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 #2 (permalink) Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:14 am a part of v.s. part of |
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I'd personally stick to Number 2. And I'd also replace "at" by "by".
"I sold a big part of my land by auction". |
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BuddhaGeo
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| #3 (permalink) Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:41 am a part of v.s. part of |
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Hi,
The use of 'at' with auction sounds fine to me. I would prefer 'a' with 'big part' but it is becoming more and more common to omit the article when the noun is qualified (at least here in the UK) and it's not unusual to hear things like: 'I had terrible time last night driving home because of the heavy traffic.'
Alan
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| #4 (permalink) Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:11 pm a part of v.s. part of |
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Hi, Alan
Thank you for your suggestions!
What worries me is that I found out that the word part might be in one case countable (and hence using of the indefinitite article is in order) or overwise, uncountable (and there's no indefinite article). I just can't get my head round where it is countable and where not
The dictionary gives these explanations:
| Quote: | When part is countable, it means some but not all of a thing
When part is uncountable, it means a separate piece of something, or a piece which combines with other pieces to form the whole of something
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I figured that if we use any qualifier before the word part, we should consider part uncountable, right?
E.g.
1. I don't feel part of the team anymore
2. He decided to take home a big part of the pie
Do you find this reasoning plausible ?
Thanks again ! |
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Lost_Soul
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| #5 (permalink) Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:15 pm a part of v.s. part of |
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Hi,
The very fact that it is preceded by an adjective makes it countable, surely.
Alan
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| #6 (permalink) Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:43 pm a part of v.s. part of |
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| lost_soul wrote: | 1. I don't feel part of the team anymore
2. He decided to take home a big part of the pie
Do you find this reasoning plausible ? |
Hi Alex
In your first example, 'part' might be considered uncountable I suppose, but the use of the word 'a' (as in in your second sentence) is generally a reliable indicator that something is countable.
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Yankee
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| #7 (permalink) Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:57 pm a part of v.s. part of |
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| Yankee wrote: | In your first example, 'part' might be considered uncountable I suppose
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Hi, Amy
Hmmm. I'm confused.  You're insinuating that we can say both I don't feel a part of the team. and I don't feel part of the team. , aren't you?
Could you tell me then what is the difference between the two, please? |
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Lost_Soul
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| #8 (permalink) Fri Jan 18, 2008 13:06 pm a part of v.s. part of |
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Hi Alex,
'Feel part of' has to be considered as a whole indicating 'having membership of'. 'Feel a part of' probably makes more sense when used in a negative construction as in: 'I really don't feel a part of the team' and the article 'a' stresses the idea of being separated/separate from.
Alan
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