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Nayeem19 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

A sterling service or just sterling service

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00 I don't know when to put an article before " sterling " . My question is , why shouldn't I put an " a " before " ..done sterling service " in the 3rd sentece . Look at the following sentences : 02br
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001 . You've done a sterling job . 02br
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002 . Everyone has made a sterling effort . 02br
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003 . This old television has done sterling service but it doesn't work very well anymore . 02br
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00sterling ( adjective ) = of a very high standard , admirable . 0-
  

Top answer

0This has nothing to do with 'sterling', of course, but with the nature of the noun. 'Job' is countable and singular; 'effort' is here used as a countable singular'; and 'service' is here used as a noncount noun. 0-

— Mister Micawber

  • 0This has nothing to do with 'sterling', of course, but with the nature of the noun.
  • 'Job' is countable and singular; 'effort' is here used as a countable singular'; and 'service' is here used as a noncount noun.
  • 0-
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4 Answers
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0This has nothing to do with 'sterling', of course, but with the nature of the noun. 'Job' is countable and singular; 'effort' is here used as a countable singular'; and 'service' is here used as a noncount noun. 0-
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0we can not generally count an " effort ' . So , does that mean these two sentences are both right : 02br
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001 . Everyone has made sterling effort ( using effort as an uncountable noun ) and 02br
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002 . Everyone has made a sterling effort ( using effort as a countable noun ) . 02br
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00The same thing appllies for the last
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0'Effort' and 'service' can equally be countable or uncountable, Nayeem-- but it depends on the use and the context as to which may be appropriate. 02br
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00In the first set we have people making a described kind of effort (a sterling effort), so the countable noun is called for. 02br
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00In the second set, televisions do not 'do a service'; they 'se
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0That's exactly what I was thinking . Thank you . 0-
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