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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Article with recurring time events

Not sure if there's a way to merge this question with my other one ("semester"). Is there a definite rule with article use and time events that recur? What I mean: it's customary to use "the" before day, month, year (eg we celebrate Christmas at the end of the year, not at the end of a year), but why the indefinite article is acceptable with semester, school year, etc?
  

Top answer

Anonymous : it's customary to use "the" before day, month, year It is acceptable to use "a" before day, month and year. A year seems much longer to a ten-year-old than to a 60-year-old. It's his birthday next week.

— AlpheccaStars

  • Anonymous : it's customary to use "the" before day, month, year It is acceptable to use "a" before day, month and year.
  • A year seems much longer to a ten-year-old than to a 60-year-old.
  • It's his birthday next week.
  • He'll be a year older.
  • A Day in the Life (A Beatles' song) A day is 24 hours long.
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2 Answers
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Anonymous: it's customary to use "the" before day, month, year
It is acceptable to use "a" before day, month and year.

A year seems much longer to a ten-year-old than to a 60-year-old.
It's his birthday next week. He'll be a year older.
A Day in the Life (A Beatles' song)
A day is 24 hours long.
The lunar cy
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Yes, AlpheccaStars, thank you, but you won't say: "we celebrate Christmas at the end of a year". So why "at the end of a semester or school year" is okay?
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