We hv the word teacher representing a person. Why can't we hv cooker as a person too instead of cook
We have the word 'teacher' representing a person as a noun formed from the verb 'teach' and 'cooker' too from the word 'cook'. Why then can't we use 'cooker' for a person instead of saying 'a cook'?
10 answers from our tutors
Best answer
If the plural of “mouse” is “mice”, why is the plural of “house” not “hice” ?
A cooker has a different meaning. That's why. A cookER is a tool to cook in. So we have to rely on the word cook. It's interesting because you need the rest of the sentence to see if you're talking about a person or the action. I cook - that's an action: it tells that I am cooking. I am a cook - the "a" in the sentence now changes the meaning to be a person. I am saying I am A cook. It turns it into a noun.
In English we like to keep things short and sweet. To cook is the verb, a / the cook is the person who prepares and combines the ingredients of a meal and manages how the food is cooked, while a cooker is the device that actually cooks the food.
Check your English level for free
Take our quick and free test to find out your current level of English
Start testBecause the cooking appliance had it first. Kidding aside, that's how English is. You can't be too sure of what you know. Nothing is simple about English rules. And that's what makes it more fun to learn.
Why do you use hv? It is terrible English! Cooker has another meaning!
Because there are 3 ways of using the the word cook, a noun, a verb with an object and a verb without an object He is a cook, (n) He is preparing the food as per the menu (v used with an object To prepare food by applying heat (v) without and object)
- Marina
Some questions will always be left without a good answer =)
To add to this "the cook" can also refer to the food being cooked. But yes english being my first language, I have my own questions for. Lol. But a cooker is an oven of some sort. Compare it to another cooking item like a broiler or a smoker.
Cooker is a noun. It is an appliance that is used to cook.
because the English like shortness and also because a cooker already means an oven. Suffix -er is used to form both animate and inanimate nouns