By Definite articles, Genitives

Hi BellySwan is right but the genitive (committee's) is impossible in your sentence because of the definite article (the) that qualifies meeting. We cannot say:I am the friend of his.Only I am a friend of his is possible. (= I am one of his friends.)There are other correct ways to use of...

Thank you, Eimai_Anglos. Are you saying a genitive cannot be made a countable noun or used as a countable noun? I think a guru has delivered expert advice on that aspect of grammar and I think it has been said a construction like "a shaking of a ground" means "an instance of shaking of a...

Believer wrote:I have a sentence I think I saw written somewhere. How would you rewrite it so it is correct? I think it is incorrect. Our company has a children's center for our employees in need of child care. I can't see a problem with this sentence otherwise. The indefinite article is...

Dear teachers, First, happy New Year to you all, and thank you for your kindness and dedication. I want to tell you that you've helped a lot throughout these years and I feel deeply endebted to you. My question for today is: Can I use the indefinite article with the genitive? Is it correct to...

Tung Quoc wrote:Will you say in the past tense or in past tense? Why? QGrammatical terms are normally used with the definite article:The word is in the genitive.Don't use the future tense here.That sentence is in the passive (voice).CheersCB

Hi BelieverIn all your examples, of is not a part of the co-called of-genitive and thus does not require the.Knowledge is an exceptional uncountable noun, it can take the indefinite article although it is never used in the plural:He has a working knowledge of English.I have a poor knowledge of...

CalifJim wrote:Yes, but they're the ones that take "the"! There's no explanation, is there, except to imitate the usage of others? Or if there is, please tell us! CJ A native speaker is guided by his ear but a foreign learner of English may benefit from the following guidelines. The...

Rex wrote:What is the correct preposition in the following sentence? I guess both 'on' and 'of' would be fine. There maybe a shift in the meaning when you change the preposition 'on' to 'of'.Your comments are welcome.1.There are many people and organizations to keep track on the government...

Hi MrP and Casi Here's another article supposedly relating to our discussion, which I just skimmed it. Sounds the construction " in a part of the entry of the indefinite article a like this: A follows the adjectives as in many a, such a, what a! and the obsolete or dialectal each a, which a; it...

Dave, First of all, and even when everyone is surely aware of this, I must insist that even when I believe my knowledge of the English grammar is good, I'm not a grammarian or a linguist. It would be completely absurd for me to try and analyse a language that is not even my own in depth when I...