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Cardamom Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
article before noncount nouns
A student asked me this:
"I found the follow information in red about the indefinite article "a" in Oxfored Advanced Learner's Dictionary:
"used before uncountable nouns when these have an adjective in front of them, or phrase following them. For example:
* a good knowledge of French
* a sadness that won't go away"
He wants to know if it is always true. I can think of when it would not be true (I want a sweet water) unless we change the meaning. So would it be fair to say that the article is used only before a noncount noun if it is changed to a quantifiable meaning or if it is an abstract noncount noun with an adjective in front of it?
"I found the follow information in red about the indefinite article "a" in Oxfored Advanced Learner's Dictionary:
"used before uncountable nouns when these have an adjective in front of them, or phrase following them. For example:
* a good knowledge of French
* a sadness that won't go away"
He wants to know if it is always true. I can think of when it would not be true (I want a sweet water) unless we change the meaning. So would it be fair to say that the article is used only before a noncount noun if it is changed to a quantifiable meaning or if it is an abstract noncount noun with an adjective in front of it?
Top answer
cardamom So would it be fair to say that the article is used only before a noncount noun if it is changed to a quantifiable meaning or if it is an abstract noncount noun with an adjective in front of it? I think so, but it is difficult to come up with any ironclad rule. All rules seem to have a breaking point or two.
- cardamom So would it be fair to say that the article is used only before a noncount noun if it is changed to a quantifiable meaning or if it is an abstract noncount noun with an adjective in front of it?
- I think so, but it is difficult to come up with any ironclad rule.
- All rules seem to have a breaking point or two.
- For example: We had a good experience there.
- There was an air of suspense in the hall.
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4 Answers
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cardamomSo would it be fair to say that the article is used only before a noncount noun if it is changed to a quantifiable meaning or if it is an abstract noncount noun with an adjective in front of it?I think so, but it is difficult to come up with any ironclad rule. All rules seem to have a breaking point or two.
For example:
We had a go
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cardamom So would it be fair to say that the article is used only before a noncount noun if it is changed to a quantifiable meaning or if it is an abstract noncount noun with an adjective in front of it?There are different degrees of abstractness, and opinions may vary as to what is a quantifiable noncount noun, so it's hard to call this a very useful "rule".
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CalifJimYou can't put 'a' in front of these.or these:
heavy luggage / baggage
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