Unnecessary Articles
The articles a, an, and the are adjectives. Sometimes they are used unnecessarily. Avoid these errors:
We do not use the before "both."
- NO: I called the both of them.
- YES: I called both of them.
- NO: Please help the both of them with their math.
- YES: Please help both of them with their math.
We do not use a or an after the phrases "kind of," "sort of," or "type of."
- NO: I like that kind of a person.
- YES: I like that kind of person.
- NO: She is not that type of a teacher.
- YES: She is not that type of teacher.
Examples
Rewrite each sentence correctly, removing unnecessary articles.
- Palmer wrote the both of those poems.
- What kind of a snake is that?
- I really enjoy that type of a story.
- The both of them were invited to speak.
- That sort of a thing bewilders me.
- With that kind of an attitude, he will succeed.
- Max will drive the both of you to the library.
- I have never ridden that type of a bicycle before.
- Have you ever seen that kind of a squirrel?
- The both of us have finished our homework.
- Has that sort of a thing ever happened before?
Solutions
- Palmer wrote both of those poems. (We remove the word the. It is not used before "both.")
- What kind of snake is that? (We remove the word a. We do not use it after "kind of.")
- I really enjoy that type of story.
- Both of them were invited to speak.
- That sort of thing bewilders me.
- With that kind of attitude, he will succeed.
- Max will drive both of you to the library.
- I have never ridden that type of bicycle before.
- Have you ever seen that kind of squirrel?
- Both of us have finished our homework.
- Has that sort of thing ever happened before?