The relationship between the article 'a' and a plural noun

Question

Hi.I'm learning English in Korea nowand I happened to see these two sentences below.1) Another 30 percent say they have more than a hundred texts a day that they send. 2) A good 777 opinions have been sent in on that.They are both from CNN Student News, June 4th.My question is why is there 'a' in front of a plural noun?Just like in 'a hundred texts' and 'A good 777 opinions'

Avangi · Accepted Answer

1) Another 30 percent say they have more than a hundred texts a day that they send.
2) A good 777 opinions have been sent in on that.

Words like "hundred" and "dozen" are singular.

Hundreds of texts and dozens of eggs don't take the article.

More than two hundred texts and more than two dozen eggs don't take the article.

(Not a very good explanation, I'm afraid.)

The second one is worse: you need the article when a modifier precedes the number.

A mere 25 people showed up for the concert.

A terrified 16 people were held hostage.

Don't ask me why.

CalifJim · Answer

In 1 a = one. more than one hundred texts. a goes with hundred, not with texts.

Number words are invariable. one hundred (=a hundred), two thousand, five hundred, one million (=a million), etc. Not two thousands, for example. And they are followed by plural nouns. five hundred citizens, a thousand football fans.

In 2 again, a goes with the word immediately following (good), not with the noun (opinions).

Placing a good in front of a number indicates that the speaker believes the number is significant -- that the number is sufficient or maybe even greater than the expected number. To rationalize the usage in your own mind you may want to think of a good as implying a group of some kind: a good group of 777 opinions. If the exact number is unknown, but is large, you can use many instead of a specific number: a good many opinions. Above, Avangi illustrated with mere a case where the number was disappointing -- insufficient or less than the expected number: a mere 15 opinions.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

For some reason, I've always thought of "good" as meaning on the high side of the given number, whereas "scant" might mean on the low side.
A good hundred is a firm hundred.

I guess they can also indicate that you're satisfied or dissatisfied with the number.

There seems to be a question as to whether the adjective qualifies the number or the group.

I have an even two dozen hens. (The number is exact rather than approximate.)

- A.

The relationship between the article 'a' and a plural noun

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