Older men are making a comeback.

[english_learn]

Hi,

My understanding is we don't use article ( a ) front of uncountable nouns . Today in the newspaper I have seen the sentence below

"Older men are making a comeback"


How come "a" used front of comeback. Comeback is not a countable noun ? clarify please

 

[Rover_KE]

Re: Using article

How come "a" is used in front of "comeback"? "Comeback" is not a countable noun, is it? Clarify please.

Yes, it is countable.

A number of retired singers have made several comebacks when they have needed another payday.

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[english_learn]

Re: Using article

Thanks , How do I differentiate countable noun from uncountable ?

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: Using article

Thanks. How do I differentiate countable nouns from uncountable?

Dictionaries (some, not all) and experience.

Note my corrections above. Don't put a space before a comma, full stop, question mark or exclamation mark.

 

[english_learn]

Re: Using article

Thanks I have seen another example today on the newspaper.

Sydney’s average population density is a relatively relaxed 390 people per sq kilometre.

In the above sentence , relatively and relaxed are not nouns. What is the rule in this example?

 

[Roman55]

Re: Using article

It's a 'population density of 390 per sq kilometre' that is considered to be relatively relaxed.

 

[Tdol]

Re: Using article

How do I differentiate countable noun from uncountable ?

Also, remember that the countable/uncountable distinction is not an absolute rule- many words can be used both countably and uncountably. Words that are normally, say, countable may appear in a specific context in the other form. The form shown in a dictionary is more of a tendency than anything- it just shows that this is the most common way a noun is used.

 

[Tarheel]

Two things. Say:

Today, in the newspaper, I SAW....

If you can put a number in front of it it's countable. If you can't, it's not.

 

[english_learn]

Re: Using article

what is the grammar rule here ?

It's a 'population density of 390 per sq kilometre' that is considered to be relatively relaxed.

 

[Tdol]

Re: Using article

Different areas will have different population densities, so it is a countable thing comparing these differences.

 

[english_learn]

Re: Using article

I am still not convinced in with the answers.

 

[Tarheel]

Re: Using article

You are still not persuaded that "comeback" is a countable noun?

It's a simple matter. You can have more than one. You can have two or three or more.

 

[Tarheel]

Re: Using article

I am still not CONVINCED BY the answers.

What would it take to convince you? (If a person can make more than one comeback then "comeback" is a countable noun.)

If a person can make more than one comeback then "comeback" is a countable noun. Indeed, things a person can only do once are countable nouns. Death, for example. (We wouldn't say we "do" death, of course.)

 

[Tdol]

Re: Using article

I am still not convinced in with the answers.

But you were convinced by a dictionary that told you it was uncountable. Which dictionary was that?

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/comeback
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/comeback
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/comeback
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/comeback?a=british

You can choose to ignore anything, but that doesn't make you any less wrong. Feel free to believe that it is uncountable. Feel free to be wrong. Feel free to ignore what people say when you ask them. Feel free to be wrong. It's your choice.

 

[Raymott]

Re: Using article

I think he's concerned by structures such as:
"The price is a low $9.95"
"He has to be a good 60 years old."

In the original, "Sydney’s average population density is a relatively relaxed 390 people per sq kilometre", the 'a' does not refer to "population density" but to "390 people per sq. kilometre."
Are "$9.95", "60 years old", and "390 people per sq. kilometre" countable?