This is the content creation era. As days roll by, more people get involved in the adventure. As a result, the word ‘content’ seems to have become more recurrent than ever.
In the process, the way it is handled in some quarters is sub-standard, thus igniting questions on its grammatical character. For instance, is ‘content’ countable or otherwise when used as a noun? Which, between the following, is correct?
Sabinus has created a lot of content this year.
Sabinus has created a lot of contents this year.
Singular
Depending on contexts, ‘content’ can be singular (uncountable) and plural (countable). When it refers to the idea contained in a work of art like a speech, writing or film, it is singular and uncountable. Here is how Cambridge Dictionary puts it:
“Content as a singular noun is uncountable. It means the ideas that are contained in a piece of writing or a film or a speech:
his film has adult content; it is not suitable for children.
His speech was very flowery, but it lacked content and was quite superficial.
It is also uncountable when it means the amount of a particular substance contained in something:
The sugar content in the drink is low.
I shunned the wine because the alcoholic content is high.
Plural
‘Content’ is plural when it specifies the different elements or items inside a particular container, volume or space. In this situation, we can list the items or describe them individually. So, the contents are different from the singular ‘content’ that refers to the information, idea or message you have in a film, post or website. The reason is that the information in the latter film etc.) is not countable but regarded as a conceptual whole. Here are examples of ‘contents’ in a container:
He refused to disclose the contents of the bag.
She can carry the box because the contents are light.
Contents of a book
Another situation ‘content’ is plural has to do with books and other related publications in terms of the chapters or sections in them. Again, we rely on Cambridge which says the contents of a book is the list of chapters or articles or parts that are in it, with the number of the pages they begin on. In other words, we do not expect a writer or publisher to tag the page on which they list the subjects treated in a book as ‘Content’. Rather, it should be ‘Contents’:
Before I started reading the book, I first glanced through the contents.
Upon looking through the contents of the book, I found out that five chapters are dedicated to the Obasanjo regime.
In the above context, ‘contents’ is countable and should, therefore, be plural.
Sabinus’ content/contents
When ‘content’ refers to creative outputs, it is largely singular. After all, it is unlike the countable pieces in a box or space. So, assuming Sabinus the comedian has produced 50 skits this year, all of them are still his content, not contents:
Sabinus has created a lot of content this year.
Sabinus has created 50 skits this year. He wants to take the content to ‘DSTV’.
But is there a situation a content creator’s works can be pluralised? Some may argue that if the works cut across different genres or are of different types, the word can be pluralised. However, note that the singular form – ‘content’ –is still solidly suitable for the context. Most importantly, I advise you stick to the singular version especially in formal situations.
