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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
University or a university
Hi. Would you help me with this?
In the Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's Dictionary, the definition for the word "lectureship" is this:
A lectureship is the position of lecturer at a university or college.
As to the question, I feel, for the definition above, either the words "a university" or the word "university" (without the article) would be correct. Then it got me thinking: Was the indefinite article "a" in the above-dictionary definition is used to mean (for this case) any university? Or, in other words, could we take the phrase "a university" in the above definition to mean any university? Or possibly take it to mean "a particular university"? I am lost on this and need help.
After you have given me your answer (or answers) to the above question. would you give me your answer to this: Would you say this use of the indefinite article "a" in a sentence is wrong? I think it is wrong. Let us pretend the letters "XXXX" represent a particular year and the letters "YYYY" represents the name of a certain company he worked for -- all part of a made-up sentence (that was made-up to ask a grammar question (or questions).
In XXXX, he attended a university and he went to work for YYYY after graduation.
In the Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's Dictionary, the definition for the word "lectureship" is this:
A lectureship is the position of lecturer at a university or college.
As to the question, I feel, for the definition above, either the words "a university" or the word "university" (without the article) would be correct. Then it got me thinking: Was the indefinite article "a" in the above-dictionary definition is used to mean (for this case) any university? Or, in other words, could we take the phrase "a university" in the above definition to mean any university? Or possibly take it to mean "a particular university"? I am lost on this and need help.
After you have given me your answer (or answers) to the above question. would you give me your answer to this: Would you say this use of the indefinite article "a" in a sentence is wrong? I think it is wrong. Let us pretend the letters "XXXX" represent a particular year and the letters "YYYY" represents the name of a certain company he worked for -- all part of a made-up sentence (that was made-up to ask a grammar question (or questions).
In XXXX, he attended a university and he went to work for YYYY after graduation.
Top answer
Some may disagree with me, but this is how I see it: Anonymous A lectureship is the position of lecturer at a university or college. A cannot be omitted as a lecturer isn't a student . The whole of your analysis or guesswork that follows the sentence makes sense and appears to be correct.
- Some may disagree with me, but this is how I see it: Anonymous A lectureship is the position of lecturer at a university or college.
- A cannot be omitted as a lecturer isn't a student .
- The whole of your analysis or guesswork that follows the sentence makes sense and appears to be correct.
- In the last sentence "he" was a student and therefore the article could be dropped.
- There are other similar words.
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5 Answers
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Some may disagree with me, but this is how I see it:
In the last sentence "he" was a student and t
AnonymousA lectureship is the position of lecturer at a university or college.A cannot be omitted as a lecturer isn't a student. The whole of your analysis or guesswork that follows the sentence makes sense and appears to be correct.
In the last sentence "he" was a student and t
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It would also be perfectly natural to say "the position of lecturer at a college or university," or "at a college or a university."
I believe the British define "college" differently than do the Americans. Also, we say, "He is away at college" and the British say, "He is away at university," I think. (We would not say that without an article.)
I believe it's one of those things lik
I believe the British define "college" differently than do the Americans. Also, we say, "He is away at college" and the British say, "He is away at university," I think. (We would not say that without an article.)
I believe it's one of those things lik
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Thank you, Avangi and Cool Breeze.
I wrote:
After you have given me your answer (or answers) to the above question. would you give me your answer to this: Would you say this use of the indefinite article "a" in a sentence is wrong? I think it is wrong. Let us pretend the letters "XXXX" represent a particular year and the letters "YYYY" represents the name of a certain company he
I wrote:
After you have given me your answer (or answers) to the above question. would you give me your answer to this: Would you say this use of the indefinite article "a" in a sentence is wrong? I think it is wrong. Let us pretend the letters "XXXX" represent a particular year and the letters "YYYY" represents the name of a certain company he
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Hi. In a naver.com online dictionary, I saw this definition for the word "tithe."
A tithe is a fixed amount of money or goods that is given regularly in order to support a church, a priest, or a charity.
Now to the questions:
I think giving a tithe is an act that benefits the working of a particular church. For instance, I think the money from tithes is used pay for so
A tithe is a fixed amount of money or goods that is given regularly in order to support a church, a priest, or a charity.
Now to the questions:
I think giving a tithe is an act that benefits the working of a particular church. For instance, I think the money from tithes is used pay for so
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Hi. I wrote:
Now, uUpon looking at what I wrote above, it came to my attention that there should have been two more X's after the preposition "In."
Thus, the sentence should be:
In XX, he attended a university and he went to work for YY after graduation.
Upon looking at what I last wrote (in above sentence), I found that the sentence shou
Now, uUpon looking at what I wrote above, it came to my attention that there should have been two more X's after the preposition "In."
Thus, the sentence should be:
In XX, he attended a university and he went to work for YY after graduation.
Upon looking at what I last wrote (in above sentence), I found that the sentence shou
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