Mauritius: What is the Difference between a 'Staircase' and a 'Flight of Stairs'?

Port Louis — Greetings and welcome once again to the British Council's English Language Clinic. If you have ever wondered what the difference between 'gone' and 'been' is or whether there are any words in the English language which rhyme with 'purple', this is your opportunity to ask.

This week's question involves two different types of noun. 'A staircase' is an example of a singular noun; in this case the word refers to the whole object. (A 'staircase' is always found inside a building, as opposed to outside.) 'A flight of stairs' is an example of a collective noun; it refers to a collection of something, in this case 'stairs'.

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