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For Life
2007.02.15(Review of 2003.12.24 edition)

It's magical what can happen in the oven when the right ingredients have been mixed in just the right proportions. What goes in is a pool of goop, but what comes out is a fluffy-light, melt-in-your-mouth wonder! Yes, everyone loves cake, but many people become confused when they have to talk about the AMOUNT of cake they eat or buy. That's where WordMaster comes in!

Today's Lesson
A CAKE vs. A PIECE OF CAKE
１台のケーキ vs. ケーキ１切れ

Explanation

  • A cake means a whole cake, which must be sliced before it is eaten.

    A piece of cake is a single slice of cake.

    Be Careful! Sometimes we just use the word cake in its uncountable form when we don't need to be specific about the amount.

    * See the 25 August 2003 WordMaster, “A LOAF OF BREAD vs. A PIECE OF BREAD”.
  • a cake は、大きなケーキ全体を意味します。食べるときに切り分けなければなりません。

    a piece of cake は、切り分けたケーキ一切れ、という意味です。

    注意：数や量を特定する必要のないときには、数えられない名詞として単に cake と言うことがあります。

    * 2003/8/25 の WordMaster “A LOAF OF BREAD vs. A PIECE OF BREAD” 参照

examples

  1. My daughter and I spent the afternoon baking a cake.
  2. My father always brings home a Christmas cake on the 24th of December. We usually slice it after dinner and eat it with ice cream.
  3. a: May I have another piece of cake? It's delicious.
    b: It must be. This'll be your third piece!
  4. a: Would you like some cake?
    b: Just a small piece, please.
  5. For dinner we had steak with baked potatoes, and cake for dessert.

英会話レッスン“Let them eat cake”, indeed!