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Is it with or without the article and why?She has 'a' good taste.He has 'a' good personality.Thanks.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

AnonymousIs it with or without the article and why?

One is countable; the other one isn't. has a good personality; has good taste.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim AnonymousIs it with or without the article and why?One is countable; the other one isn't. has a good personality; has good taste.CJ

Thanks teacher. But why is 'has good taste' uncountable And the other countable?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousBut why is 'has good taste' uncountable And the other countable?

That's just how it is.

taste is an abstraction. to have good tastes is impossible in English. Different people have different personalities. You can count them.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim AnonymousBut why is 'has good taste' uncountable And the other countable?That's just how it is. taste is an abstraction. to have good tastes is impossible in English. Different people have different personalities. You can count them.CJ

Got it. Thanks for the explanation.

I saw a similar sentence with the article and the person on that website said in that case it is possible. Here it is:

she has a (good) taste for gaze music.

Should that sentence be the the article?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousShe has a (good) taste for gaze music.

I don't even know what that means! It certainly sounds wrong with "good" added.

Careful, though. If a word changes meaning, whether it's countable may change, too. And the other words that can go with it can also change.

1. She has good taste. Here taste means something like judgment. She has good judgment in matters of aesthetics, for example.
2. She has a taste for cheerful colors. Here taste means something like preference or tendency to like. She tends to like cheerful colors. Note a taste for ~ a preference for. The for is important here.

The meaning of taste is different in 1 and 2. In its meaning in 1 it's not countable; in 2 it's countable. In its meaning in 1 it can take 'good' as an adjective: good taste, good judgment. It its meaning in 2 it cannot take 'good'. Preferences and tendencies are not described as "good".

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimI don't even know what that means! It certainly sounds wrong with "good" added.

Oh sorry. I meant to write ‘jazz’, and not ‘gaze’. That’s funny and the consequence of not being native, I guess.

CalifJimCareful, though. If a word changes meaning, whether it's countable may change, too. And the other words that can go with it can also change.

I see. So depending on meaning, uncountable words can change to countable words. I will keep that in mind!!

CalifJim1. She has good taste. Here taste means something like judgment. She has good judgment in matters of aesthetics, for example.2. She has a taste for cheerful colors. Here taste means something like preference or tendency to like. She tends to like cheerful colors. Note a taste for ~ a preference for. The for is important here.

Thanks for the clarification.

CalifJimThe meaning of taste is different in 1 and 2. In its meaning in 1 it's not countable; in 2 it's countable. In its meaning in 1 it can take 'good' as an adjective: good taste, good judgment. It its meaning in 2 it cannot take 'good'. Preferences and tendencies are not described as "good".

I understand now. So in the sentence where I should have written ‘jazz’, the follow is correct, right?

She has a taste for jazz music.

And it cannot take “good” as you mentioned, right?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousSo in the sentence where I should have written ‘jazz’, the following is correct, right? She has a taste for jazz music. And it cannot take “good” as you mentioned, right?

Yes, yes.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimYes, yes.CJ

Great. I am glad I understand now. Thank you so much CJ for helping me understand this topic.

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