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MustAsk Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Hold a charge

Hi

I typed this into google and I see these:

The batter doesn't hold a charge very long
The battery doesn't hold charge very long
The battery doesn't hold the charge very long

But which sentence(s) is/are correct?

Thanks!
  

Top answer

Most likely I would say "The battery doesn't hold its charge (for) very long". However, "a charge" and "the charge" are also possible. I wouldn't naturally use the no-article version, but I couldn't say for sure that no native speakers would.

— GPY

  • Most likely I would say "The battery doesn't hold its charge (for) very long".
  • However, "a charge" and "the charge" are also possible.
  • I wouldn't naturally use the no-article version, but I couldn't say for sure that no native speakers would.
  • Quite a few (though not all) of the no-article Google hits seems to be in the context of a heading or title, in which case articles are often dropped for brevity.
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3 Answers
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Most likely I would say "The battery doesn't hold its charge (for) very long". However, "a charge" and "the charge" are also possible. I wouldn't naturally use the no-article version, but I couldn't say for sure that no native speakers would. Quite a few (though not all) of the no-article Google hits seems to be in the context of a heading or title, in which case articles are often dropped
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I would use the charge or its charge; a charge, and charge, both seem unnatural for me
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The battery doesn't hold a charge very long.

If the battery is rechargeable, then the indefinite article is the better choice because you can charge it many times. None of those charges persist very long.
"its charge" is as good as the indefinite article.

"the charge" would refer to a specific time or a specific charge.
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