|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > Articles
Articles
|
Ann_85
|
Articles
|
|
Dear colleguaes! How to explain to students why we say "good behaviour" not using the indefinite article but we use the indefinite article in the phrase "a first-class knowledge", though both knowledge and behaviour are uncountable abstract nouns? Many thanks beforehand! |
23 Aug 2016
|
|
|
|
yanogator
|
|
Ann, Would you please use "a first-class knowledge" in a sentence? It doesn �t seem right to me, but I can �t quite imagine how you would use it. Thanks, Bruce |
23 Aug 2016
|
|
|
Ann_85
|
|
Thank you, Bruce for your answer. But I read in a grammar book such a sentence : "She has a first-class knowledge of British law". |
24 Aug 2016
|
|
|
yanogator
|
|
Hey, Alex. This sounds like the kind of thing you would explain well. It seems to me to be just an anomaly of English. Bruce |
24 Aug 2016
|
|
|
redcamarocruiser
|
|
I agree with Bruce. Without a context it sounds strange. This site says that there is a list of words that relate to mental processes and feelings which require the indefinite article. So, I guess it is a case by case memorization task, as with so many practices in English. |
24 Aug 2016
|
|
|
Ann_85
|
|
Many thanks for your help, dear colleagues! I found the links very useful. Once again "Thank you very much"! |
24 Aug 2016
|
|
|
