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Vanyatka Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
Uncountables and their articles
Hi all,
It's always confusing to me, especially in speech, if I should put an article before abstract nouns. For example:
He's got (a) passion for music
(An) honesty is his good quaility
Reading brings (a) happiness to my life
Etc...
I know I can look up each particular word in a dictionary to see if it's (un)countable, but may be there are some general rules? Sooo confusing sometimes...
Thanks!
It's always confusing to me, especially in speech, if I should put an article before abstract nouns. For example:
He's got (a) passion for music
(An) honesty is his good quaility
Reading brings (a) happiness to my life
Etc...
I know I can look up each particular word in a dictionary to see if it's (un)countable, but may be there are some general rules? Sooo confusing sometimes...
Thanks!
Top answer
In your cases-- He's got a passion for music -- here we use the article because a kind of passion ( for music ) is mentioned; passion is qualified. Honesty is his good quality -- no qualification of honesty , ergo no article Reading brings happiness to my life -- no qualification of happiness , ergo ditto. Let us qualify: ( An ) honesty in financial matters is essential for an accountant.
- In your cases-- He's got a passion for music -- here we use the article because a kind of passion ( for music ) is mentioned; passion is qualified.
- Honesty is his good quality -- no qualification of honesty , ergo no article Reading brings happiness to my life -- no qualification of happiness , ergo ditto.
- Let us qualify: ( An ) honesty in financial matters is essential for an accountant.
- Reading brings the happiness of knowledge to the devotees of non-fiction .
- As you can see by my first example, sometimes the article is optional.
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5 Answers
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In your cases--
He's got a passion for music -- here we use the article because a kind of passion (for music) is mentioned; passion is qualified.
Honesty is his good quality -- no qualification of honesty, ergo no article
Reading brings happiness to my life -- no qualification of happiness, ergo ditto.
Let us qualify
He's got a passion for music -- here we use the article because a kind of passion (for music) is mentioned; passion is qualified.
Honesty is his good quality -- no qualification of honesty, ergo no article
Reading brings happiness to my life -- no qualification of happiness, ergo ditto.
Let us qualify
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Thank you, Mister Micawber! It's much clearer now! Hm... It's much more clear now! 
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O, I think It's very helpful![Y]
"Judge the existence or not of any qualifications while decide applying an article or not before an uncountable noun." is a piece of very useful advice.
(I hope the above sentence is not ungrammatical)
"Judge the existence or not of any qualifications while decide applying an article or not before an uncountable noun." is a piece of very useful advice.
(I hope the above sentence is not ungrammatical)
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Thank you, Mr. M.
1. I look up a dictionary and found out that passion seems to be countable in the context of the sentence. T
He's got a passion for music.
(The phrase "for music" might be qualifying passion but doesn't seem to be restricting it. Is that why you put the indefinite article "a" there? )
2. But for the sentence below,
1. I look up a dictionary and found out that passion seems to be countable in the context of the sentence. T
He's got a passion for music.
(The phrase "for music" might be qualifying passion but doesn't seem to be restricting it. Is that why you put the indefinite article "a" there? )
2. But for the sentence below,
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'An' honesty is only one of many.
A person can only have one lot of honesty.
His honesty is widely known.
John's honesty is legendary.
His honesty = the honesty of him, so:
The honesty of a true christian is something to be treasured.
A person can only have one lot of honesty.
His honesty is widely known.
John's honesty is legendary.
His honesty = the honesty of him, so:
The honesty of a true christian is something to be treasured.
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