An impact on the environment

[Rachel Adams]

I used "any" in sentence # 1 but as the dictionary says "impact" can be either countable or uncountable I don't understand when to use it as a countable noun and when as an uncountable noun. If I change the sentence # 1 and say "she believes it has an important impact/important impact on the environment" should I use it with the indefinite article?

"Carbon dioxide doesn't have any/some significant impact on global temperatures.

I mean if I removed "an" and used it in a general sense would it be wrong? I mean in the same way as "effect." With or without the indefinite article: Had an effect = had one/a particular (countable/specific) effect had any effect = had any degree of (uncountable/abstract) effect.

 

[emsr2d2]

"Carbon dioxide doesn't have any [STRIKE]/some[/STRIKE] significant impact on global temperatures."

I used "any" in the sentence [STRIKE]#1[/STRIKE] above but [STRIKE]as[/STRIKE] the dictionary says "impact" can be either countable or uncountable and I don't understand when to use it [STRIKE]as a countable noun and when as an uncountable noun[/STRIKE] countably/uncountably. If I change the sentence [STRIKE]#1[/STRIKE] and say "She believes it has an important impact/important impact on the environment", should I use [STRIKE]it with[/STRIKE] the indefinite article?

[STRIKE]I mean[/STRIKE] If I removed "an" and used it in a general sense, would it be wrong?
I mean in the same way as "effect." With or without the indefinite article:
Had an effect = had one/a particular (countable/specific) effect
Had any effect = had any degree of (uncountable/abstract) effect.

Note my changes above. "Some" would not work in your main sentence.

In your second sentence, you need the article. "She believes it has important impact on the environment" is not grammatical. The same goes for "effect". You need something before it. We don't say "It had effect".

 

[Rachel Adams]

Note my changes above. "Some" would not work in your main sentence.

In your second sentence, you need the article. "She believes it has important impact on the environment" is not grammatical. The same goes for "effect". You need something before it. We don't say "It had effect".

When they are used as uncountable nouns, are they used with the indefinite article? I mean both "effect" and "impact". Uncountable nouns aren't used with the indefinite article
For example, "Advice", "furniture" but I am confused by "impact" and "effect" :-|

 

[5jj]

When they are used as uncountable nouns, are they used with the indefinite article? I mean both "effect" and "impact". Uncountable nouns aren't used with the indefinite article

You have answered the question yourself.

If you use an indefinite article with effect or impact, then it is a countable noun.

 

[Rachel Adams]

You have answered the question yourself.

If you use an indefinite article with effect or impact, then it is a countable noun.

But are they exceptions? "Furniture" and "advice" are never used with the indefinite article. OK. I will try to answer my own question again. Some nouns can be used as both countable and uncountable nouns. Some are always uncountable. For example, "advice" and "furniture". They are never used with the indefinite article because they are like other nouns always uncountable.