English Grammar

Question

Hello All,

1). ___A____ chair is ____a___ useful piece of furniture

OR

2). ___The____ chair is ____a___ useful piece of furniture

Can anyone help me understand why 2 is correct.

Raxit85 · Answer

Can you please tell the source of the sentence document?

AndrewN · Answer

Hello,  DJ101 . I love these kinds of questions, since they force me to think of language in a way that I often take for granted. In the above sentences, it is not as though the first sentence is necessarily incorrect, just that if the sentence means to convey that the object called  chair  is being held up as a representative of an entire group of such objects, then the article  the  is appropriate. By way of a parallel group of sentences, I think I can illustrate the point better:

1)  A  lion is the "king of the jungle."
 Meaning : Some lion, perhaps not lions in general, is called the "king of the jungle."

2)  The  lion is the "king of the jungle."
 Meaning : The animal known as  lion  is known as the "king of the jungle." Any lion qualifies.

Getting back to the chairs, the former sentence conveys that some chair, not necessarily a representative of all chairs, is a useful piece of furniture. I could utter that sentence right now in reference to the chair I am sitting in, but if we were speaking face to face, you would only look at  my  chair and either agree or disagree. You would not be thinking of the invention of  the  chair.

I could think of other examples to illustrate the point—e.g.,   A/The  woolly mammoth went extinct... —but I hope what I have written above will satisfy your curiosity for now. Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew

poojakhanduja3017 · Answer

2nd is true because they are not referring to a single chair. They are referring to the class of chairs.

enlargemen · Answer

If you're looking to improve your grammar skills, you can do a few things. First, make sure you understand the basic rules of grammar.

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

There is an in house gmatclub Verbal guide that may be helpful on that end.

dixiemcgahee57 · Answer

There are a lot of resources out there that can help with this. Once you understand the basics well, start practicing writing in proper grammar. This can be done by writing short essays or even full sentences. Pay attention to how you're writing and correct any grammar mistakes you make. Another helpful tip is to read a lot. Reading helps to improve your grammar skills through exposure. The more you read, the more you'll see how proper grammar is used. And finally, don't be afraid to ask for help. If you're unsure about something, ask a friend or family member, or even look it up online for  teaching resources .

English Grammar

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