Which one is correct :
A. What is matter?
B. What is a matter?
Here matter is anything that occupies space and has a mass.
5-Day Free Trial
5-day free, full-access trial TTP
Available with Beat the GMAT members only code
MORE DETAILS
Articles
This topic has expert replies
-
shrutikasat2703
- Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Feb 18, 2014 7:23 pm
GMAT/MBA Expert
-
KevinRocci
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 166
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 3:17 pm
- Location: Berkeley, Ca
- Thanked: 30 times
- Followed by:21 members
Howdy! I can help!shrutikasat2703 wrote:Which one is correct :
A. What is matter?
B. What is a matter?
Here matter is anything that occupies space and has a mass.
The first one is correct!
We don't need to use an article in front of uncountable nouns.
I talk about this a little bit in this video. Happy studying!
GMAT/MBA Expert
-
[email protected]
- Elite Legendary Member
- Posts: 10392
- Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pm
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Thanked: 2867 times
- Followed by:511 members
- GMAT Score:800
Hi shrutikasat2703,
The issue of "countable" vs. "non-countable" is a minor grammar rule that you'll likely be tested on once (but possibly more than once) in the GMAT Verbal section.
"Countable" nouns (eg. chairs, people, books, etc.) can be referred to with the words "fewer" and "number" (among others).
"Non-countable" nouns (eg. air, sleepiness) can be referred to with the words "less" and "amount" (among others).
Kevin points out that you don't need an article in front of a non-countable noun, which is true (since matter is "non-countable", it falls into that category - you might refer to "less matter" or an "amount of matter").
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
The issue of "countable" vs. "non-countable" is a minor grammar rule that you'll likely be tested on once (but possibly more than once) in the GMAT Verbal section.
"Countable" nouns (eg. chairs, people, books, etc.) can be referred to with the words "fewer" and "number" (among others).
"Non-countable" nouns (eg. air, sleepiness) can be referred to with the words "less" and "amount" (among others).
Kevin points out that you don't need an article in front of a non-countable noun, which is true (since matter is "non-countable", it falls into that category - you might refer to "less matter" or an "amount of matter").
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
