0
Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
I have a question.
Hello.
I happened to fine this website when I searched for information about English grammar.
A few minutes ago, I read a sentence, "There's something the matter with this pen."
I can't understand how "something the matter" can be used together.
And, I was wondering if "something" and "the matter" were in apposition.
In this case, it means that "something" could be decorated by a noun.
However, I think the words that end with "-thing" can have only adjectives after them to decorate themselves with.
Help me out with this question!
Thank you.
- Andrew Chu
I happened to fine this website when I searched for information about English grammar.
A few minutes ago, I read a sentence, "There's something the matter with this pen."
I can't understand how "something the matter" can be used together.
And, I was wondering if "something" and "the matter" were in apposition.
In this case, it means that "something" could be decorated by a noun.
However, I think the words that end with "-thing" can have only adjectives after them to decorate themselves with.
Help me out with this question!
Thank you.
- Andrew Chu
Top answer
the matter means wrong in the idiom "for something to be the matter", so the matter acts like an adjective. Idioms often don't make sense when each word is examined separately; they have to be taken as a specific group of words with a meaning that is unexpected for those words. There's something the matter with this pen.
- the matter means wrong in the idiom "for something to be the matter", so the matter acts like an adjective.
- Idioms often don't make sense when each word is examined separately; they have to be taken as a specific group of words with a meaning that is unexpected for those words.
- There's something the matter with this pen.
- = There is something wrong with this pen.
- ) Compare: What's the matter?
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
1 Answers
0
the matter means wrong in the idiom "for something to be the matter", so the matter acts like an adjective.
Idioms often don't make sense when each word is examined separately; they have to be taken as a specific group of words with a meaning that is unexpected for those words.
There's something the matter with this pen. = There is something
Idioms often don't make sense when each word is examined separately; they have to be taken as a specific group of words with a meaning that is unexpected for those words.
There's something the matter with this pen. = There is something
0
Related Questions