http://www.englishforums.com/search/pro.htm?q=tag%3aNoun+phrases+tag%3aUncountable+nounsSearch results for 'tag:Noun phrases tag:Uncountable nouns' matching tags 'Noun phrases' and 'Uncountable nouns'en-USCSMOD (Build: 3256.36449)http://www.englishforums.com/English/CouldAfterPreposition/zdpxb/post.htm#436918Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:27:38 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:436918CalifJimThe only thing that can come after a preposition to form a prepositional phrase is a noun phrase, usually a noun accompanied by its preceding determiner and perhaps an adjective.&nbsp; A relative clause may be added.&nbsp; The noun itself may be a gerund.<br> <br> If the element after the candidate for a preposition looks like it's not a noun, then either of these holds:<br> <br> a. The preposition candidate is not a preposition, but perhaps an adverb or conjunction.<br> b. The structure after the preposition candidate actually is a noun phrase.<br> <br> Both of your examples are in the category labeled b.<br> <br> In your first example <i>bad</i> should be viewed as an adjective <u>used as a noun</u>, 'promoted' to a noun because of the elision of <i>situation</i> or its equivalent, <i>one</i>.<br> <br> <i>The situation can be seen as a bad situation.<br> The situation can be seen as a bad one.</i><br> <br> In your second example, <i>bad</i> and <i>good</i> are simply abstract uncountable nouns meaning <i>that which is bad</i> and <i>that which is good</i>, respectively.<br> <br> CJ<br> <br> <br> <br>http://www.englishforums.com/English/CountableOrUncountable/bbpzc/post.htmSun, 24 Apr 2005 08:49:14 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:92856infinityFor instance, <br />"I don't have time to do this." Here, the noun "time" is uncountable. <br />"I had a great time." In this case, is the noun in the noun phrase "a great time" countable? <br />IS there any systematic way to explain the concept behind this? According to several grammar books I looked into, uncountable nouns can be preceded by an article "a" when modified or specified. But WHY? <br />Also, some nouns are more often used with "a" and others are rarely. For instance, "knowledge <br />" is almost always preceded by "a" when modified, as in "He has a great knowledge of English grammar." But "information" is rarely used with "a" even when modified. For example, it's usually just "valuable information", rather than "a valuable information." Please tell me why! <br /> <br />Thank you very much.