[Grammar] Adding a/an

[Guyy]

Hi
I don't speak English usually so i'm sorry if I have any mistake.
I've learned that I need to add a/an only before single noun.
I read in a book the sentence 'He examined her belly with an ill-concealed astonishment' and I wondered why there is no an before the ill-concealed astonishment and I was told that we don't add a/an before an uncountable noun. a few minutes ago I read the sentence "i'm still in a daze". Daze is also an uncountable noun so I don't understand there is "a" before that?
thanks

 

[ackeiyword]

be in a daze, this is a phrase and is a regular collocation.

"A" goes before all words that begin with consonants.With one exception: Use "an" before unsounded h.
"An" goes before all words that begin with vowels, With two exceptions:the word-initial 'y' sound (unicorn) is actually a glide [j] phonetically, which has consonantal properties; consequently, it is treated as a consonant, requiring 'a'.

 

[devonpham1998]

Dear Guyy,
What you were told is wrong. "A" and "An" are not only put before countable nouns but also before uncountable nouns. As Ackeiyword said:

"A" goes before all words that begin with consonants.With one exception: Use "an" before unsounded h.
"An" goes before all words that begin with vowels, With two exceptions:the word-initial 'y' sound (unicorn) is actually a glide [j] phonetically, which has consonantal properties; consequently, it is treated as a consonant, requiring 'a'.

But further more, you have to be careful with some words start with "U", like: university, useful (horse),... Put "A" before it! "U" here are pronunced /ju:/, j is a consonants.
Good luck!

Devon Pham

 

[5jj]

"A" and "An" are not only put before countable nouns but also before uncountable nouns.

Actually, we cannot use a/an with most uncountable nouns. We can use a/an before some uncountable nouns, mainly those denoting human emotions and thoughts, and usually when they are limited in some way:

He has a good understanding of the situation.
He has a pretty good knowledge of Russian.

 

[devonpham1998]

Actually, we cannot use a/an with most uncountable nouns. We can use a/an before some uncountable nouns, mainly those denoting human emotions and thoughts, and usually when they are limited in some way:

He has a good understanding of the situation.
He has a pretty good knowledge of Russian.

Yes. I supposed to write: "A" and "An" are not only put before countable nouns but also before uncountable nouns in some cases.