Is it ungrammatical? Unacceptable? Would you say a phrase like this? and if so, in what context? Do you need a clear context to say it?
Thank you for your help!
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1Frankly, I've never become emotionally involved with an indefinite article.– Hot LicksNov 15, 2015 at 2:43
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3@HotLicks It is better to have loved indefinitely than to have never loved at all.– deadratNov 15, 2015 at 3:42
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A turtle lives 'twixt plated decks/ I think it clever of the turtle/ In such a fix/ to be so fertile.– Greg LeeNov 15, 2015 at 3:45
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Possible duplicate of A Few Notes on Generic Reference– Edwin AshworthNov 15, 2015 at 4:01
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2 Answers
Grammatically it's correct, and talking about context, it could be used if you are talking with a person who doesn't know what a computer is, an you say "A computer is a very useful tool..."
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Thank you for your answer. "(...) it could be used if you are talking with a person who doesn't know what a computer is (...)": That is exactly what I thought it could be related to. There is a debate on the generic use of "a(n)" in the position of subject before the verb, and I wasn't sure about how this sentence would be taken. Thank you! Nov 15, 2015 at 6:46
It's perfectly grammatical and colloquial. It means that computers, as a concept or as a whole, are useful tools, but it might be that the speaker is implying that the listener should acquire a computer
"The computer is a …" would either mean the former, or it might be referring to a specific computer being useful.
