Would this be correct?

[queenmaabd]

Ok, I found this in a grammar in use book, but another teacher and I don't agree on it so I'd like second, or even third opinions.

The sentence says:
"Most children in England have to wear uniform to school".

I believe the sentence should say:
"Most children in England have to wear a uniform to school".

or

"Most children in England have to wear uniforms to school".

Is there anyone that agrees with the use of the word uniform in singular and without the use of the indefinite article "a"? If so, why?

 

[izabela]

Hi,

I definitely agree with you and your teacher. Most likely it was a typo.

Iza

Ok, I found this in a grammar in use book, but another teacher and I don't agree on it so I'd like second, or even third opinions.

The sentence says:
"Most children in England have to wear uniform to school".

I believe the sentence should say:
"Most children in England have to wear a uniform to school".

or

"Most children in England have to wear uniforms to school".

Is there anyone that agrees with the use of the word uniform in singular and without the use of the indefinite article "a"? If so, why?

 

[Susie Smith]

Ok, I found this in a grammar in use book, but another teacher and I don't agree on it so I'd like second, or even third opinions.


The sentence says:
"Most children in England have to wear uniform to school".

I believe the sentence should say:
"Most children in England have to wear a uniform to school".

or

"Most children in England have to wear uniforms to school".

Is there anyone that agrees with the use of the word uniform in singular and without the use of the indefinite article "a"? If so, why?

I agree with you.

 

[navi tasan]

Hi,
I am not a natvie speaker and I get the feeling that you people are, but I think that I have heard "wearing uniform" before. I did a google word search and it did come up (you have to check to see if the people who wrote it were native speakers). You also have the expression "in uniform" (not necessarily "in a uniform"). I think the reason is that "uniform" is both a count and a non-count noun. I think it can be used both ways. Apparently the safest bet is to use it with an article.

It would be interesting to see what the others think about it.
As usual, I might be completely off the track, of-course.

 

[queenmaabd]

Thank you all for your useful information. We have decided to the word uniform with the word "a" just to be safe!!!

 

[Francois]

I think we can say 'men in uniform' for instance.

FRC

 

[MikeNewYork]

Ok, I found this in a grammar in use book, but another teacher and I don't agree on it so I'd like second, or even third opinions.

The sentence says:
"Most children in England have to wear uniform to school".

I believe the sentence should say:
"Most children in England have to wear a uniform to school".

or

"Most children in England have to wear uniforms to school".

Is there anyone that agrees with the use of the word uniform in singular and without the use of the indefinite article "a"? If so, why?

I agree with "a unifrom" or "uniforms". As written, it is incorrect. :wink:

 

[navi tasan]

Then I was wrong. Sorry.

 

[gonghai]

i think a uniform sounds better then uniform to school

but i know that different authors from different places have different rules

for example england grammer rules is different from americans

 

[Tdol]

Then I was wrong. Sorry.

Though the most common would be with the indefinite article,I have heard it without here in the UK. I wouldn't say it's an error- it looks like another AE\BE thing. ;-)

 

[Casiopea]

Then I was wrong. Sorry.

Though the most common would be with the indefinite article,I have heard it without here in the UK. I wouldn't say it's an error- it looks like another AE\BE thing. ;-)

You know, I've heard it, too, in BE. It must be a dialect variant of some sort, maybe even an idiolect. In Asia, I've heard 'unform' used as a non-count noun by EFL speakers. I've always wondered what the reason for that was because I know it's considered a count noun in BE--the Standard. As for grammar, well, I agree with ya'll: It needs an article or a plural marker. It's a count noun.

 

[Francois]

Google finds alot of 'to wear uniform' examples eg.
"US Military Instruction authorizes retirees to wear uniform on occasion"

FRC

 

[queenmaabd]

Thank you all. You're quite instructive, and you have helped to confirm my opinion. Now I know that some people use is as an uncount noun, but I'll consider that an exception.
(By the way, Francois, I don't consider finding something in google proof to the fact that it's right , many people make mistakes while they're writing and not all people are so worried about grammar as we are!) :wink:

 

[Francois]

Google finds alot of 'to wear uniform' examples

The key word is alot. I pay attention to the source of the example too. The "men in uniform" I referred to comes from Cambridge dicts.

I for one like the idea of uniform as uncountable (in addition to the the usual countable noun), as opposed to "civil clothes". When you say "a uniform", it sounds a bit like "wear a uniform, whatever the one" (I know that's not what it means, but it's nice if the sentence grammatically conveys the idea). "to wear the uniform" would be ok, but it doesn't always work, depending on context.
In French, we have both eg.
1) Porter un uniforme (= wear a uniform)
2) Porter l' uniforme (= wear uniform)
The first one is almost always fine and natural (as in English I think), but often the second one is more, say, precise (depending on the context).
Eg. "she loves men in uniform" is somewhat better IMO than "shes loves men in a uniform", even though both seem perfectly correct.

I'm not sure I'm quite clear -- oh well...

FRC

 

[queenmaabd]

Google finds alot of 'to wear uniform' examples

The key word is alot. I pay attention to the source of the example too. The "men in uniform" I referred to comes from Cambridge dicts.

I for one like the idea of uniform as uncountable (in addition to the the usual countable noun), as opposed to "civil clothes". When you say "a uniform", it sounds a bit like "wear a uniform, whatever the one" (I know that's not what it means, but it's nice if the sentence grammatically conveys the idea). "to wear the uniform" would be ok, but it doesn't always work, depending on context.
In French, we have both eg.
1) Porter un uniforme (= wear a uniform)
2) Porter l' uniforme (= wear uniform)
The first one is almost always fine and natural (as in English I think), but often the second one is more, say, precise (depending on the context).
Eg. "she loves men in uniform" is somewhat better IMO than "shes loves men in a uniform", even though both seem perfectly correct.

I'm not sure I'm quite clear -- oh well...

FRC

I get what you mean, but please take note of the fact that you say men in uniform. As an uncount noun you yourself have only used it with the preposition (which I do accept).