A

He applied for a managerial position, and he had a foot fetish, not a 'feet' fetish.

[jack]

Thanks.

2. We used to offer a 30 day guaranteed.

I don't get it.
But this is correct:
1. I have a damaged car. (How do I know when to add -ed after the article 'a' Is there any rule?)

2. I was eating a sliced of tomato. (How do you know this one is wrong?)

3. I was eating a slice of tomato.

What do these mean?
4. I was eating a slice of tomato.
5. I was eating a slice of tomatoes. (Does this mean I ate a slice of it from many tomatoes?)

Are these correct?
6. Is there any rule? ('any' is plural so is this wrong b/c 'rule' is not plural?)
7. Are there any rules?

8. I get a salary job.
9. I get a salaried job. (How do you know when to add -ed after the article 'a'?

[Casiopea]

1. 'a' has nothing to do with whether the word takes -ed or not. It has to do with the word's origin: Verbs used as adjectives tend to end in -ed. Verb: damage => Adjective: damaged
2. is not OK. Nouns tend to come before 'of'.
5. is odd.
6. Is there any (one particular) rule? (OK)
8. I have a salary job.
9. salaried job (Not OK; see 1. 'salary' is a noun; it does not come from a verb. If 'salary' were a verb, then we could add -ed and make it an adjective *salary => *salaried. But it's not a verb.)

[jack]

Thanks.

1. 'a' has nothing to do with whether the word takes -ed or not. It has to do with the word's origin: Verbs used as adjectives tend to end in -ed. Verb: damage => Adjective: damaged

How do I know if it acts as a verb or noun? Is there a dictionary that I can check? Can I also check this on my own?

[Casiopea]

The dictionary is your best bet. Try the free, online dictionary, OneLook.

[jack]

Thanks.

8. I get a salary job.

9. I get a salaried job. (How do you know when to add -ed after the article 'a'?


9. salaried job (Not OK; see 1. 'salary' is a noun; it does not come from a verb. If 'salary' were a verb, then we could add -ed and make it an adjective *salary => *salaried. But it's not a verb.)

What about this?
1. I got salaried jobs. (This is a to-be sentence, but this is wrong? It should be 'salary' because it is a noun not a verb? For words like this, I have to look it up if it is a noun or verb, if I am uncertain right?)
2. I got salary jobs.

Are these correct? If not, why?
3. The job is salary.
4. The job is salaried.

9. We used to offer a 30 day guarantee. :D

5. We used to offer a 30 day guaranteed. (Is 'guaranteed' wrong? Is it because it acts as a noun not adjective?)

So these are wrong with 'guaranteed' right?
6. There is a guarantee(d) for this product.
7. We used to offer a guarantee(d) for this product.

[Casiopea]

1. I got salaried jobs. (This is a to-be sentence, but this is wrong? It should be 'salary' because it is a noun not a verb? For words like this, I have to look it up if it is a noun or verb, if I am uncertain right?)

You're right.

4. The job is salaried.

5. We used to offer a 30 day guaranteed. (Is 'guaranteed' wrong? Is it because it acts as a noun not adjective?)

You're right, and you're also right about 6. and 7. being ungrammatical.

[jack]

Test:

Q: What kind of job?

Are both of these correct?
A 1.: A salary job.
A 2.: A salaried job.

If so, why isn't this correct?
3. I got a salaried job. (I'm confused. 'salary' is not an adjective, is it? How can I test this?)

Are these correct? If not, why?
4. I am with Jack.
5. I am with a cat.
6. I am with cat. (How come this isn't correct with 'a'? Isn't 'Jack' countable? He is a person?)
7. I am with a Jack. (How come I don't 'a' here? 'Jack' is not countable?

Well, 'a' would be best because e.g. the dog and the cat are separate. :wink:

So this is okay right?
8. I want a dog and cat. (How come I don't need a determiner for 'cat'? I know I can put it there if I like. But why isn't it wrong without it?)

Is this okay?
9. I want dog and a cat? (If not, why?)

the dog and the cat are separate.

Is this okay? When I say this, a reader knows 'the' is omitted right?
10. The dog and (the) cat are separate.

For the one above, is it better to use #12? Why?
11. Wen I say this, a reader knows 'the' is omitted right?
12. Wen I say this, the reader knows 'the' is omitted right?

For formal writing #14 is incorrect right?
13. This is a dog and a cat. (Okay for speaking?)
13. This is a dog and this is a cat.

[Casiopea]

Both are OK. 1. is common:

A 1.: A salary job. => The job comes with a salary.
A 2.: A salaried job. => The job is salaried. (A salary is given)
A 3.: I got a salaried job. => The job is salaried (A salary is given)

'with cat' means, to be pregnant with a cat (i.e., I am with child means, I am pregnant:

6. I am with cat. (OK, but odd--are you a mad scientist? )
7. I am with a Jack. (OK, 'a' means, any Jack)

Wife: Who are you with?
Husband: I'm with a Jack (i.e., I don't want to say which Jack, so I use 'a')
Wife: 'a Jack'? Why won't you say which Jack? Are you trying to hide something from me?

8. I want a dog and cat. (OK. It means, I want them as a pair.)
9. I want dog and a cat? (Not OK. The determiner needs to come first. English is a head first language, so modifiers need to come first; the second modifier can be omitted, as in 10 below.)

10. The dog and (the) cat are separate.

As for 11. and 12., since you're talking about a specific reader (the person who will read your sentence) use 'the':

11. When I say this, a reader knows 'the' is omitted right? (Odd)
12. When I say this, the reader knows 'the' is omitted right? (OK)

13. This is a dog and a cat. (OK)
14. This is a dog, and this is a cat. (OK, but use a comma)

[jack]

Thanks.

A 3.: I got a salaried job. => The job is salaried (A salary is given)

What do these mean?
1. I got a salaried job. (This is correct?)
How come this isn't correct?
2. I get a salaried job.

What do these mean?
3. I got a salaried job.
4. I got a salary job.

5. This is a salary job.
6. This is a salaried job.