the/a

Question

I guess the speaker, one of CBS comedy series, should have said 'a', but she used 'the'. Of course they are native, so I am wrong!  Could you please explain why?"He's also quite the detective!"

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

RJquite the detective!

"quite the" is an idiomatic combination. "quite a" is also correct.

CJ

RJ · Answer

Thank you CJ. Can you please explain more about that idiom? In there, the speaker wanted to make fun of whom he spoke to. Does it always use in those kind of situations? "quite" is usually for making things approximated. If it was a complement, the speaker should have used a sentence without the "quite".
Ha! I guess there is some examples : e.g. He is quite the boss here. If he is the boss, then it is humiliation, then again, if he is a subject, then it is a complement, or an encouragement that make him to do something. In here, I didn't exactly use (is it correct? or should I used "I haven't used" -- I guess in here, I am telling a story, but I don't know why I still sometime am in doubt about these two) a similar sentence, because boss is one specific person and "a" is not proper for "boss", unless we are describing someone's personality. Can you give me a good example, that it doesn't mean a humiliation?!

CalifJim · Answer

RJthe speaker wanted to make fun of ~~whom he spoke to~~ the person he was speaking to. ~~Does~~ Is it always used in those kinds of situations?

It is not always used to make fun of someone, though it can be a little sarcastic in tone.

RJ"quite" is usually for making things approximated.

I take 'quite' to mean 'completely', 'entirely' in this context, although I believe some people do think of it as 'approximately' in some situations.

RJCan you give me a good example, that it doesn't mean a humiliation?

'Humiliation' is too strong a word. The turn of phrase we are talking about can also be considered teasing. Suppose that you know someone who hardly ever goes anywhere or does anything. One night he gets all dressed up. He has a date. They're going out to dinner and a movie. You see him all dressed up and you say, "Well, you're quite the man about town, aren't you?"

As with most language, the tone of voice often expresses as much as the words, so depending how you say things, these can be anything from friendly teasing to sarcastic humiliation.

CJ

RJ · Answer

Thank you for your great explanation, but I need to ask a bunch of questions.
And I have still some question about my last topic (Present Perfect and Past Simple), which wasn't finished yet, that I've marked in green. I would appreciate it if you help me to know the answer. I try my own guess outside the parentheses. And if you don't approve questions in questions, please tell me. However, I guess too many questions are not appropriate, and make the answerer tired, then again, I will ask major questions individually, but I think these questions are hard to separate them in a new post.

Thanks in advance. (I don't know, but I don't like this expression! It's like you are expecting an answer, not you are asking a favor.)

CalifJimwhom he spoke to

Could you please explain that why it's not correct?

CalifJim"quite" is usually for making things approximated.

Was my sentence wrong? Have I used (or "Did I"? Could you explain this, too?) "approximate" or incorrect?

CalifJim'Humiliation' is too strong a word.

Can you please explain this structure? I would say, if I were you I would use "'Humiliation' is too strong a word."

CalifJimThe turn of phrase we ...

I am not familiar with how you've just used (or Past simple? Please if you have time answer it) "turn" in there, where could I (or Can I? I see no reason why shouldn't I use "can", but I prefer "could" in here, because it is quite for the future, but then again, it expresses ability, too. Could you please explain it too?)

CalifJim Suppose that you know someone who hardly ever goes anywhere or does anything. One night he gets all dressed up. He has a date. They're going out to dinner and a movie.

Yep.

CalifJimWell, you're quite the man about town, aren't you?"

I've understood (or understood alone, I would appreciate it if you could answer it, too.) the sentence, but I have a question. Why have you used (or Used alone? ) "about" (interesting thing about "about" = prefix of "ab"+ root of "out") not "around"? And why not "the town"? Why "town" alone?

CalifJim · Answer

RJI think these questions are hard to separate them in a new post.

OK, but try to start new posts whenever possible.

RJCalifJimwhom he spoke toCould you please explain that why it's not correct?

I can't see the original sentence anymore because you haven't requoted it. In order to find it, I would have to abandon this post, go look at the whole thread again, then come back here and start my reply all over again!

As I recall, it wasn't incorrect -- just not as natural as possible.

RJCalifJim"quite" is usually for making things approximated.

I don't recall saying this. I think you said this. The way it's quoted makes it look like I said it.

RJHave I used (or "Did I"? Could you explain this, too?) "approximate" or incorrect?

to make things approximate is correct.
to make things approximated is not correct.

Both "Have I used" and "Did I use" are OK. I would use "Did I use".

RJCalifJim'Humiliation' is too strong a word.Can you please explain this structure? I would say, if I were you I would use "'Humiliation' is too strong a word."

There isn't much to explain. A singular noun (word) has to have an article. You can't omit it. a word. The structure is

too + adjective + a + singular noun.

too strong a word / too difficult a problem / too confusing a rule

It's not a structure that is used a lot.

RJI am not familiar with how you've just used (or Past simple? Please if you have time answer it) "turn" in there

'turn' is a noun. "A turn of phrase" is "an expression". If I say, "We don't often use that turn of phrase", I'm saying, "We don't often use that expression".

RJWhy have you used (or Used alone? ) "about" (interesting thing about "about" = prefix of "ab"+ root of "out") not "around"? And why not "the town"? Why "town" alone?

"man about town" is a fixed expression, an idiom. You can't change the words in an idiom.

A man about town is a man who is very prominent in social activities and well known by everyone because of it.
_________________________________________

In the kinds of sentences you are using in these posts, the simple past is the best choice.

Why did you use ...? I'm not familiar with how you used .... Did I use this correctly? And so on.

CJ

RJ · Answer

CalifJimRJCalifJimwhom he spoke toCould you please explain that why it's not correct?I can't see the original sentence anymore because you haven't requoted it. In order to find it, I would have to abandon this post, go look at the whole thread again, then come back here and start my reply all over again!As I recall, it wasn't incorrect -- just not as natural as possible.RJCalifJim"quite" is usually for making things approximated.I don't recall saying this. I think you said this. The way it's quoted makes it look like I said it.

Yes sir!

Good point. You've been very kind, thank you, and I will try to make posts as standard as possible for answering.

CalifJimto make things approximate is correct.to make things approximated is not correct.

Oh! Right, I guess it's because "approximate" is an adjective, right?

CalifJimThere isn't much to explain. A singular noun (word) has to have an article. You can't omit it. a word. The structure istoo + adjective + a + singular noun.too strong a word / too difficult a problem / too confusing a ruleIt's not a structure that is used a lot.

You right! I missed the article. Let me rephrase my questions, why not : ?
a too strong a word /a too difficult a problem / a too confusing a rule

I mean "too" is an adverb, which is used to describe the adjective(s), and like e.g. a very good boy, or it is just about "too"?

And thank you for your time, and the reply.

CalifJim · Answer

RJbecause "approximate" is an adjective, right?

Yes, pronounced 'approximit'. It's also a verb, pronounced 'approximate'.

RJit is just about "too"?

Yes. And a few other words. There are just a few constructions where the word 'a' (or 'an') occurs later in a sequence of words than you might expect.

Here are the ones that come to mind.

such a good book
so good a book
too long an introduction
many a man

I don't know why just these few, but you might find out more if you check out 'determiners', or 'determinatives', or 'articles' in a grammar book.

CJ

RJ · Answer

Well, thank a lot for you patient and your perfect answers. However, I guess I made you to curse me sometimes! But worth it! <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

the/a

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions