The use of taking (an) interest












1















Is the following question correct?




What's wrong with taking interest?




I know taking AN interest or showing interest is better, but I would like to know if taking interest is also correct.






ambiguity collocation zero-article







share|improve this question




















  • 3





    I can't comment on the grammar, but taking interest sounds a little bit like charging interest. At least, that's what occurred to me.

    – Mick
    Oct 25 '16 at 6:09











  • The context determines whether to use an article (sometimes indifinite article and sometime definite article) in such constructions. The meaning is different in each case. Note that in the sentence, interest without any article uses the word in a broader, generic sense. This is a more generic question that keeps coming up on this site and maybe English Language Learners as well from time to time.

    – Kris
    Oct 25 '16 at 7:33
















1















Is the following question correct?




What's wrong with taking interest?




I know taking AN interest or showing interest is better, but I would like to know if taking interest is also correct.






ambiguity collocation zero-article







share|improve this question




















  • 3





    I can't comment on the grammar, but taking interest sounds a little bit like charging interest. At least, that's what occurred to me.

    – Mick
    Oct 25 '16 at 6:09











  • The context determines whether to use an article (sometimes indifinite article and sometime definite article) in such constructions. The meaning is different in each case. Note that in the sentence, interest without any article uses the word in a broader, generic sense. This is a more generic question that keeps coming up on this site and maybe English Language Learners as well from time to time.

    – Kris
    Oct 25 '16 at 7:33














1












1








1








Is the following question correct?




What's wrong with taking interest?




I know taking AN interest or showing interest is better, but I would like to know if taking interest is also correct.






ambiguity collocation zero-article







share|improve this question
















Is the following question correct?




What's wrong with taking interest?




I know taking AN interest or showing interest is better, but I would like to know if taking interest is also correct.






ambiguity collocation zero-article




ambiguity collocation zero-article






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 6 mins ago









Laurel

33k664117




33k664117










asked Oct 25 '16 at 6:05









TimonTimon

61




61








  • 3





    I can't comment on the grammar, but taking interest sounds a little bit like charging interest. At least, that's what occurred to me.

    – Mick
    Oct 25 '16 at 6:09











  • The context determines whether to use an article (sometimes indifinite article and sometime definite article) in such constructions. The meaning is different in each case. Note that in the sentence, interest without any article uses the word in a broader, generic sense. This is a more generic question that keeps coming up on this site and maybe English Language Learners as well from time to time.

    – Kris
    Oct 25 '16 at 7:33














  • 3





    I can't comment on the grammar, but taking interest sounds a little bit like charging interest. At least, that's what occurred to me.

    – Mick
    Oct 25 '16 at 6:09











  • The context determines whether to use an article (sometimes indifinite article and sometime definite article) in such constructions. The meaning is different in each case. Note that in the sentence, interest without any article uses the word in a broader, generic sense. This is a more generic question that keeps coming up on this site and maybe English Language Learners as well from time to time.

    – Kris
    Oct 25 '16 at 7:33








3




3





I can't comment on the grammar, but taking interest sounds a little bit like charging interest. At least, that's what occurred to me.

– Mick
Oct 25 '16 at 6:09





I can't comment on the grammar, but taking interest sounds a little bit like charging interest. At least, that's what occurred to me.

– Mick
Oct 25 '16 at 6:09













The context determines whether to use an article (sometimes indifinite article and sometime definite article) in such constructions. The meaning is different in each case. Note that in the sentence, interest without any article uses the word in a broader, generic sense. This is a more generic question that keeps coming up on this site and maybe English Language Learners as well from time to time.

– Kris
Oct 25 '16 at 7:33





The context determines whether to use an article (sometimes indifinite article and sometime definite article) in such constructions. The meaning is different in each case. Note that in the sentence, interest without any article uses the word in a broader, generic sense. This is a more generic question that keeps coming up on this site and maybe English Language Learners as well from time to time.

– Kris
Oct 25 '16 at 7:33










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















1














There is nothing wrong with "taking interest". Interest can be used as a singular countable noun or as a mass noun with the same meaning:






  • [ S or U ] the feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or of wanting to be involved with and to discover more about something:





    • I've always had an interest in astronomy. He never seems to show any interest in his children.
      Unfortunately, I lost interest half way through the film.
      She takes more of an interest in politics these days.
      informal Just out of interest, how old is your wife?






Cambridge Dictionary



From E-English Grammar:





  • Gradually the children start taking interest in drawing and in course of drawing can learn a lot of things and can fair in their classes as soon as they are admitted to school in the nursery classes. When it is confirmed that the children are taking interest in learning, the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach ...







share|improve this answer


























  • This is just wrong. Interest as a noun can be countable or uncountable, but you can't use them interchangeably. You can only take or have an interest in something (and, conversely, you can only lose interest in something). This is perhaps an idiomatic usage, without much logical justification, but that's the way it is. (That second source is not remotely reliable. In addition to needing an an before interest, the first sentence is missing a the before course and goes completely off the rails with can fair in their classes.)

    – 1006a
    Mar 25 '17 at 1:14











  • @1006a - 1) though I agree that "take an interest in" something is a more common construction, I'd not say that "take interest in" something is uncommon or wrong. books.google.com/ngrams/… -2) why do you say that the source I cite is totally unreliable?

    – user66974
    Mar 25 '17 at 7:06













  • Hmm, you may be correct that it is a more common usage than I had thought. However, I strongly suggest that you find a different authority than the second citation. I say that it is unreliable as an exemplar of English usage because every sentence of it I have looked at contains rudimentary errors like They children should be taught as to how draw lines differently or complete gibberish like the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach them how to write letters and figures.

    – 1006a
    Mar 25 '17 at 7:22













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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









1














There is nothing wrong with "taking interest". Interest can be used as a singular countable noun or as a mass noun with the same meaning:






  • [ S or U ] the feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or of wanting to be involved with and to discover more about something:





    • I've always had an interest in astronomy. He never seems to show any interest in his children.
      Unfortunately, I lost interest half way through the film.
      She takes more of an interest in politics these days.
      informal Just out of interest, how old is your wife?






Cambridge Dictionary



From E-English Grammar:





  • Gradually the children start taking interest in drawing and in course of drawing can learn a lot of things and can fair in their classes as soon as they are admitted to school in the nursery classes. When it is confirmed that the children are taking interest in learning, the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach ...







share|improve this answer


























  • This is just wrong. Interest as a noun can be countable or uncountable, but you can't use them interchangeably. You can only take or have an interest in something (and, conversely, you can only lose interest in something). This is perhaps an idiomatic usage, without much logical justification, but that's the way it is. (That second source is not remotely reliable. In addition to needing an an before interest, the first sentence is missing a the before course and goes completely off the rails with can fair in their classes.)

    – 1006a
    Mar 25 '17 at 1:14











  • @1006a - 1) though I agree that "take an interest in" something is a more common construction, I'd not say that "take interest in" something is uncommon or wrong. books.google.com/ngrams/… -2) why do you say that the source I cite is totally unreliable?

    – user66974
    Mar 25 '17 at 7:06













  • Hmm, you may be correct that it is a more common usage than I had thought. However, I strongly suggest that you find a different authority than the second citation. I say that it is unreliable as an exemplar of English usage because every sentence of it I have looked at contains rudimentary errors like They children should be taught as to how draw lines differently or complete gibberish like the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach them how to write letters and figures.

    – 1006a
    Mar 25 '17 at 7:22


















1














There is nothing wrong with "taking interest". Interest can be used as a singular countable noun or as a mass noun with the same meaning:






  • [ S or U ] the feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or of wanting to be involved with and to discover more about something:





    • I've always had an interest in astronomy. He never seems to show any interest in his children.
      Unfortunately, I lost interest half way through the film.
      She takes more of an interest in politics these days.
      informal Just out of interest, how old is your wife?






Cambridge Dictionary



From E-English Grammar:





  • Gradually the children start taking interest in drawing and in course of drawing can learn a lot of things and can fair in their classes as soon as they are admitted to school in the nursery classes. When it is confirmed that the children are taking interest in learning, the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach ...







share|improve this answer


























  • This is just wrong. Interest as a noun can be countable or uncountable, but you can't use them interchangeably. You can only take or have an interest in something (and, conversely, you can only lose interest in something). This is perhaps an idiomatic usage, without much logical justification, but that's the way it is. (That second source is not remotely reliable. In addition to needing an an before interest, the first sentence is missing a the before course and goes completely off the rails with can fair in their classes.)

    – 1006a
    Mar 25 '17 at 1:14











  • @1006a - 1) though I agree that "take an interest in" something is a more common construction, I'd not say that "take interest in" something is uncommon or wrong. books.google.com/ngrams/… -2) why do you say that the source I cite is totally unreliable?

    – user66974
    Mar 25 '17 at 7:06













  • Hmm, you may be correct that it is a more common usage than I had thought. However, I strongly suggest that you find a different authority than the second citation. I say that it is unreliable as an exemplar of English usage because every sentence of it I have looked at contains rudimentary errors like They children should be taught as to how draw lines differently or complete gibberish like the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach them how to write letters and figures.

    – 1006a
    Mar 25 '17 at 7:22
















1












1








1







There is nothing wrong with "taking interest". Interest can be used as a singular countable noun or as a mass noun with the same meaning:






  • [ S or U ] the feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or of wanting to be involved with and to discover more about something:





    • I've always had an interest in astronomy. He never seems to show any interest in his children.
      Unfortunately, I lost interest half way through the film.
      She takes more of an interest in politics these days.
      informal Just out of interest, how old is your wife?






Cambridge Dictionary



From E-English Grammar:





  • Gradually the children start taking interest in drawing and in course of drawing can learn a lot of things and can fair in their classes as soon as they are admitted to school in the nursery classes. When it is confirmed that the children are taking interest in learning, the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach ...







share|improve this answer















There is nothing wrong with "taking interest". Interest can be used as a singular countable noun or as a mass noun with the same meaning:






  • [ S or U ] the feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or of wanting to be involved with and to discover more about something:





    • I've always had an interest in astronomy. He never seems to show any interest in his children.
      Unfortunately, I lost interest half way through the film.
      She takes more of an interest in politics these days.
      informal Just out of interest, how old is your wife?






Cambridge Dictionary



From E-English Grammar:





  • Gradually the children start taking interest in drawing and in course of drawing can learn a lot of things and can fair in their classes as soon as they are admitted to school in the nursery classes. When it is confirmed that the children are taking interest in learning, the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach ...








share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited 7 mins ago









Laurel

33k664117




33k664117










answered Oct 25 '16 at 7:25







user66974




















  • This is just wrong. Interest as a noun can be countable or uncountable, but you can't use them interchangeably. You can only take or have an interest in something (and, conversely, you can only lose interest in something). This is perhaps an idiomatic usage, without much logical justification, but that's the way it is. (That second source is not remotely reliable. In addition to needing an an before interest, the first sentence is missing a the before course and goes completely off the rails with can fair in their classes.)

    – 1006a
    Mar 25 '17 at 1:14











  • @1006a - 1) though I agree that "take an interest in" something is a more common construction, I'd not say that "take interest in" something is uncommon or wrong. books.google.com/ngrams/… -2) why do you say that the source I cite is totally unreliable?

    – user66974
    Mar 25 '17 at 7:06













  • Hmm, you may be correct that it is a more common usage than I had thought. However, I strongly suggest that you find a different authority than the second citation. I say that it is unreliable as an exemplar of English usage because every sentence of it I have looked at contains rudimentary errors like They children should be taught as to how draw lines differently or complete gibberish like the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach them how to write letters and figures.

    – 1006a
    Mar 25 '17 at 7:22





















  • This is just wrong. Interest as a noun can be countable or uncountable, but you can't use them interchangeably. You can only take or have an interest in something (and, conversely, you can only lose interest in something). This is perhaps an idiomatic usage, without much logical justification, but that's the way it is. (That second source is not remotely reliable. In addition to needing an an before interest, the first sentence is missing a the before course and goes completely off the rails with can fair in their classes.)

    – 1006a
    Mar 25 '17 at 1:14











  • @1006a - 1) though I agree that "take an interest in" something is a more common construction, I'd not say that "take interest in" something is uncommon or wrong. books.google.com/ngrams/… -2) why do you say that the source I cite is totally unreliable?

    – user66974
    Mar 25 '17 at 7:06













  • Hmm, you may be correct that it is a more common usage than I had thought. However, I strongly suggest that you find a different authority than the second citation. I say that it is unreliable as an exemplar of English usage because every sentence of it I have looked at contains rudimentary errors like They children should be taught as to how draw lines differently or complete gibberish like the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach them how to write letters and figures.

    – 1006a
    Mar 25 '17 at 7:22



















This is just wrong. Interest as a noun can be countable or uncountable, but you can't use them interchangeably. You can only take or have an interest in something (and, conversely, you can only lose interest in something). This is perhaps an idiomatic usage, without much logical justification, but that's the way it is. (That second source is not remotely reliable. In addition to needing an an before interest, the first sentence is missing a the before course and goes completely off the rails with can fair in their classes.)

– 1006a
Mar 25 '17 at 1:14





This is just wrong. Interest as a noun can be countable or uncountable, but you can't use them interchangeably. You can only take or have an interest in something (and, conversely, you can only lose interest in something). This is perhaps an idiomatic usage, without much logical justification, but that's the way it is. (That second source is not remotely reliable. In addition to needing an an before interest, the first sentence is missing a the before course and goes completely off the rails with can fair in their classes.)

– 1006a
Mar 25 '17 at 1:14













@1006a - 1) though I agree that "take an interest in" something is a more common construction, I'd not say that "take interest in" something is uncommon or wrong. books.google.com/ngrams/… -2) why do you say that the source I cite is totally unreliable?

– user66974
Mar 25 '17 at 7:06







@1006a - 1) though I agree that "take an interest in" something is a more common construction, I'd not say that "take interest in" something is uncommon or wrong. books.google.com/ngrams/… -2) why do you say that the source I cite is totally unreliable?

– user66974
Mar 25 '17 at 7:06















Hmm, you may be correct that it is a more common usage than I had thought. However, I strongly suggest that you find a different authority than the second citation. I say that it is unreliable as an exemplar of English usage because every sentence of it I have looked at contains rudimentary errors like They children should be taught as to how draw lines differently or complete gibberish like the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach them how to write letters and figures.

– 1006a
Mar 25 '17 at 7:22







Hmm, you may be correct that it is a more common usage than I had thought. However, I strongly suggest that you find a different authority than the second citation. I say that it is unreliable as an exemplar of English usage because every sentence of it I have looked at contains rudimentary errors like They children should be taught as to how draw lines differently or complete gibberish like the parents should be more attentive than it is proper to teach them how to write letters and figures.

– 1006a
Mar 25 '17 at 7:22




















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