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Mitsuo23 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
dinner or A dinner
Hi,
It seems I'm still having trouble what breakfast/lunch/dinner exactly mean.
Why the first has an "a" while the second doesn't? What makes the difference?
- Let’s invite them to dinner tomorrow.
- I hosted a dinner for twelve last week.
Thank you,
M
It seems I'm still having trouble what breakfast/lunch/dinner exactly mean.
Why the first has an "a" while the second doesn't? What makes the difference?
- Let’s invite them to dinner tomorrow.
- I hosted a dinner for twelve last week.
Thank you,
M
Top answer
With the article emphasizes the meal as a significant event in and of itself, so you'll see I hosted a dinner for twelve or I am going to a dinner to benefit the homeless . Without the article emphasizes the meal in its aspect as a relatively intimate, private, possibly social occasion, so you see things like I invited some friends over for dinner or I eat dinner every night at seven sharp . It's surprisingly difficult to explain the distinction I mean to make in a clear and concise way, so if you have further questions or need examples, please ask.
- With the article emphasizes the meal as a significant event in and of itself, so you'll see I hosted a dinner for twelve or I am going to a dinner to benefit the homeless .
- Without the article emphasizes the meal in its aspect as a relatively intimate, private, possibly social occasion, so you see things like I invited some friends over for dinner or I eat dinner every night at seven sharp .
- It's surprisingly difficult to explain the distinction I mean to make in a clear and concise way, so if you have further questions or need examples, please ask.
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6 Answers
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With the article emphasizes the meal as a significant event in and of itself, so you'll see I hosted a dinner for twelve or I am going to a dinner to benefit the homeless.
Without the article emphasizes the meal in its aspect as a relatively intimate, private, possibly social occasion, so you see things like I invited some friends over for dinner
Without the article emphasizes the meal in its aspect as a relatively intimate, private, possibly social occasion, so you see things like I invited some friends over for dinner
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Hi Mitsuwao,
This is understandably difficult.
A dinner is a formal occasion, for example at a wedding. A dinner party would be less formal, but is still an event.
However, even if you are inviting someone to a formal occasion, you would still invite them to dinner, not to a dinner.
The fact that it is a formal occasion would be implied by
This is understandably difficult.
A dinner is a formal occasion, for example at a wedding. A dinner party would be less formal, but is still an event.
However, even if you are inviting someone to a formal occasion, you would still invite them to dinner, not to a dinner.
The fact that it is a formal occasion would be implied by
00
Thank you for the replies, people.
I think I am getting closer to the solution. Words like dinner is somewhat like "rain", which you usually use as a uncountable nous but you use it as countable to specify a certain kind of rain that isn't ordinary. But so far, I haven't a click in my head..
Would you tell me the meaning of this sentence?
- I had two breakfasts this morning.
I think I am getting closer to the solution. Words like dinner is somewhat like "rain", which you usually use as a uncountable nous but you use it as countable to specify a certain kind of rain that isn't ordinary. But so far, I haven't a click in my head..
Would you tell me the meaning of this sentence?
- I had two breakfasts this morning.
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I think I just figured it myself.
I suppose that sentence means, "two kinds of breakfasts" not "two times of breakfast". Maybe an English breakfast and a Continental breakfast or something.
Correct?
M
I suppose that sentence means, "two kinds of breakfasts" not "two times of breakfast". Maybe an English breakfast and a Continental breakfast or something.
Correct?
M
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Yes that's correct. Breakfast is the first meal of the day, so if you had breakfast twice then the second one would not be breakfast.
It could mean two types of breakfast or two portions of the same breakfast eaten in one sitting, such as two plates of full English or two bowls of cereal.
"I was so hungry at breakfast time that I opted for a second helping!"
.
Some people
It could mean two types of breakfast or two portions of the same breakfast eaten in one sitting, such as two plates of full English or two bowls of cereal.
"I was so hungry at breakfast time that I opted for a second helping!"
.
Some people
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