an article before "verb form"

[esperansa]

Hello, dear speakers of English!
The example below is the question asked by one of the learners on the Russian forum.

Could I use "verb form" without any article in the example below? Is it normal for a native speaker of English to omit an article before a countable noun in contexts such as below?

Example:
How does verb form change a sentence's meaning with [words in the Russian language]?

 

[suzi br]

That looks a bit like a note rather than a full sentence. In a discussion it works OK, but usually I'd use an article there.

 

[Englishmypassion]

I, a non-native, would use an article before 'verb form' and find it grammatically obligatory.

 

[PaulQ]

"Is it normal for a native speaker of English to omit an article before a countable noun...?" If a singular noun has no article (or other determiner) in front of it, that noun is [understood as being] uncountable.
The uncountable version of "form" is possible but is very formal.

 

[DonnyB]

Yes, you need an article in that sample sentence you've quoted. The choice between "the" and "a" would depend on whether or not you'd given the specific 'verb form' that you were asking about.

 

[esperansa]

Thanks.