Search results for 'tag:Uncountable nouns tag:Articles' matching tags 'Uncountable nouns' and 'Articles'

indefinite article before uncountable nouns

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:38:20 GMT

Hi, I think it is a common knowledge that some uncountable nouns can be changed to countable nouns (are susceptable to such transformations) if they are made into types. Does that mean if we could place the phrase "a type" and "a sort" before such a noun, then we would have a correct transformation of that noun? Could we have placed the phrase "a type" and "a sort" instead of making them countable?

... is a development unlike anything we have seen before is occurring in this very instance in this land
... is a coverage of the incidence that happened yesterday was phenomenal and needs to be applauded for its excellent coverage of it.
... gave a legitimacy unlike any other ones out there and pulled the general consensus to their side.

Re: Salt: uncountable noun?

CalifJim — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:59:37 GMT

There are a great many chemical compounds called salts, but I doubt you would want very many of them on your food. And I doubt that people would want to ask for that uncountable "table salt" specifically by its chemical name NaCl whenever they wanted some.

_____

All substances composed of a great number of tiny particles which flow like liquid and can be 'poured' are uncountable: salt, pepper, sugar, flour, sand, etc.

_____

On some days we are lazy, and on other days we are quite energetic, but I don't see what that has to do with salt.

Re: Where does the article go?

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:24:00 GMT

Thank you so much, but I asked the question because I believe I asked a similar question in the past and a guru have answered it that the indefinite article does go with a phrase similar to 'other activity' in the original example sentence.

Normally, I think the word 'other' is used/left to modify an uncountable noun and not a countable noun, but I have seen cases where a countable noun is modified by an indefinite article, 'a', later in the order/sequence.

Re: "any"-defining

Fandorin — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:18:36 GMT

Kooyeen

You can do that too, but it is not common, it's only used sometimes for emphasis. It's easy to build odd sentences that way, so I personally prefer to avoid using it that way, as a learner. When talking about one thing, using the article "a" (or "an") is the common way to say it...
Do you have a sister? Is there a hospital near here? I don't have a sister, you must be mistaking me for someone else...

I didn't consider uncountable nouns because they are not usually used in the plural, so they weren't part of our problem. I didn't consider idioms or exceptions either... I can think of a couple of them right now:
Is there any reason why you are not allowed to do that?
There isn't any way to find out the truth, I'm afraid.

The singular seems to be the idiomatic choice in those cases.

Yes, it's odd way not to use "a". Indeed, "any=some" implies itself plural noun to be used. So the difference in translation some of constructions in English seems to be slightly smoothed between two meanings you mentioned above. At least it's so in my language.

Re: "any"-defining

Kooyeen — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:23:38 GMT

Fandorin
There is no way to use "any" with singular in that meaning. Don't you think?

You can do that too, but it is not common, it's only used sometimes for emphasis. It's easy to build odd sentences that way, so I personally prefer to avoid using it that way, as a learner. When talking about one thing, using the article "a" (or "an") is the common way to say it...
Do you have a sister? Is there a hospital near here? I don't have a sister, you must be mistaking me for someone else...

I didn't consider uncountable nouns because they are not usually used in the plural, so they weren't part of our problem. I didn't consider idioms or exceptions either... I can think of a couple of them right now:
Is there any reason why you are not allowed to do that?
There isn't any way to find out the truth, I'm afraid.

The singular seems to be the idiomatic choice in those cases.

Re: article

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:50:55 GMT

Here is a question on which I have been wracking my brain for some time now and finally decided to write in.

If we do not use an article before 'uncountable nouns and abstract nouns' why do we say

Â ' Can you give me a lift to the nearest tube station'Â

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 'When can we go for a drive?'

Hope to get a prompt reply.Â

ThanksÂ

Dhanya

Re: gerund or verbal noun with an article?

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:18:50 GMT

Thank you.

I think it would be OK to speak of a pen that he found which belonged to his friend, Joe, like this:

I found a (one) pencil of a student. -- If the situation is that only studnents use pen (unbelievable as it sounds) and he don't know whose pen it is.
I found the pencil of a student. -- If the pen is prior-mentioned or if a student in wherever he is used only one pen, not two pencils ever.

I think your corrected version sounds right but I can't dispel the notion that my versions might be correct too under a right circumstance. I think we are making an instance of the uncountable noun "wailing" and that "instance" notion might get fuzzy if the definite article "the" is used in my opinion (I could be wrong). It seems to be different from something like "He heard the shouting by a skinny young man yesterday evening." Confused.

He heard a fearful wailing of a dog,
or,
He heard a fearful wailing of the dog of the next-door neighbor

gerund or verbal noun with an article?

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:13:38 GMT

Hi,

I think I found out the word 'wailing' is an uncountable noun.
If that is so, then is this correct?

A feartul wailing was heard.

He heard a fearful wailing.

I would be more comfortable if I saw something like this:

He heard a fearful wailing of a dog,
or,
He heard a fearful wailing of the dog of the next-door neighbor.

Re: Article usage: proper noun and uncountable noun correspondence?

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:02:07 GMT

Thank you. What threw me off was the non-capitalization of the first letter of the word 'cemetery'. A common word plus non-capitalization could make it necessary to have an article, at least for the sake of the common noun, at least to me. Can you tell me what the reason for that possibly be?

... paying respects at Babaoshan cemetery in Beijing ...

Re: Article usage: proper noun and uncountable noun correspondence?

Cool Breeze — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 08:57:58 GMT

1. It may be unwise to say that something can be done to all proper nouns in English because there seem to be so many exceptions to every rule. However, using a and the with proper nouns in certain contexts is normal. The of-genitive - or of structure - or whatever you prefer to call it often requires the:

the England of my dreams

An adjectival attribute is a common reason for a:

We saw a sad George Bush on television last night.

He wants to live in a different England.

2. The names of cemeteries are not listed in grammar books as requiring the. Moreover, it is normal that if a name is made up of a proper noun plus a common noun, no article is used:

Gatwick Airport, Oslo University, London Bridge, Westminster Abbey