Stuff

[jack]

Are these correct? If not, why?
Eg.
1. I don't have the car.
2. I don't have a car.
3. I don't have cars.
4. I don't have car. ('car' is countable so it needs a determiner right?)

5. I don't have the stuff.
6. I don't have a stuff.
7. I don't have stuff. (Is this correct?)
8. I don't have stuffs. (Incorrect? Is it b/c 'stuff' is not countable?)

 

[Francois]

1 is correct: implicit reference to a particular car eg. the family's car.
2 is correct
3 is correct: eg. the police is suspecting someone to sell stolen cars and asks him where he keeps them.
4 is incorrect AFAIK

5 is correct.
6 is incorrect: not countable
7 is incomplete: what stuff? It needs to be qualified.
8 is incorrect

Teachers to pop in if I'm wrong,

FRC

 

[jack]

Why is this incorrect?
1. I don't have stuff. (How can I correct this?)

I can say:
2. I don't have cars.
But not 'stuff'?

 

[Francois]

That's b/c we don't know what you're talking about when you say "I don't have stuff". What stuff?
It could work if you say "I dont have stuff!", meaning you frown on the usage of "stuff".
If you qualify "stuff", it is ok eg. I don't have stuff snooping on my PC since I installed that spyware detector.
Maybe the sentence can work as is eventually, if stuff can refer to drug for instance eg. I don't have stuff. We smoked it all yesterday to celebrate Manchester's victory.

FRC