any theory on this?

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Hi,I used the 2nd sentence to post a question here in this forum in the past, I think, but I want to use it again to ask this question.1. I received education. (Not very refined, I think, but still no fault in terms of its grammar)2. I received English education.Here, the phrase English education means the education in the English language, I think, and the word 'education' is uncountable.Next, I will add another adjective to the phrase and make it "great English education."3. I received a great education. See, I started with the word 'education' and add each adjective successively and notice that when I added 'English' nothing happens in terms of  the  article attachment, but when I add 'great', the need to add the article 'a' arises.See, when I added 'education' , no need arose, but when I added 'great', the need surfaced.Q1: Why when I added 'English' no need for an article but when I added 'great', there is a need  for the article 'a'? How are they characteristically different in terms of their nature and  effects on the word 'education'?  Q2: Should I just take it as the normal workings of things as they are and accept them as they are without trying to understand by rules (?)? Is it just that when you have a typical (?) variable noun, adding an adjective, particularily those that of descriptive kinds like 'great', will usually create the need for an article like 'a"?     Q3: Any suggestions/help in this regard?   c

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I used the 2nd sentence to post a question here in this forum in the past, I think, but I want to use it again to ask this question.

1. I received education. (Not very refined, I think, but still no fault in terms of its grammar)

2. I received English education.

Here, the phrase English education means the education in the English language, I think, That depends on the context. Personally, I received English education, meaning that I was educated in England.

and the word 'education' is uncountable.

Next, I will add another adjective to the phrase and make it "great English education."

3. I received a great education.

See, I started with the word 'education' and add each adjective successively and notice that when I added 'English' nothing happens in terms of the article attachment, but when I add 'great', the need to add the article 'a' arises. I wouldn't say you absolutely have to add the article.

See, when I added 'education' , no need arose, but when I added 'great', the need surfaced.

Q1: Why when I added 'English' no need for an article but when I added 'great', there is a need for the article 'a'? How are they characteristically different in terms of their nature and effects on the word 'education'?

Q2: Should I just take it as the normal workings of things as they are and accept them as they are without trying to understand by rules (?)? Is it just that when you have a typical (?) variable noun, adding an adjective, particularily those that of descriptive kinds like 'great', will usually create the need for an article like 'a"?

Q3: Any suggestions/help in this regard?I think you need to be careful not to over-analyze things like this. If you speak and read a lot of English, and then come back to this topic in a year, you might find that you look at it differently.

Best wishes, Clive

Goodman · Answer

These are not questions that can be answered easily. With each word being added to the existing context, it changes the meaning, as well as the tone.

John received his education in . = He went to school or perhaps university there but it didn’t indicate whether he finished and graduated with a degree.

John received his education in [with a graduated degree in chemical engineering] = He went to for school and graduated from university with a chemical engineering degree.

I just received my pilot license = he recently got the license to fly an airplane.

I received my pilot training in = He learned how to fly in

Regarding the article question, consider the following:

“Education is the key to a good paying job” - General statement and it’s correct.

“A good education can be the difference between doing labor work and telling people to do the labor work”. Here an article [A] is needed because it refers to a difference which is [a good education].

I don’t know how much if this is useful to you.

any theory on this?

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