http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here. <font color=red>DO NOT post paragraphs and compositions here. Post them in our <a href="http://www.englishforums.com/English/EssayReportCompositionWriting/Forum9.htm"><b>Essay, Report and Composition Writing Forum</b></a>.</font>enXMOD (Build: 3607.32596)http://www.englishforums.com/English/ElementOfChance/gkwk/post.htm#32712Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:08:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:32712Medusa1710http://www.englishforums.com/English/ElementOfChance/gkwk/post.htm#32712http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-32712.xmlI think you're over-analyzing. They're almost exactly the same. When you use "the," you're talking about a specific element, and when you use "an," it's less specified. The sentence with "the" is more often heard, but really, no one would notice a difference in spoken or written English.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ElementOfChance/gkwk/post.htmSun, 22 Feb 2009 11:08:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:32514azz1http://www.englishforums.com/English/ElementOfChance/gkwk/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-32514.xmlI think "THE element of chance" just means chance itself (as a factor involved in a process which has many elements), but what does "AN element of chance" mean? Is it an element which is characterised by its unpredictaiblity, or does "an element of chance" just mean chance again? In life, there is always the element of chance. In life, there is always an element of chance. Is there any differnce between the two? I think there isn't, but then if am right can you give another example of such a construction. an element of chance=chance (with "the" of-course, examples abound: the element of education, the city of London, ...)