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Allifathima · #1 (permalink) Fri Jul 22, 2011 3:31 am *article*

What a man you are!
What a deal it is!
Can I omit the article in the above exclamation sentences?

Mister Micawber · #2 (permalink) Fri Jul 22, 2011 3:58 am *article*

No, you cannot. They are countable nouns. Compare: 'What wine this is!' 'What excitement I have felt!'
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Allifathima · #3 (permalink) Sat Jul 23, 2011 2:50 am *article*

Mister Micawber,
I believe 'music' is uncountable.
What loud music! (OK)
What a music!
But 'a' is added to music. How?

Mister Micawber · #4 (permalink) Sat Jul 23, 2011 3:50 am *article*

Where is 'a' added to 'music'? Please give me the context.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

Allifathima · #5 (permalink) Sat Jul 23, 2011 4:31 am *article*

Mister Micawber,
From somewhere I got the following examples. I couldn't remember the source.
What a shame!
What a mess!
What a music!
Are all these wrong?

Mister Micawber · #6 (permalink) Sat Jul 23, 2011 5:40 am *article*

What a shame!-- OK
What a mess!- OK
What a music!-- No good.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

Allifathima · #7 (permalink) Sat Jul 23, 2011 13:29 pm *article*

Mister Micawber,
Are 'shame' & 'mess' countable nouns?

Mister Micawber · #8 (permalink) Sat Jul 23, 2011 13:34 pm *article*

'Mess' is. I suspect that 'what a shame' is better classified as a fixed phrase.
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