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It's such a nice day today!

I'm interested in the usage of the indefinite article. I know this sentence is correct. We use an indefinite article in exclamations with countable nouns.

But the question is: If it's NOT an exclamation, what do we use? Let's say:

  1. I went for a walk because it was such a wonderful day.
  2. I went for a walk because it was a such wonderful day.
  3. I went for a walk because it was such wonderful day.

Which variant is correct?

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3 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted


is correct.

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thanks a lot! I honestly hoped there wouldn't be any articles. – Valentina Feb 7 '11 at 21:15

The first is correct:

…it was such a wonderful day.

The others are not correct. Generally, when used with a singular countable noun, such should come before the indefinite article, like your example:

It was such a wonderful day.

When used with a plural noun, or an uncountable noun, then there’s no article, but it should still precede any adjectives (and there should usually be some adjective(s); without an adjective, this use is generally somewhat poetic/archaic):

He sings such beautiful songs!  She listens to such horrible music.  There was such merriment at the party last night…

It should never follow a, or be used with the; all the following are wrong:

*…a such wonderful day…       *…the such wonderful day…       *…such the wonderful day…

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I think you mean "precede" rather than "proceed" – Colin Fine Feb 7 '11 at 17:31
thanks. Your answer is very full. Now I understand that there's no difference whether this is an exclamation or not, whether there is the word "such" or not, the rules of using an article are the same. – Valentina Feb 7 '11 at 21:14
@Colin Fine: Ack! Colour me mortified! Thankyou… – PLL Feb 7 '11 at 22:57

When using such with a singular noun, put such before 'a'. This is a general rule.


She's such a lovely person (NOT a such lovely person).

I doubt if such a promise has any value.

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thank you, now I understand. – Valentina Feb 7 '11 at 21:10

protected by RegDwighт Oct 30 '12 at 11:31

