need?		  
Hi Mantser

The only word that works both grammatically and logically in the context is 'toothbrush'. It's as simple as that. Wink
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How should i know which thing does the boy really need? Sun Apr 06, 2008 22:00 pm  How should i know which thing does the boy really need?		  
Yankee wrote:
As for 'toothpaste': what you can buy is a tube of toothpaste. 'Tubes' are countable, toothpaste isn't.

What beats me is why we can say "buy me a beer", but cannot say "buy me a toothpaste" Smile And I surmise that not long ago "beer" was uncountable too.
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How should i know which thing does the boy really need? Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:13 am  How should i know which thing does the boy really need?		  
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Pretty weird, huh? Go figure. Wink
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How should i know which thing does the boy really need? Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:03 am  How should i know which thing does the boy really need?		  
I'm afraid, the English language is unfigurautable, you have to feel it Wink
By the way, do you find the word "unfigurautable" sounding natural. I made it up (from un-figure-out-able)
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How should i know which thing does the boy really need? Tue Apr 08, 2008 16:12 pm  How should i know which thing does the boy really need?		  
Quote:
What beats me is why we can say "buy me a beer", but cannot say "buy me a toothpaste" And I surmise that not long ago "beer" was uncountable too.

I think 'Buy me a beer' is something made popular by drunk guys.

They were probably too drunk to worry about uncountable and countable nouns while asking for another beer. Laughing

And you can certainly wake up and say 'Buy me a toothpaste' if you are too hung over to give a damn about uncountable and countable nouns Laughing

Hope that clears the cloud of doubt that's been hanging over you. Laughing
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