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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > "A" or "SOME" Can anyone help me?    

"A" or "SOME" Can anyone help me?



caraina_22
Argentina

"A" or "SOME" Can anyone help me?
 
Can anyone tell me what to use in this sentence, "A" or "SOME" and why?
 
                             There was ......... modern architecture. (there was another adjective before modern but I don�t remeber right now and I don�t have the book). The first thing that came to my mind was SOME (and the book gives that answer) but "A"doesn�t sound incorrect, in fact, I surfed the net and I found "A" is more common but I couldn�t find the reason.
 
Thanks 4 your help!Waiting 4 an answer!!!!
 

6 May 2011      





roycalzada
Mexico

Is "SOME" it is used for uncuontable nouns, maybe architecture is used for an unspecified number or quantity of a whole or also a group.

6 May 2011     



Spagman63
Hong Kong

Architecture is uncountable and therefore needs "some".

6 May 2011     



ozlem.yagiz
Turkey

I cannot say that �a � is uncorrect like you Caraina. I know some is used for both countable and uncountable nouns but sometimes we use �a � with uncountable nouns such as :have a good time so maybe i can say �a � or i can use �quite � for this blank.

6 May 2011     



serene
Greece



Hi Caraina, I agree with Spagman (nice to see you around, Spagman!). When architecture refers to the art of designing buildings, it is uncountable.
http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/architecture

6 May 2011     



yanogator
United States

In the expression "have a good time", the word "time" is a countable noun, since it is referring to an event, so you can use "a" with it.
 
As Spagman said, "architecture" is generally uncountable, so this sentence needs "some". We don �t often use "architecture" in a countable way. We would usually say "a style of architecture" or "an example of architecture".
 
Bruce

6 May 2011     



memthefirst
Turkey

�zlem we say "Good times make great memories".(Here "time" probably means "experience") But we don �t say "Don �t waste your times".I think it depends on the meaning.For Bruce I can say we still don �t count architecture but we count "style" and "example"(A or AN refers to these words not architecture)

6 May 2011     



franzjosefaut
Austria

Hey.
 
A or an doesn �t work at all.  �Architecture � summs up a bunch of buildings, and to count one single piece of it would require to say that:  There was one piece of Greek .... (whatever).
And �some � means just part of the entire architecture involved, perhaps of some particular style. (see yanogator)
And, no!  We don �t say: Waste your times.  It �s: Don �t waste your time, memthefirst!
 
Greetings, Franz

10 May 2011