quick answer please: is it (a) walkable distance?

[Sweetpumpkin]

Hello,

Is it walkable distance?

In the question above, "a" is needed before "walkable"? I checked the dictionary, and it says sometimes "a" is used while other is not. For example:

at a distance (with 'a')
within striking distance of (without 'a')

What do you think? Is 'a' needed 'Is it walkable distance'?

Thank you in advance,
sweetpumpkin

[Skrej]

Yes, you need to say 'Is it a walkable distance?"
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[Sweetpumpkin]

Thank you so much, Skrej! Your quick answer was really helpful.

[Molly]

More common, IMO, would be "Is it walkable?".

[Yankee]

Here are a few additional thoughts, Sweetpumpkin:

- The point of your question was whether the indefintie article is necessay in specific structures and/or when using "walkable distance". I agree with Skrej's answer to that question.

- The word "walkable" can be used in a number of ways, so if you removed the word "distance", your sentence would not automatically refer to distance. These are some possible ways to use "walkable":
a walkable city; a walkable neighborhood; a walkable road; a walkable distance; a walkable pair of shoes.

- In my opinion, it would be far more common to say this: "Is it within walking distance?" To me, the frequency of usage for both "Is it/the distance walkable" and "Is it a walkable distance" is likely to be less. They are nevertheless both possible.
.

[Molly]

[Yankee]

<exasperated sigh>
Do you have anything of value to add, M? Or do you simply enjoy frantically missing the point of things that other people post?
.

[Molly]

Maybe the lack of clarity lies in other people's posts.

Just checking: