Uncountable nouns

[sondra]

Hello,

When is it possible to use an indefinite article before uncountable nouns? Only when they are defined in some way?
Music, art, love, happiness
advice, information, news(It was a good advice/information/news)
furniture, luggage(an old furniture, a heavy luggage)
rice, sugar, butter, water( a/one rice on my plate,)
electricity, gas, power( a dangerous gas)
money, currency

Thanks

[5jj]

You cannot normally have an indefinite article before these words: advice, information, news, furniture, luggage, money. You need to have a piece/bit of advice, etc, an item of furniture.

If you have an indefinite article before these nouns, you normally mean a type/variety/brand/serving of: rice, sugar, butter, water; music, art, happiness, electricity, love.

gas, power and currency are frequently used countably.

[sondra]

'gas, power and currency are frequently used countably.'

But if they are uncountable why are they used countably?

[Bennevis]

'gas, power and currency are frequently used countably.'

But if they are uncountable why are they used countably?

Because they can mean things that are countable:

gas as gasoline and helium as a gas;
power as control and power as a mathematical term;
currency as the state of being current and currency as dollars

[sondra]

I was confused, because my dictionary says that gas is uncountable/uncountable, helium is uncountable, power-sometimes countanble and sometimes uncountable and currency can be countable and can be uncountable, power-countable/uncountable.

[Bennevis]

I was confused, because my dictionary says that gas is uncountable/uncountable, helium is uncountable, power-sometimes countanble and sometimes uncountable and currency can be countable and can be uncountable, power-countable/uncountable.

As you can see, English is a VERY complex language. When it comes to countable/uncountable nouns, you're better off consulting a very good dictionary that has this issue covered comprehensively.

[Chicken Sandwich]

NOT A TEACHER

I was confused, because my dictionary says that gas is uncountable/uncountable, helium is uncountable, power-sometimes countanble and sometimes uncountable and currency can be countable and can be uncountable, power-countable/uncountable.

Think about it, does "heliums" make sense? Hydrogens? What would "heliums" be?

[bhaisahab]

There are many different gases, oxygen, helium, argon, propane etcetera.
A government, for example, has many powers.
There are almost as many currencies in the world as there are countries.

[5jj]

'gas, power and currency are frequently used countably.'

But if they are uncountable why are they used countably?

There is no such thing as a countable or uncountable noun. The words 'countable' and 'uncountable' are used by writers on English as a useful shorthand to help learners understand when they can, for example, use or not use the indefinite article in certain contexts.

[Bennevis]

Some nouns are strictly countable, some are strictly uncountable, and some could be both countable and uncountable.

Follow this link and download this file - it has everything you need:

http://www.englishgrammarexpress.com...countables.pdf