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English 1b3 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

'that size a house'

We don't need that big a house.

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Is a or b, or both, correct below?

Is 'size' and adjective and 'noun' respectively?

a. We don't need that size a house.

b. We don't need that size house

Thanks
  

Top answer

(a) doesn't look right. " I don't think "size" can ever be an adjective.

— Mr Wordy

  • (a) doesn't look right.
  • " I don't think "size" can ever be an adjective.
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5 Answers
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(a) doesn't look right. (b) is tolerable, but I prefer "We don't need a house that size."

I don't think "size" can ever be an adjective.
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Mr WordyI don't think "size" can ever be an adjective.

Hi, this is basically what I wanted to know. If it could function as an adjective, it should be able to work as this does: We don't need that big a house.

I just assumed that because it is a noun, this must work: We don't need that size house.

But I have no idea how the word 'house'
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English 1b3But I have no idea how the word 'house' is functioning here...
"that size house" is just another way of saying "a house of that size".
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Oh, right, thanks, Mr Wordy

We don't need that amount of water.

We don't need water of that amount.

How come this noun requires a prepositon in both arrangements, but 'size' does not?
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English 1b3We don't need that amount of water.
We don't need water of that amount.
How come this noun requires a prepositon in both arrangements, but 'size' does not?
"water of that amount" isn't right, by the way, but I don't why "size" and "house" can be abutted in "that size house", and I don't think there many analogous examples. I suppose you coul
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