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Latest post Tue, Mar 27 2007 4:55 AM by Yoong Liat. 2 replies.
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Believer  +  343878 Tue, 27 Mar 07 01:34 AM

Hi,

I have two what seem to be similar sentences below and wish you could tell me why it is so.

I really have trouble distinguishing these two words yesterday. -- I think the word 'trouble' isn't specifying any instances or types of trouble here, so the word can be used although 'a trouble' can be used if a person have a concept of a type or an instance in place.

I had a discussion (note: cannot be 'discussion') about how to get a lot of work done in a shortest time possible with my collegues yesterday morning. -- Here, a person seems to have a specified picture of countable instance in his mind and the use of 'a discussion', rather than an uncountable 'discussion' is used.

Sorry, I hope this isn't a question on uncountables but rather a conceptual question.    
Believer
Joined on Mon, Jan 2 2006
Contributing Member 1,969
Philip  +  343880 Tue, 27 Mar 07 01:49 AM
 Believer wrote:

Hi,

I have two what seem to be similar sentences below and wish you could tell me why it is so.

I really have trouble [= difficulty]distinguishing these two words yesterday. -- I think the word 'trouble' isn't specifying any instances or types of trouble here, so the word can be used although 'a trouble' can be used if a person have a concept of a type or an instance in place.

I had a discussion (note: cannot be 'discussion') about how to get a lot of work done in a shortest time possible with my collegues yesterday morning. -- Here, a person seems to have a specified picture of countable instance in his mind and the use of 'a discussion',["a" is necessary] rather than an uncountable 'discussion' is used.

Sorry, I hope this isn't a question on uncountables but rather a conceptual question.    

I hope this helps.
Philip
Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005
Veteran Member 8,736
At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen
Related discussions
Yoong Liat  +  343912 Tue, 27 Mar 07 04:55 AM
I had a discussion (note: cannot be 'discussion') about how to get a lot of work done in  a  the shortest time possible with my colleagues yesterday.
Yoong Liat
Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006
Veteran Member 6,757
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