By Countable nouns, Definite articles

the word "lack" countable or uncountable

Hi there, I am from an asian country (korea) and Korean doesn't distinguish countable or uncountable nouns so I have some problem with this concept even though I have been living in english speaking country for 10 years. Now the word "lack" according to the online Longman...

Re: choice

There is a rule in English saying that you should use the definite article with countable nouns whenever you refer not to particular objects but rather to the whole class or type. Does it really apply here with right/wrong answers or numbers? By saying "You've got the wrong number"...

Re: number as adjective or sort of determiner

Thank you, CB. I might have been confused since I was trying to digest too much information in a too short period of time. (That does sound lame, doesn't it?) Why is the definite article seems correct to be placed here but an indefinite article doesn't seem to correct to be placed there?...

Re: mass noun and count noun

Hi Jackson 5: As name suggests a count noun is countable, then how can one use indefinite article a or an with it?In grammar, 'countable' means that you can count the noun concerned. For example. an egg, one egg, two eggs, etc. 'Uncountable' means that particular noun cannot be literally...

Re: genitive as a noun

Thank you, Eimai_Anglos. Are you saying a genitive cannot be made a countable noun or used as a countable noun? I think a guru has delivered expert advice on that aspect of grammar and I think it has been said a construction like "a shaking of a ground" means "an instance of shaking of a...

some rule about using articles

Hi,There is an entry in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary about usage of indefinite article:used before uncountable nouns when these have an adjective in front of them, or phrase following them:a good knowledge of French a sadness that won’t go awayHowever, just came across this example:It...

Re: A doubt!

Hi, Consider this sentence.He has a very good knowledge. What is the function of the aritcle 'a' in the sentence? ( I know that the articles can function as adjectives but never as adverbs..Well, the case here is different, isn't it?....Can an indefinite article modify an uncountable noun? ) ...

A doubt!

Hi! Consider this sentence.He has a very good knowledge. What is the function of the aricle 'a' in the sentence? ( I know that the articles can function as adjectives but never as adverbs..Well, the case here is different, isn't it?....Can an indefinite article modify an uncountable noun? ) I...

Re: abstract/concrete nouns

Thank you, CalifJim and CB. How does understanding of the distinction among three types -- first-order, second-order, and third-order noun -- play out in one's effort write better English? I think CB said to the effect that it makes no, if not extremely little difference, in terms of grammar or...

education vs. an education

Hi, I think the word 'education' is a variable noun, which I am sure means that if one uses refer to abstract things, he is using it as an uncountable noun; whereas, if one uses to refer to individual instances of that thing, he is using it as a countable noun. Now, can you put that definition...