Articles (a, an)

Hoa Thai wrote:

I was told that a or an should not be used to mark noncount nouns, sush as water, gold, etc.. That is simple until I encounter abstract nouns! For instance, give me an advice is incorrect since advice is an abstract noun. However, an online search shows that both give me advice and give me an advice are used by many people. Moreover, opinion is also an abstract noun; but many people would prefer give me an opinion over give me opinion. A satisfaction is another abstract noun that seems to violate the rule, but is often used (again, the count from online search data shows that). So does the rule have many exceptions? If so, how would an ESL learner like me be able to make the distinction? Please help. Thanks and Best Regards - Hoa Thai

Hoa Thai wrote:

First, thank you for your reply. Now if you can help me a bit further, I would appreciate very much. If advice is an uncountable abstract noun, then advices must be wrong, right? (Yesterday, my father gave me his advice. Today, my mother gives me hers. I don't like their two advice at all!  'Advice' is uncountable, so 'two advices' is wrong.) Now, how could opinion be countable? I certainly cannot physically sense it...opinion and advice are not synonymous but they are both thought related, I think. So why are they different?  [ opinion (singular), opinions (plural) Your opinion is what you think about someone or something based on your personal judgement. Advice (uncountable) You give someone advice when you suggest what they should do in a certain situation. I hope the definitions I've extracted from the dictionary will enable you to see the difference between 'advice' and 'opinion'.] Regarding satisfaction, here is an online sentence that goes with a: "Even in those jurisdictions, however, a gift may still be treated as a satisfaction of legacy if such an intention is expressed in a written document made ..."  So the sentence is grammatically incorrect, right? But, doesn't treated as satisfaction of legacy sound unpleasant to you? ( I missed out the fact that 'satisfaction' can be a countable noun. So 'satisfaction' can be countable or uncountable depending on context.)  Her success gave her parents a lot of satisfaction. (uncountable noun).   A satisfaction is something that gives a feeling of pleasure or contentment  ... the immense satisfactions (countable noun) of parenthood. Shouldn't there be a source, from which we, ESL learners, can learn abstract nouns' nuances? Thanks Hoa Thai

Hi Hoa Thai,

So advice can actually take a plural form as many people believe it should be treated to separate thoughts from different sources (Google search shows almost 6,000,000 entries that use advices).

Generally speaking, I think your last post is reasonable, except with regard to 'advices'. I don't have time to look at 6 millions hits, but I looked at about 20 and they are all simply wrong.

If you say things like 'Please give me some advices / an advice', a great many people will simply think your English is poor. 

( You can find the word 'advice' in the plural, where it means 'formal notification of a completed transaction', eg a bank deposit advice is a written notification of a completed bank deposit. However, I don't think this is the kind of meaning that you are thinking about. )

Best wishes, Clive