"sleep" as countable

Position   Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:19 am GMT
Why do you use an article here if sleep is uncountable?

"At this point, he fell into a sleep, his hunger finally appeased."

"I went for a long sleep."
american nic   Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:29 am GMT
While sleep is generally a mass noun, it can be used to mean 'the time period of sleeping', but only singular, and with an indefinite article. So 'The seven sleeps of his over the past week were filled with dreams of her' would be incorrect, while 'He fell into a deep sleep' would be acceptable.
Viscount Frisby   Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:33 am GMT
Sleep is an uncountable in the plural ("sleeps" as a noun is impossible), but countable in the singular.

You can talk about a long sleep, a restless sleep, a dream-filled sleep, a healthy sleep, a heeling sleep etc...
Guest   Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:46 am GMT
<While sleep is generally a mass noun, it can be used to mean 'the time period of sleeping', but only singular, and with an indefinite article. So 'The seven sleeps of his over the past week were filled with dreams of her' would be incorrect, while 'He fell into a deep sleep' would be acceptable. >

What about in "The big "Sleep".