Learn English – Is “education” a count noun

articlesuncountable-nouns

I'm getting confused about these two sentences:

  1. The government should provide education to its citizens.
  2. She has received a great education since high school.

I think education is an uncountable noun.

Why does the second sentence use the article a before education?

It might be a stupid question, but I really want to understand this topic clearly. I looked on many websites but there was no related answer to this.

Best Answer

"Education", like many abstract nouns, can be used in both countable and uncountable forms. They are most often used as countable nouns when speaking about a specific entity that is not abstract. Here are some examples of these abstract nouns being used in both forms.

We are taught that love is one of the greatest emotions.
I can't eat at diners; I just have a love for finer food.

Everything can be completed with enough time.
There is a time for laughter, even at a solemn event.

If you don't want to end up like your father, remember the benefits of education.
You'll need an education if you don't want to work at fast food for the rest of your life.

Any time you want to refer to abstracts like this with specificity, you'll find them commonly used in countable forms.

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