Can the indefinite articles be used with uncountable nouns?

[Joe Carillo]

Here’s an interesting grammar puzzler posted in the Forum by member English Maiden sometime ago:

“I always thought that uncountable or abstract nouns like ‘jewelry,’ ‘news,’ ‘information,’ ‘beauty,’ and ‘anger’ can’t be preceded by the indefinite article ‘a’ or ‘an.’ But recently, I read in an English grammar and usage book that uncountable nouns can occur with the indefinite article when they follow an adjective, as in this sentence: ‘There’s a terrible sadness in her eyes.’ Is that correct? Can I also similarly construct sentences with other uncountable nouns like ‘information’ and ‘scenery’? But sentences like ‘I have an amazing news for you’ and ‘I’ll show you a very beautiful jewelry’ don’t sound and look right to me.

“In an essay of yours posted in the Forum recently, however, you did use the indefinite article with some uncountable or abstract nouns in these sentences:

“‘Some stock phrases in English are inherently undesirable because they are too wordy and only tend to give a false depth and emphasis to what is being said.’

“‘Of course, the problem can be remedied by simply dropping the extraneous words in the repeater phrase, but we need to cultivate a strong sensitivity to the repetition that often hides so well in such phrases.’

“Your sentences seem all right to me, but the other examples I presented don’t. Why is that? Aren’t all the nouns in my examples and the ones in your essay in the same category? Please help me understand.”

PHOTO CREDIT: BBC LEARNING ENGLISH, 6-MINUTE GRAMMAR

SO WHEN CAN WE USE THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE "A" FOR ABSTRACT
UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS LIKE "HAPPINESS"?

My reply to English Maiden:

Yes, an indefinite article can be used to precede an adjective that premodifies an uncountable noun denoting an emotion or state, as in this example of yours: “There’s a terrible sadness in her eyes.” Below are five more examples of that usage involving uncountable nouns denoting an emotion, condition, or state:

“There’s a certain magic in the way she sings.”

“An enigmatic joy appeared on her face.”

“She always feigned a forceful laugh that irritated everyone.”

“He displayed such an open admiration that bordered on obsequiousness.”

“I could sense a brutal coldness in the way he looked at me.”

GENERAL RULES FOR THE USE OF DEFINITE AND INDEFINITE ARTICLES FOR NOUNS

This usage doesn’t generally apply to all uncountable nouns, though. In particular, it doesn’t apply to an uncountable noun that’s grammatically singular but notionally plural like “news.” This is why this sentence you presented is grammatically wrong: “I have an amazing news for you.” Instead, we say “I have amazing news for you,” and, for two or more news items, we say “I have some amazing news for you.”

“Jewelry” is also an uncountable noun that’s grammatically singular but notionally plural, so we can’t say “I’ll show you a very beautiful jewelry.” Instead, we say “I’ll show you a very beautiful jewelry collection” or “I’ll show you five pieces of very beautiful jewelry.” The modes of modification for uncountable nouns vary depending on their nature and specific attributes.

The uncountable nouns in the sentences you cited from my essay are these: “depth,” “emphasis,” and “sensitivity.” “Depth,” a noun denoting state, is grammatically and notionally singular in the phrase “a false depth to what is being said,” but it’s countable and notionally plural in this sentence using “depth” as a generic measure: “For technical reasons, this device won’t work at depths of 60 feet and 100 feet.”

“Emphasis” is, of course, an abstract noun that’s singular both grammatically and notionally, so it’s modifiable by an adjective preceded by an indefinite pronoun in this usage of mine, “a false emphasis to what is being said.” “Sensitivity” is another uncountable noun denoting state, so it’s modifiable way in the same way in this usage: “a strong sensitivity to the repetition that often hides so well in such phrases.”

I hope this explanation has cleared up your confusion on how the various kinds of uncountable nouns can be modified properly.

This essay appeared in the column “English Plain and Simple” by Jose A. Carillo in the July 9, 2011 issue of The Manila Times, © 2011 by the Manila Times Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.