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Question

Please tell me why an articl is needed or not needed for each of these.

1. Have a good four years. -- Is it wrong to say "Have good four years"?
2. It grows in the land vs. It grows in land.
3. It lives in the sea vs. It lives in sea.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

1. Have a good four years. -- Is it wrong to say "Have good four years"?
Yes. It is wrong. The concept is 'one period of four years'.

2. It grows in the land vs. It grows in land.
Neither of these makes sense to me without more context.
3. It lives in the sea vs. It lives in sea.
in the sea
sea is countable here so an article is required.
CJ

Mister Micawber · Answer

.
1. Have a good four years. -- Is it wrong to say "Have good four years"?- Wrong. 'A' is OK because you are talking about a kind of 4 years
2. It grows on the land vs. It grows on land -- Both OK
3. It lives in the sea -- Only this.

Cool Breeze · Answer

CalifJim3. It lives in the sea vs. It lives in sea.
in the sea
sea is countable here so an article is required.
CJ

The can be used with uncountable nouns, in fact it can be used with all nouns, so countability is not a factor here. In the sea is simply an idiomatic collocation. Sea is one of the many words that are often used with the. However, if the reference is to the life of sailors, no article is usually used: He spent most of his life at sea.

CB

CalifJim · Answer

Cool BreezeThe can be used with uncountable nouns, in fact it can be used with all nouns, so countability is not a factor here.

Whoops! That's true. Or is it? I wonder what I was thinking.
To my ear, in sea (without any article) makes sea uncountable, and my brain doesn't accept sea as uncountable, so I feel an article must be added. (Given that adding the doesn't change an uncountable to countable, I realize this is not logically the feeling I should have.) in water works for me, but not in sea, in ocean, in river, or in lake. As you point out, however, at sea should also give me the same feeling. In a way, I think it's at sea that is the idiomatic (or irregular) form which needs to be explained, not in the sea. Still in the sea and in the ocean are different from in the river and in the lake. With the first two I don't sense that the contributes the same degree of specificity as it does with the second two. Curious.

I welcome your further comments.
CJ

Cool Breeze · Answer

CalifJimI welcome your further comments.

I don't get e-mail notifications from most of my posts on this forum but I saw your response as I was browsing what is going on at the moment.

Please forgive me if I don't always respond to your questions. My e-mails have worked haphazardly after the face-lift in February.
I don't object to calling at sea idiomatic as well. Actually I agree with you. It's just that the is very often used with sea. Maybe it isn't a good idea to call in the sea idiomatic, though. However, what you have made a mistake with in my humble opinion is that the indefinite article isn't used with uncountable nouns. The defintite article (the) can be used with all nouns. Some examples:
The water in my glass is warm.
I read a book about the London of the 15th century.
But we do not of course say: There is a water in my glass.
CB

CalifJim · Answer

Cool BreezeHowever, what you have made a mistake with in my humble opinion is that the indefinite article isn't used with uncountable nouns. The defintite article (the) can be used with all nouns.

Yes, yes, yes.

I know that. Maybe I used the wrong words to express what I was trying to say. Maybe I should have said it as follows:

Only an uncountable noun can be used without an article (if it's singular).

The formulation in sea uses no article.
Therefore it treats sea as uncountable.
But I know for a fact that, on the contrary, sea is countable.
Therefore, in sea is wrong (because it contains a countable singular noun being used without an article).

___
The argument, I'll admit, doesn't specify which article (a or the) will fix what's wrong.
Does this explanation make it clearer what I was getting at?

(Thanks for responding. Sorry about the e-mail problem.
There should be a list on the right with your latest discussions, by the way. Maybe that will help. )
CJ

Cool Breeze · Answer

CalifJimDoes this explanation make it clearer what I was getting at?
(Thanks for responding. Sorry about the e-mail problem.
There should be a list on the right with your latest discussions, by the way. Maybe that will help. )

Veryclear! Thanks for the advice concerning my latest discussions. I actually knew about that list but I had forgotten all about it. This forum has such a lot of features!

CB

Anonymous · Answer

Here is a question on which I have been wracking my brain for some time now and finally decided to write in.

If we do not use an article before 'uncountable nouns and abstract nouns' why do we say

' Can you give me a lift to the nearest tube station'

'When can we go for a drive?'

Hope to get a prompt reply.

Thanks

Dhanya

Mister Micawber · Answer

.
Because both life and drive are countable nouns here.

I went on three drives last week, but gave hitchhikers only two lifts.

Anonymous · Answer

Cool BreezeHowever, what you have made a mistake with in my humble opinion is that the indefinite article isn't used with uncountable nouns.

Uncountable nouns ARE used with the indefinite article when the abstarct noun denotes a certain kind of quality, feeling, state, etc. Here are some examples for your "humble opinion'' consideration:

You have a cleverness quite of your own.

In her eyes was an eagerness, which could hardly be seen without delight.

There was an unusual warmth in his voice.

He spoke with an enthusiasm which inspired us all.

A pleasure to give a good wine to a young woman who looked so well.

Cheers, humble opinion, and greater success in learning English.

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