0I have a partial dictionary definition of the "rifle range" and want to ask you whether or not can change the article indicated to the "the" instead the one originally placed, the article "a." 02br 02br 01i00A rifle range is 01u00a02u00 place where you can 01u00practise02u00 shooting ...02i02br 02br 01i00A rifle range is 00the00 place where you can 01u00practise02u00 shooting ...02i02br 02br 00I feel the second sentence give an air of definiteness and feel that it is more appropriate as a definition eventhough the two sentences have one minor difference between them. 02br 02br 00 Also, can I replace the underlined word "practise" with the "practice"? 0-
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0I much prefer the first, though the second may be acceptable.02br 02br 01i00A dictionary is a book full of definitions.02br 00The dictionary is the book that everyone should own.02i02br 02br 01i00Practice/practise02i00: both spellings are acceptable.0-
0 The word practise is a verb and you are using it with a modal "can" so practise should be used. The word practice is a noun, it cannot be used. here.----jdkapoor 0-
0You had better check your dictionary again, jdkapoor-- both spellings are possible for both the noun and the verb, according to my 02br 01i00Webster's Collegiate02i00.0-
0In your partial sentence, "You had better check your dictionary," why do we always have the auxilary verb "had" when it would not make sense of it being there, at least for me.02br 02br 00You 01u00had02u00 better check your dictionary.02br 02br 00You'01u00d02u00 better be right. 02br 02br
0Most grammars (at least the ones I have) list01i00 had better02i00 as a modal idiom, and offer no etymology. Fowler's 01i00Modern English Usage02i00 says:02br 02br 00"The word 01i00had02i00 in this phrase is not the mere auxiliary of mood or tense, but a true verb meaning 01i00find02i0