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Latest post Wed, Jun 25 2008 12:34 AM by Clive. 3 replies.
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Anonymous  +  531784 Tue, 24 Jun 08 08:17 AM
Hi,

When shoud we include the 'a' here and when not? What do I have to know to make correct choices?

1.As he said, giving is "a central feature of the historical purpose of government."
Could the writer have withheld "a" here?

2.They offer a lot of different activities: a dunk tank, a "bouncy house" (why not "a bouncy house" -- thus, I think 'a' is unnecessary?)  
Anonymous
Clive  +  531889 Tue, 24 Jun 08 03:01 PM
Hi,
When shoud we include the 'a' here and when not? What do I have to know to make correct choices?

1.As he said, giving is "a central feature of the historical purpose of government."
Could the writer have withheld "a" here?

2.They offer a lot of different activities: a dunk tank, a "bouncy house" (why not "a bouncy house" -- thus, I think 'a' is unnecessary?)  
You need an article in both cases, because the words feature and house are singular countable nouns.

If you put the article inside the quotes, you are indicating that the article is part of what was originally said or written. If you put it outside the quotes, you are not indicating that it is part of what was originally said or written.

Best wishes, Clive
Clive
Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
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El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo
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Anonymous, 1 yr 152 days ago
Thank you.

I think you and I can agree that quotation marks can be used  or are used for cases other than quoting what someone said like to highlight certain words or phrases.

Can I do this if I want to highlight this part? What makes the distinction?

I think giving is "a central feature of the historical purpose of government."

Or should I write it like this?

I think giving is a "central feature of the historical purpose of government."


 
Clive  +  532098 Wed, 25 Jun 08 12:34 AM
Hi,

I think you and I can agree that quotation marks can be used  or are used for cases other than quoting what someone said like to highlight certain words or phrases.

Can I do this if I want to highlight this part? I know people do that sometimes. However, I usually think of this more as wanting to indicate that the words are being used in a way that has some special or unusual meaning. I don't see such a meaning in your examples below, so I don't see why there is a need to use quotes. Howver, such decisions are made subjectively.

What makes the distinction? There's really not much if any difference.
 
Tom is "an idiot".
Tom is an "idiot".

Just possibly, #2 suggests more that there is more than one "idiot". But really, the difference is small or non-existing. 

I think giving is "a central feature of the historical purpose of government."

Or should I write it like this?                 As I said above, it's the writer's subjective decision.

I think giving is a "central feature of the historical purpose of government."

Best wishes, Clive
Clive
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