Hello,
I recently came across the following sentence:
The school has a variety of students.
My question is : why do you use an indefinate article before an uncountable noun (variety) in this sentence. Is it possible that the word variety is a collective singular noun ?
I always thought that the indefinate noun could not be used with uncountable nouns.
thank you as always.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Hi, Mrchuffie,
@Mrchuffie posted:The school has a variety of students.
My question is : why do you use an indefinite article before an uncountable noun (variety) in this sentence. Is it possible that the word variety is a collective singular noun ?
The noun "variety" is not uncountable. We do in fact speak about the different varieties of English.
In the example provided, it does look like a collective noun, being syntactically similar to group or series.
Thank you. So in the sentence ,am I correct to assume that variety is being used as a singular noun hence the use of the indefinite article?
Thanks
@Mrchuffie posted:Thank you. So in the sentence ,am I correct to assume that variety is being used as a singular noun hence the use of the indefinite article?
"Variety" is being used used as a singular noun in the same way that "number" is a singular noun in "a number of." As with the latter phrase, the reference with "a variety of" is to a plurality. If the phrase "a variety of students" functioned as the subject of a sentence, it would take plural verb agreement:
(a) A variety of students attend the school.
(b) *A variety of students attends the school.
Incidentally, to add a little to Gustavo's explanation above, "variety" is NEVER a noncount noun (it is ALWAYS a count noun) when it is followed by an "of"-phrase. We rarely use "variety" as a noncount noun. When we do, it has an abstract meaning, as it does in the proverb "Variety is the spice of life."
Thank you again for such a clear answer. 
This forum is so helpful and always respectful.
