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Magic79 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
(knoweldge vs.a knowledge) (breakfast vs. a breakfast)
Hi,
With countable nouns we use a/an, but with uncountable nouns we use nothing or THE. Examples:
countable nouns
- a book (one book)
- an apple (one apple)
uncountable nouns:
- knowledge or the knowledge
- information or the information
but sometimes I see what looks like an exception to the rule above. Examples:
- I had breakfast this morning.
- I had a good breakfast this morning.
- He will have good knowledge of print papers.
- He has a good knowledge of grammar.
- police detectives had good knowledge of these groups
So why would we have to use the article "a" with uncountable nouns here? This is baffling.
With countable nouns we use a/an, but with uncountable nouns we use nothing or THE. Examples:
countable nouns
- a book (one book)
- an apple (one apple)
uncountable nouns:
- knowledge or the knowledge
- information or the information
but sometimes I see what looks like an exception to the rule above. Examples:
- I had breakfast this morning.
- I had a good breakfast this morning.
- He will have good knowledge of print papers.
- He has a good knowledge of grammar.
- police detectives had good knowledge of these groups
So why would we have to use the article "a" with uncountable nouns here? This is baffling.
Top answer
The indefinite article is often brought on by an adjective : I had lunch. / I had an early lunch. Birds were flying in the sky.
- The indefinite article is often brought on by an adjective : I had lunch.
- / I had an early lunch.
- Birds were flying in the sky.
- / Birds were flying in a blue sky.
- A is usually used with knowledge for the same reason, especially when the reference is to knowledge that has been purposely acquired through studying or similar methods: He has a good knowledge of history.
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1 Answers
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The indefinite article is often brought on by an adjective:
I had lunch. / I had an early lunch.
Birds were flying in the sky. / Birds were flying in a blue sky.
A is usually used with knowledge for the same reason, especially when the reference is to knowle
I had lunch. / I had an early lunch.
Birds were flying in the sky. / Birds were flying in a blue sky.
A is usually used with knowledge for the same reason, especially when the reference is to knowle
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