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Jack-in-the-box Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
"(A) quarter to (past)..."
Are both these sentences correct:
"It's a quarter to five" (or "past five", or "six", etc.)
and
"It's quarter to five" ("past 5", etc.), with no definite article before "quarter"?
The first sentence sounds more regular, and logical, to me. As for the second, I suppose it was derived from the analogy of "It's half past five" (etc., always with no definite article before "half").
Perhaps the first sentence is more formal, the second rather informal: is that true?
Thank you for your answers.
"It's a quarter to five" (or "past five", or "six", etc.)
and
"It's quarter to five" ("past 5", etc.), with no definite article before "quarter"?
The first sentence sounds more regular, and logical, to me. As for the second, I suppose it was derived from the analogy of "It's half past five" (etc., always with no definite article before "half").
Perhaps the first sentence is more formal, the second rather informal: is that true?
Thank you for your answers.
Top answer
Sorry. For "definite article", please read "indefinite article".
- Sorry.
- For "definite article", please read "indefinite article".
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3 Answers
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Sorry. For "definite article", please read "indefinite article".
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I'm thinking it's a matter of preference and maybe where you are. I use both interchangably, although usually the second since I like using as few words as possible to say what I'm trying to.
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