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Why doesn't “adolescent” take any articles in “listen to adolescent agonising”?
Does the adjective 'same' ALWAYS have the definite article 'the'?Why doesn't the noun 'code' take any article?performance of something vs. the performance of somethingA couple questions about indefinite and definite articles if the reader/listener knows the nounthe/a city doesn't matterWhy no articles preceding picture in “take picture after picture”?Why 'fellow' doesn't take any article in this sentence?Is there any other set of rules for articles besides the one taught in school?Should we add an article in the phrase “by return owl” in this case?What part of speech are “answer” and “enough” in this sentence?
"Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to adolescent agonizing ... good-day to you."
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
'Adolescent' is a countable word. But why doesn't it take any articles in this context? I feel listen to an adolescent agonizing looks correct. Any thoughts?
articles
add a comment |
"Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to adolescent agonizing ... good-day to you."
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
'Adolescent' is a countable word. But why doesn't it take any articles in this context? I feel listen to an adolescent agonizing looks correct. Any thoughts?
articles
add a comment |
"Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to adolescent agonizing ... good-day to you."
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
'Adolescent' is a countable word. But why doesn't it take any articles in this context? I feel listen to an adolescent agonizing looks correct. Any thoughts?
articles
"Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to adolescent agonizing ... good-day to you."
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
'Adolescent' is a countable word. But why doesn't it take any articles in this context? I feel listen to an adolescent agonizing looks correct. Any thoughts?
articles
articles
asked 2 days ago
dandan
5,41622878
5,41622878
add a comment |
add a comment |
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
I think you are parsing adolescent agonizing as noun + verb, but it is really adjective + noun. It may be more clear to you if we replace adolescent with a word that is definitely an adjective:
Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to
childish agonizing ... good-day to you.
A comparable example of adjective + noun, where the adjective could also be a noun in another context, is human events.
– Scott
yesterday
add a comment |
It's being used as an adjective to modify the noun form of the verb "agonizing".
By not using an article he is saying he refers to (and dismisses) all adolescent agonizing rather than just one instance.
5
I think it actually takes the form of an adjective here. You (correctly) said that 'agonizing' is taking a noun form here (called a gerund), and nouns are modified by adjectives, not adverbs. Also, the asker might be confusing which word is the noun, so maybe clearing that up would help, but that might be too involved for a short answer.
– Maclain Anderson
2 days ago
add a comment |
You can use that phrase with no article, with the indefinite article or with the definite article.
If you are in a high school around exam time, and someone asks "why don't you go sit in the lunch room", you could respond with "the last thing I want to do is listen to adolescent agonizing". In this case, "agonizing" is used like a noun, and adolescent is used to modify it.
Then, if someone says "No, you need go talk to Tommy about his exam anxiety". You could response "I have better things to do than to listen to an adolescent agonizing about exams". Here, "adolescent" is a noun, and the "agonizing" is a verb.
If you avoid talking to Tommy, but another colleague comes by, looks over at Tommy, pointing him out to you and says "listen to the adolescent agonizing - it must be exam time". Now, depending on how you emphasize things, there are two choices. In one case, your colleague is truly talking about Tommy, in which case "adolescent" is the noun, and the "agonizing" is a verb. But, he/she could be speaking in a more general sense, and it's closer to the non-article version, with "agonizing" as a noun and "adolescent" modifying it.
New contributor
What about "listen to the adolescent agonizing"?
– dan
2 days ago
add a comment |
It cannot be an adolescent agonizing because in the context, the author is describing a group of young people.
So:
"Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to adolescent agonizing ... good-day to you."
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Is perfectly correct. This sentence is said in an haughty way. as the group of student are (for the character) inferior and ignorant compared to him.
New contributor
6
If an is a wrong article because there are multiple young people, your answer implies that the phrase is ungrammatical as it should then be "adolescents agonizing". But this is to make the same mistake as the asker themselves - adolescent is here an adjective, not a noun, and therefore the answer makes no sense.
– Nij
yesterday
Yes you are right, unfortunately I wrote this before we realised that found was used as an adjective and not a noun. Therefore my answer seems now to be obsolete.
– Ced
yesterday
add a comment |
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4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
I think you are parsing adolescent agonizing as noun + verb, but it is really adjective + noun. It may be more clear to you if we replace adolescent with a word that is definitely an adjective:
Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to
childish agonizing ... good-day to you.
A comparable example of adjective + noun, where the adjective could also be a noun in another context, is human events.
– Scott
yesterday
add a comment |
I think you are parsing adolescent agonizing as noun + verb, but it is really adjective + noun. It may be more clear to you if we replace adolescent with a word that is definitely an adjective:
Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to
childish agonizing ... good-day to you.
A comparable example of adjective + noun, where the adjective could also be a noun in another context, is human events.
– Scott
yesterday
add a comment |
I think you are parsing adolescent agonizing as noun + verb, but it is really adjective + noun. It may be more clear to you if we replace adolescent with a word that is definitely an adjective:
Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to
childish agonizing ... good-day to you.
I think you are parsing adolescent agonizing as noun + verb, but it is really adjective + noun. It may be more clear to you if we replace adolescent with a word that is definitely an adjective:
Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to
childish agonizing ... good-day to you.
edited 2 days ago
answered 2 days ago
JustinJustin
54045
54045
A comparable example of adjective + noun, where the adjective could also be a noun in another context, is human events.
– Scott
yesterday
add a comment |
A comparable example of adjective + noun, where the adjective could also be a noun in another context, is human events.
– Scott
yesterday
A comparable example of adjective + noun, where the adjective could also be a noun in another context, is human events.
– Scott
yesterday
A comparable example of adjective + noun, where the adjective could also be a noun in another context, is human events.
– Scott
yesterday
add a comment |
It's being used as an adjective to modify the noun form of the verb "agonizing".
By not using an article he is saying he refers to (and dismisses) all adolescent agonizing rather than just one instance.
5
I think it actually takes the form of an adjective here. You (correctly) said that 'agonizing' is taking a noun form here (called a gerund), and nouns are modified by adjectives, not adverbs. Also, the asker might be confusing which word is the noun, so maybe clearing that up would help, but that might be too involved for a short answer.
– Maclain Anderson
2 days ago
add a comment |
It's being used as an adjective to modify the noun form of the verb "agonizing".
By not using an article he is saying he refers to (and dismisses) all adolescent agonizing rather than just one instance.
5
I think it actually takes the form of an adjective here. You (correctly) said that 'agonizing' is taking a noun form here (called a gerund), and nouns are modified by adjectives, not adverbs. Also, the asker might be confusing which word is the noun, so maybe clearing that up would help, but that might be too involved for a short answer.
– Maclain Anderson
2 days ago
add a comment |
It's being used as an adjective to modify the noun form of the verb "agonizing".
By not using an article he is saying he refers to (and dismisses) all adolescent agonizing rather than just one instance.
It's being used as an adjective to modify the noun form of the verb "agonizing".
By not using an article he is saying he refers to (and dismisses) all adolescent agonizing rather than just one instance.
edited 2 days ago
chepner
58428
58428
answered 2 days ago
BenBen
21216
21216
5
I think it actually takes the form of an adjective here. You (correctly) said that 'agonizing' is taking a noun form here (called a gerund), and nouns are modified by adjectives, not adverbs. Also, the asker might be confusing which word is the noun, so maybe clearing that up would help, but that might be too involved for a short answer.
– Maclain Anderson
2 days ago
add a comment |
5
I think it actually takes the form of an adjective here. You (correctly) said that 'agonizing' is taking a noun form here (called a gerund), and nouns are modified by adjectives, not adverbs. Also, the asker might be confusing which word is the noun, so maybe clearing that up would help, but that might be too involved for a short answer.
– Maclain Anderson
2 days ago
5
5
I think it actually takes the form of an adjective here. You (correctly) said that 'agonizing' is taking a noun form here (called a gerund), and nouns are modified by adjectives, not adverbs. Also, the asker might be confusing which word is the noun, so maybe clearing that up would help, but that might be too involved for a short answer.
– Maclain Anderson
2 days ago
I think it actually takes the form of an adjective here. You (correctly) said that 'agonizing' is taking a noun form here (called a gerund), and nouns are modified by adjectives, not adverbs. Also, the asker might be confusing which word is the noun, so maybe clearing that up would help, but that might be too involved for a short answer.
– Maclain Anderson
2 days ago
add a comment |
You can use that phrase with no article, with the indefinite article or with the definite article.
If you are in a high school around exam time, and someone asks "why don't you go sit in the lunch room", you could respond with "the last thing I want to do is listen to adolescent agonizing". In this case, "agonizing" is used like a noun, and adolescent is used to modify it.
Then, if someone says "No, you need go talk to Tommy about his exam anxiety". You could response "I have better things to do than to listen to an adolescent agonizing about exams". Here, "adolescent" is a noun, and the "agonizing" is a verb.
If you avoid talking to Tommy, but another colleague comes by, looks over at Tommy, pointing him out to you and says "listen to the adolescent agonizing - it must be exam time". Now, depending on how you emphasize things, there are two choices. In one case, your colleague is truly talking about Tommy, in which case "adolescent" is the noun, and the "agonizing" is a verb. But, he/she could be speaking in a more general sense, and it's closer to the non-article version, with "agonizing" as a noun and "adolescent" modifying it.
New contributor
What about "listen to the adolescent agonizing"?
– dan
2 days ago
add a comment |
You can use that phrase with no article, with the indefinite article or with the definite article.
If you are in a high school around exam time, and someone asks "why don't you go sit in the lunch room", you could respond with "the last thing I want to do is listen to adolescent agonizing". In this case, "agonizing" is used like a noun, and adolescent is used to modify it.
Then, if someone says "No, you need go talk to Tommy about his exam anxiety". You could response "I have better things to do than to listen to an adolescent agonizing about exams". Here, "adolescent" is a noun, and the "agonizing" is a verb.
If you avoid talking to Tommy, but another colleague comes by, looks over at Tommy, pointing him out to you and says "listen to the adolescent agonizing - it must be exam time". Now, depending on how you emphasize things, there are two choices. In one case, your colleague is truly talking about Tommy, in which case "adolescent" is the noun, and the "agonizing" is a verb. But, he/she could be speaking in a more general sense, and it's closer to the non-article version, with "agonizing" as a noun and "adolescent" modifying it.
New contributor
What about "listen to the adolescent agonizing"?
– dan
2 days ago
add a comment |
You can use that phrase with no article, with the indefinite article or with the definite article.
If you are in a high school around exam time, and someone asks "why don't you go sit in the lunch room", you could respond with "the last thing I want to do is listen to adolescent agonizing". In this case, "agonizing" is used like a noun, and adolescent is used to modify it.
Then, if someone says "No, you need go talk to Tommy about his exam anxiety". You could response "I have better things to do than to listen to an adolescent agonizing about exams". Here, "adolescent" is a noun, and the "agonizing" is a verb.
If you avoid talking to Tommy, but another colleague comes by, looks over at Tommy, pointing him out to you and says "listen to the adolescent agonizing - it must be exam time". Now, depending on how you emphasize things, there are two choices. In one case, your colleague is truly talking about Tommy, in which case "adolescent" is the noun, and the "agonizing" is a verb. But, he/she could be speaking in a more general sense, and it's closer to the non-article version, with "agonizing" as a noun and "adolescent" modifying it.
New contributor
You can use that phrase with no article, with the indefinite article or with the definite article.
If you are in a high school around exam time, and someone asks "why don't you go sit in the lunch room", you could respond with "the last thing I want to do is listen to adolescent agonizing". In this case, "agonizing" is used like a noun, and adolescent is used to modify it.
Then, if someone says "No, you need go talk to Tommy about his exam anxiety". You could response "I have better things to do than to listen to an adolescent agonizing about exams". Here, "adolescent" is a noun, and the "agonizing" is a verb.
If you avoid talking to Tommy, but another colleague comes by, looks over at Tommy, pointing him out to you and says "listen to the adolescent agonizing - it must be exam time". Now, depending on how you emphasize things, there are two choices. In one case, your colleague is truly talking about Tommy, in which case "adolescent" is the noun, and the "agonizing" is a verb. But, he/she could be speaking in a more general sense, and it's closer to the non-article version, with "agonizing" as a noun and "adolescent" modifying it.
New contributor
New contributor
answered 2 days ago
Flydog57Flydog57
1413
1413
New contributor
New contributor
What about "listen to the adolescent agonizing"?
– dan
2 days ago
add a comment |
What about "listen to the adolescent agonizing"?
– dan
2 days ago
What about "listen to the adolescent agonizing"?
– dan
2 days ago
What about "listen to the adolescent agonizing"?
– dan
2 days ago
add a comment |
It cannot be an adolescent agonizing because in the context, the author is describing a group of young people.
So:
"Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to adolescent agonizing ... good-day to you."
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Is perfectly correct. This sentence is said in an haughty way. as the group of student are (for the character) inferior and ignorant compared to him.
New contributor
6
If an is a wrong article because there are multiple young people, your answer implies that the phrase is ungrammatical as it should then be "adolescents agonizing". But this is to make the same mistake as the asker themselves - adolescent is here an adjective, not a noun, and therefore the answer makes no sense.
– Nij
yesterday
Yes you are right, unfortunately I wrote this before we realised that found was used as an adjective and not a noun. Therefore my answer seems now to be obsolete.
– Ced
yesterday
add a comment |
It cannot be an adolescent agonizing because in the context, the author is describing a group of young people.
So:
"Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to adolescent agonizing ... good-day to you."
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Is perfectly correct. This sentence is said in an haughty way. as the group of student are (for the character) inferior and ignorant compared to him.
New contributor
6
If an is a wrong article because there are multiple young people, your answer implies that the phrase is ungrammatical as it should then be "adolescents agonizing". But this is to make the same mistake as the asker themselves - adolescent is here an adjective, not a noun, and therefore the answer makes no sense.
– Nij
yesterday
Yes you are right, unfortunately I wrote this before we realised that found was used as an adjective and not a noun. Therefore my answer seems now to be obsolete.
– Ced
yesterday
add a comment |
It cannot be an adolescent agonizing because in the context, the author is describing a group of young people.
So:
"Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to adolescent agonizing ... good-day to you."
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Is perfectly correct. This sentence is said in an haughty way. as the group of student are (for the character) inferior and ignorant compared to him.
New contributor
It cannot be an adolescent agonizing because in the context, the author is describing a group of young people.
So:
"Now, if you will excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to adolescent agonizing ... good-day to you."
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Is perfectly correct. This sentence is said in an haughty way. as the group of student are (for the character) inferior and ignorant compared to him.
New contributor
edited 2 days ago
Jasper
18k43569
18k43569
New contributor
answered 2 days ago
CedCed
49011
49011
New contributor
New contributor
6
If an is a wrong article because there are multiple young people, your answer implies that the phrase is ungrammatical as it should then be "adolescents agonizing". But this is to make the same mistake as the asker themselves - adolescent is here an adjective, not a noun, and therefore the answer makes no sense.
– Nij
yesterday
Yes you are right, unfortunately I wrote this before we realised that found was used as an adjective and not a noun. Therefore my answer seems now to be obsolete.
– Ced
yesterday
add a comment |
6
If an is a wrong article because there are multiple young people, your answer implies that the phrase is ungrammatical as it should then be "adolescents agonizing". But this is to make the same mistake as the asker themselves - adolescent is here an adjective, not a noun, and therefore the answer makes no sense.
– Nij
yesterday
Yes you are right, unfortunately I wrote this before we realised that found was used as an adjective and not a noun. Therefore my answer seems now to be obsolete.
– Ced
yesterday
6
6
If an is a wrong article because there are multiple young people, your answer implies that the phrase is ungrammatical as it should then be "adolescents agonizing". But this is to make the same mistake as the asker themselves - adolescent is here an adjective, not a noun, and therefore the answer makes no sense.
– Nij
yesterday
If an is a wrong article because there are multiple young people, your answer implies that the phrase is ungrammatical as it should then be "adolescents agonizing". But this is to make the same mistake as the asker themselves - adolescent is here an adjective, not a noun, and therefore the answer makes no sense.
– Nij
yesterday
Yes you are right, unfortunately I wrote this before we realised that found was used as an adjective and not a noun. Therefore my answer seems now to be obsolete.
– Ced
yesterday
Yes you are right, unfortunately I wrote this before we realised that found was used as an adjective and not a noun. Therefore my answer seems now to be obsolete.
– Ced
yesterday
add a comment |
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