indefinite article 'a'

[jchtse]

Hi,

I read the following sentence from the back cover of a textbook:

" Mr X is professor of computer science at university.....".

I wonder if it is grammatically correct if I put 'a' in front of the word 'professor', and the whole sentence becomes "Mr X is a professor of computer science at university ....".

Thanks for the help!

[marciobarbalho]

Originally Posted by jchtse

Hi,

I read the following sentence from the back cover of a textbook:

" Mr X is professor of computer science at university.....".
Mr X is a/the professor ... who likes to ...


I wonder if it is grammatically correct if I put 'a' in front of the word 'professor', and the whole sentence becomes "Mr X is a professor of computer science at university ....".

Thanks for the help!

I am not a teacher.

Compare:

Mr X is professor of computer science at university....
Mr X is a/the professor ... who likes to ...

Sounds like the article requires a complement. It's a possibility. I am not good at this, a teacher will probably explain why.

[albertino]

Originally Posted by jchtse

Hi,

I read the following sentence from the back cover of a textbook:

" Mr X is professor of computer science at university.....". (If he is the only one professor in teaching computer science.)

I wonder if it is grammatically correct if I put 'a' in front of the word 'professor', and the whole sentence becomes "Mr X is a professor of computer science at university ....".(If there is more than one professor in teaching computer science)

Thanks for the help!

Not a teacher.

[David L.]

" Mr X is professor of computer science at university.....". (If he is the only one professor in teaching computer science.)

Then why not:
" Mr X is the professor of computer science at university.....". ("If he is the only one professor in teaching computer science", and the definite article 'the' is used when we are referring to a specific someone/something?)

We need to give jchtse a clearer understanding of this.

[engee30]

Originally Posted by David L.

We need to give jchtse a clearer understanding of this.

I reckon the clearest way to do so is by saying that such a use is considered incorrect.

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by jchtse

Hi,

I read the following sentence from the back cover of a textbook:

" Mr X is professor of computer science at university.....".

I wonder if it is grammatically correct if I put 'a' in front of the word 'professor', and the whole sentence becomes "Mr X is a professor of computer science at university ....".

Thanks for the help!

This is possibly a title, in which case it should read: Mr X is Professor of Computer Science at ...

[albertino]

Originally Posted by David L.

" Mr X is professor of computer science at university.....". (If he is the only one professor in teaching computer science.)(We usually leave out the definite article if the post/role one holds or plays is unique)(Some more examples: Elizabeth the second is (the) Queen of the United Kingdom. Peter is (the) captain of the football team.)

Then why not:
" Mr X is the professor of computer science at university.....". ("If he is the only one professor in teaching computer science", and the definite article 'the' is used when we are referring to a specific someone/something?)

We need to give jchtse a clearer understanding of this.

Not a teacher.

[David L.]

albertino:

[engee30]

Originally Posted by albertino

Not a teacher.

Hm, the trouble is that the professor doesn't seem to hold such a position as the queen or captain can.
There can be many professors representing a university; there can only be one captain in a team and one queen in a kingdom.

[David L.]

engee30: There can be many professors representing a university;

How many "representing" "Computer Science at (the) university?"

Without an article, it indicates what "Queen of England" indicates - there's only one!