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Reegis Posted 9 years ago
Grammar
There is little chance of her getting a job.
Hello.
Please have a look at the two sentences:
1) There is little chance of her getting a job.
2) The lottery is fair, since everyone has an equal chance to win.
Are they correct? If yes, do you know why 'chance' is uncountable in the first while countable in the second? To my mind, the meaning of 'chance' is the same in both sentences (a possibility that something will happen).
Please have a look at the two sentences:
1) There is little chance of her getting a job.
2) The lottery is fair, since everyone has an equal chance to win.
Are they correct? If yes, do you know why 'chance' is uncountable in the first while countable in the second? To my mind, the meaning of 'chance' is the same in both sentences (a possibility that something will happen).
Top answer
You have a good question! Both sentences are good English. This is just a matter of idiomatic usage.
- You have a good question!
- Both sentences are good English.
- This is just a matter of idiomatic usage.
- In the first sentence little is an adverb whereas equal is an adjective in the second.
- I would say the explains it.
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9 Answers
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You have a good question! Both sentences are good English. This is just a matter of idiomatic usage. In the first sentence little is an adverb whereas equal is an adjective in the second. I would say the explains it.
CB
CB
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Cool Breeze I would say that explains it.That's what I figured:)
Now I have also noticed that 'a little chance' has a different meaning compared to 'little chance', so it might be another reason that forces us to avoid 'a'.
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Reegis'a little chance'Little is an adjective here, just like equal.
CB
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Then I am a little lost now...
1a) There is little chance of her getting a job. => adverb
1b) There is a little chance of her getting a job. => adjective
Could you please explain how do you recognize the above? For example, can't 'little' in 1a be an adjective before 'chance' (interpreted as uncountable) and 'a little' in 1
1a) There is little chance of her getting a job. => adverb
1b) There is a little chance of her getting a job. => adjective
Could you please explain how do you recognize the above? For example, can't 'little' in 1a be an adjective before 'chance' (interpreted as uncountable) and 'a little' in 1
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ReegisCould you please explain how do you recognize the above? For example, can't 'little' in 1a be an adjective before 'chance' (interpreted as uncountable) and 'a little' in 1b be a quantifier?I have only given my opinion. If you want to see things differently, you have every right to do so.CB
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ReegisTo my mind, the meaning of 'chance' is the same in both sentences (a possibility that something will happen).My guess is that in the writer's mind, 'chance' is the more abstract concept of 'probability' or 'likelihood' in sentence 1, not an 'opportunity' as in sentence 2.
CJ
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Cool BreezeI have only given my opinion. If you want to see things differently, you have every right to do so.Perhaps I didn't explain my intentions clearly. The only thing I want(ed) is to learn and understand the issue from my original post, hence my asking for the rationale. For me, it is not always obvious what part of speech a given word is.
Thanks fo
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