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Michaelting Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Generalised statements

Now, I have been confused by generalised statements.

As an example,

Ambition is the desire for personal achievement.

Can it be,

a)Ambitions are desires for personal achievements.

b)An ambition is a desire for personal achievements.

2nd Example

Extracurricular activites provide students with the necessary exercise.

Can it be,

Extracurricular activity provides the students with the necessary exercises.

Extracurricular activities provide student with the necessary exercise.

Could you please tell me the differences along with the valid statements?
  

Top answer

I would use both ambition and achievement as uncountables: Ambition is a desire for personal achievement. Activity can also be used as an uncountable but if there are various activities, the plural is fine as well. Student is incorrect without an article, which means that your last example is wrong.

— Cool Breeze

  • I would use both ambition and achievement as uncountables: Ambition is a desire for personal achievement.
  • Activity can also be used as an uncountable but if there are various activities, the plural is fine as well.
  • Student is incorrect without an article, which means that your last example is wrong.
  • The is possible before students if a specific group of students is referred to.
  • In many situations no article is needed before exercise: Extracurricular activity provides students with necessary exercise.
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5 Answers
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I would use both ambition and achievement as uncountables: Ambition is a desire for personal achievement.

Activity can also be used as an uncountable but if there are various activities, the plural is fine as well. Student is incorrect without an article, which means that your last example is wrong. The is possible before students if a spec
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Thanks,

I would like to know

Is there a specific reason why you chose 'ambition' instead of 'ambitions'?

Does it just sound smoother or is it because its plural form is grammatically wrong?
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michaeltingDoes it just sound smoother or is it because its plural form is grammatically wrong?
Ambitions is possible in other contexts: He is man of many ambitions.

CB
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I still don't get it. My question is :

Do you have a specific reason for choosing something wiithout an article over something with an article?

e.g

A plan is a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something.

Plans are detailed proposals for doing or achieving something.

Plan is....(wrong)

Ambition is...(right)
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michaeltingDo you have a specific reason for choosing something wiithout an article over something with an article?
No. Speakers of English just have elected to use some words as uncountables and some others as countables. To make matters and life more interesting, some words can be used in both capacities. Language is not math with rules and reasons for every
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