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URL: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/consumer-consumers.1654979/

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consumer / consumers

Thank you, e2efour.
What about "a consumer"?
Thank you, e2efour.
What about "a consumer"?
No, that wouldn't work. Clearly, the meaning in the original sentence is "consumers, collectively", but that is not the meaning of "a consumer". I agree with e2efour's suggestions.
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Thank you, sound shift.
Well, I am not going to argue with native-speakers, of course, but I have come across a lot of cases when a singular noun that is count is used collectively without any article. I will give some examples:

"Smoking can cause heart disease"
"Excercise is important to feel fit"
"Computer has become extremely necessary to man"

I think the same is with "consumer". Definitely, "consumers" cannot be questioned, but I think "consumer" is also OK. Probably "the consumer" will also work.
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First of all, sorry for the typo in post 6, I have corrected it now.

Why is it wrong? What is the difference (from the grammar point of view) between this sentence and those which I have listed. Why cannot "consumer" be used collectively here? Maybe to make it clear you could post similar examples illustrating to us the difference. Thanks!!!
Exercise is used as either a count or non-count noun.
Smoking is a non-count noun.
Consumer is always a count noun.
Computer is always a count noun.
Exercise is used as either a count or non-count noun.
Smoking is a non-count noun.
Consumer is only a count noun.
Computer is only a count noun.

I was takling not about "smoking" but about "heart disease". "Disease" is 100% countable, but omitting an article is possible here. Yes, I agree that "consumer" and "computer" are countable. How else? But why cannot I use "consumer" like I have used "computer"? I still have not found or realized an answer to my question. Thanks!!!
"Smoking can cause heart disease." Running can cause fatigue. Heart disease is countable and uncountable. It would also be correct to say, "Smoking can cause heart diseases."
"Excercise is important to feel fit." 👁 Tick :tick:

"Computer has become extremely necessary to man." This is not idiomatic English. It is incorrect.
Probably "the consumer" will also work. 👁 Tick :tick:
Sorry, your third sentence does not work. As panj says, computer is always coutable.

No, it's not: it's sometimes countable, sometimes uncountable.

"Disease" is also countable, but we use it without any article!!! The sentence with "computer" has been taken from a Collins grammar book. One more example from a Collins dictionary: "The car was designed by computer for the driver of the 1990s". Again no article before "computer"!!! Maybe this subject is vague and disputable even among native-speakers and linguists!!!
"By computer" is an adverbial phrase, just like "by hand". You cannot extrapolate anything from that. You may send a message by pony express or by carrier pigeon.

Would you draw conclusions about the countability of the nouns from those phrases?
I hope not.


"Disease" is also countable, but we use it without any article!!!
Which of the diseases are you talking about?

Disease is a leading cause of death among users of Collins grammar books.

Yes, disease is sometimes used with an article, and sometimes it is used without an article.
I was takling not about "smoking" but about "heart disease". "Disease" is 100% countable, but omitting an article is possible here. Yes, I agree that "consumer" and "computer" are countable. How else? But why cannot I use "consumer" like I have used "computer"? I still have not found or realized an answer to my question. Thanks!!!
Your sentence with "computer" is not correct, no matter where you found it.

"Disease" is also countable, but we use it without any article!!! The sentence with "computer" has been taken from a Collins grammar book. One more example from a Collins dictionary: "The car was designed by computer for the driver of the 1990s". Again no article before "computer"!!! Maybe this subject is vague and disputable even among native-speakers and linguists!!!
Disease is both count and non-count.

Your second example "... by computer" is quite different.
I can travel by car or by bus, that does not mean that I can use car and bus as non-count nouns or that I can say "Car is a popular means of transport."

No vagueness. No dispute.

(Adverbial phrase ... I know it was something, but couldn't put a name to it 👁 Smile :)
)
OK, let us try to do the following. Let us investigate another problem: how can one recognize those nouns that can be both count and uncount? "Disease" is one of them. How can I find the other? I would be very disappointed to know that no practical rule exists 👁 Smile :)
.

Finally, one more thing to specify: if a noun can be both, are we allowed to use it without any article?
"The car was designed by computer for the driver of the 1990s

Computer is not the issue in this particular construction.

"Hand" is countable, but you could also say "designed by hand," for example. The issue is the way the object of the preposition is used, which is different than that which you attribute to Collins.

Examples:

"Starry Night" was painted by hand.
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" (Robert Frost poem)
"My double entendre was by design."
"Aspirin is a medicine taken by mouth."

The construction is not disputable.
Yes, I have now undertood it all (regarding "by computer", "by hand", "by bus", etc.). Anyway, how can I recognize those nouns that can be both count and uncount (like "disease")? If a noun can be both, are we allowed to use it without any article?
OK, let us try to do the following. Let us investigate another problem: how can one recognize those nouns that can be both count and uncount? "Disease" is one of them. How can I find the other? I would be very disappointed to know that no practical rule exists 👁 Smile :)
.
There is no rule that I am aware of.
Some dictionaries identify clearly whether a noun is count, non-count, or both.
Finally, one more thing to specify: if a noun can be both, are we allowed to use it without any article?
Yes, but only when the context permits it to be a non-count noun.
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