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Aches

 


Typical mistake: I have gotten headache. 


Headache is a normal countable noun. 

Examples: 

I have got a headache. 

I often get headache. 


The other aches (toothache, earache, stomach-ache and back-ache) can be countable or uncountable. In British English, they are more common as uncountable nouns (without the indefinite article A/AN and with no plural). 

Examples: 

I have gotten toothache. 

I have had toothache a few times this week. 


In American English, particular attacks of pain are called a toothache, a stomachache, etc. Compare the following: 

Toothache is horrible. 

I have a toothache. 


When other parts of the body hurt in this way, we use the verb to ache. For example: My legs ache. 


Note that heartache is a literary word for romantic sorrow or depression. 





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