Liveinjapan  +  566550 Tue, 16 Sep 08 05:25 AM I think there’s about as much chance of that happening as there is of the moon turning purple. If you put words before of the moon turning..., must it be a chance? Thanks Liveinjapan Joined on Sun, Feb 4 2007 Osaka, Japan Senior Member 2,272 Please feel free to correct any words I wrote.LiJ

	Clive  +  566552 Tue, 16 Sep 08 05:33 AM Hi, Yes. You are contrasting two chances. Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,298 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

	Avangi  +  566566 Tue, 16 Sep 08 07:06 AM Liveinjapan “  must it be a chance? ”  Hi,  I should think the "a" would be optional, but I can't prove it. It seems like "chance" can be a scalar quantity or a countable. How much chance is there that I can win this race?  (quantity) I'd give you one chance in a hundred.  (countable) Maybe "about as much chance" is a fixed expression.  At a lower register, we sometimes say, "about as much of a chance," which complicates matters even more. Anyway, my ear is okay with "there's as much chance of A as there is chance of B. Best wishes,  - A. Avangi Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007 Veteran Member 7,923 ". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier