the strong feeling/a strong feeling that

[Vladv1]

Could you please explain the difference.
I had the strong feeling/a strong feeling that they were hiding something from me.
To be precise, I am interested in how to use a/the articels before an abstract noun followed by that content clause (not relative clause). Thanks a lot.

 

[jutfrank]

There is no special way of using articles before abstract nouns, whether or not they have a 'that'-clause complement, so the difference between the articles in this context is nothing special—just the normal basic difference in meaning, or definiteness.

 

[Vladv1]

Use a.

There is no special way of using articles before abstract nouns, whether or not they have a 'that'-clause complement, so the difference between the articles in this context is nothing special or worth thinking about.

I have never heard people say "I have A distinct impression that he is alive" Always hear "I have THE distinct impression that...".

 

[jutfrank]

Right. You should use 'the' in that particular phrase.

 

[Vladv1]

Right. You should use 'the' in that particular phrase.

So I am confused when to use "the" and when to use" A" before a noun followed by a content clause? By the way, if a noun in such a pattern with a content clause is uncoutable, what rules apply?

 

[Annabel Lee]

I had the strong feeling/a strong feeling that they were hiding something from me.
To be precise, I am interested in how to use a/the articels before an abstract noun followed by that content clause (not relative clause).

"Have a feeling that" is an idiomatic phrase; "have the feeling that . . ." is not. When you add "strong" to the mix, however, "the" sounds more palatable, especially since, as you note, it calls to mind the idiomatic "have the distinct sense that . . . ." But I agree with Jutfrank that "a" still works well: "have/had a strong feeling that . . . ."

However, I don't agree that the article you choose doesn't matter when an abstract nouns is followed by a content clause. Sometimes "a" will have the effect of rendering the content clause nonrestrictive, whereas "the" will render it restrictive. A comma will be used to set the content clause off from the abstract noun when the content clause is nonrestrictive:

I bought into a widely held belief, that they were hiding something from me.​

I bought into the widely held belief that they were hiding something from me.​

 

[Vladv1]

"Have a feeling that" is an idiomatic phrase; "have the feeling that . . ." is not. When you add "strong" to the mix, however, "the" sounds more palatable, especially since, as you note, it calls to mind the idiomatic "have the distinct sense that . . . ." But I agree with Jutfrank that "a" still works well: "have/had a strong feeling that . . . ."

However, I don't agree that the article you choose doesn't matter when an abstract nouns is followed by a content clause. Sometimes "a" will have the effect of rendering the content clause nonrestrictive, whereas "the" will render it restrictive. A comma will be used to set the content clause off from the abstract noun when the content clause is nonrestrictive:

I bought into a widely held belief, that they were hiding something from me.​

I bought into the widely held belief that they were hiding something from me​

Thanksa lot. What about when the noun followed by a content clause is uncountable

• “I have the/ an awareness that my decisions affect other people.”

 

[jutfrank]

I bought into a widely held belief, that they were hiding something from me.​

I bought into the widely held belief that they were hiding something from me.​

Great example.

 

[jutfrank]

What about when the noun followed by a content clause is uncountable

• “I have the/ an awareness that my decisions affect other people.”

You want to use a in that context. This shows that awareness is a countable noun in this sentence, not an uncountable one.

Think of it like this: Some feelings or beliefs or ideas, etc. may be considered to be to a certain extent identifiable to the listener. When that's the case, we can use a definite article instead of an indefinite one.

My point in post #2 was that this is not actually about feelings or beliefs, or abstract or uncoutable nouns, but rather about the kind of reference that is made to the noun. Look:

a cat
the cat

The difference in meaning is that by using the cat, you're identifying it to the listener.

I'm trying to keep things simple here because it gets very complicated when you try to factor in restrictive that-clauses while at the same time consider degrees of definiteness and idiomaticity.

 

[Annabel Lee]

What about when the noun followed by a content clause is uncountable

• “I have the/ an awareness that my decisions affect other people.”

I prefer no article in this case, or a quantifying determiner or adjective. Consider what happens in the negative variant:

I had no awareness that my decisions affected other people.​

I didn't have any awareness that my decisions affected other people.​

​

In a positive case, we can say, more emphatically:

I have full awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

​

Interestingly, the following seem not to work at all:

?? I have a full awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

?? I have the full awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with dropping the adjective full and just saying:

I have awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

 

[Vladv1]

I prefer no article in this case, or a quantifying determiner or adjective. Consider what happens in the negative variant:

I had no awareness that my decisions affected other people.​

I didn't have any awareness that my decisions affected other people.​

​

In a positive case, we can say, more emphatically:

I have full awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

​

Interestingly, the following seem not to work at all:

?? I have a full awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

?? I have the full awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with dropping the adjective full and just saying:

I have awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

What if we take another kind of adjective, a more unusual one? "I have a profound awareness that my decisions affect..".

 

[5jj]

• “I have the/ an awareness that my decisions affect other people.”

I find both options unnatural. I think most native speakers would say I am aware that ... .

"I have a profound awareness that my decisions affect..".

I find that even less natural.

 

[Vladv1]

I find both options unnatural. I think most native speakers would say I am aware that ... .

I find that even less natural.

The awareness that the danger was real changed everything.
For some reason I can't imagine this sentence with "An awareness". Could you please help ?

 

[Vladv1]

I prefer no article in this case, or a quantifying determiner or adjective. Consider what happens in the negative variant:

I had no awareness that my decisions affected other people.​

I didn't have any awareness that my decisions affected other people.​

​

In a positive case, we can say, more emphatically:

I have full awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

​

Interestingly, the following seem not to work at all:

?? I have a full awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

?? I have the full awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with dropping the adjective full and just saying:

I have awareness that my decisions affect other people.​

The awareness of climate change has transformed global politics/Awareness of climate change has transformed global politics. Which sounds better?

 

[emsr2d2]

The awareness that the danger was real changed everything.
For some reason I can't imagine this sentence with "An awareness".

Either article would work. Context would dictate which one should be used.

Could you please help?

Never put a space before a question mark.

 

[Vladv1]

"Have a feeling that" is an idiomatic phrase; "have the feeling that . . ." is not. When you add "strong" to the mix, however, "the" sounds more palatable, especially since, as you note, it calls to mind the idiomatic "have the distinct sense that . . . ." But I agree with Jutfrank that "a" still works well: "have/had a strong feeling that . . . ."

However, I don't agree that the article you choose doesn't matter when an abstract nouns is followed by a content clause. Sometimes "a" will have the effect of rendering the content clause nonrestrictive, whereas "the" will render it restrictive. A comma will be used to set the content clause off from the abstract noun when the content clause is nonrestrictive:

I bought into a widely held belief, that they were hiding something from me.​

I bought into the widely held belief that they were hiding something from me.​

What about "I bought into a wildely held belief that they were hiding something from me".

 

[Vladv1]

I

You want to use a in that context. This shows that awareness is a countable noun in this sentence, not an uncountable one.

Think of it like this: Some feelings or beliefs or ideas, etc. may be considered to be to a certain extent identifiable to the listener. When that's the case, we can use a definite article instead of an indefinite one.

My point in post #2 was that this is not actually about feelings or beliefs, or abstract or uncoutable nouns, but rather about the kind of reference that is made to the noun. Look:

a cat
the cat

The difference in meaning is that by using the cat, you're identifying it to the listener.

I'm trying to keep things simple here because it gets very complicated when you try to factor in restrictive that-clauses while at the same time consider degrees of definiteness and idiomaticity.

Is it true that if a noun followed by a content that clause starts the sentence, one should only use THE. "The fear that he is going to die tortures her".

 

[jutfrank]

Is it true that if a noun followed by a content that clause starts the sentence, one should only use THE.

No, that's not right at all.

 

[Vladv1]

No, that's not right at all.

Would "the" be necessary if we talked about a general trend? The fear that climate change will destory the planet is widespread. Here one would not say "A fear". Please comment.

 

[jutfrank]

It has nothing to do with trends, no. We would use 'the' if the noun is in some way already known or otherwise identifiable to the listener. In your example, that seems to be the case. If it's widespread, then it's identifiable. Is that what you mean? Being widespread is not a trend, by the way.

Here one would not say "A fear". Please comment.

Why do you think so? Remember this important point: The choice of which article to use depends on the context.