[Grammar] A good shape or good shape?

[patran]

Dear Teachers

Which of the following sounds better? Or they have different meanings? If it is necessary to add the article "a", what is the reason behind?

1) US corporates are in good shape.
2) US corporates are in a good shape.


Please kindly advise.

Regards

Anthony the learner

 

[JMurray]

Which of the following sounds better? Or they have different meanings? If it is necessary to add the article "a", what is the reason behind?
1) US corporates are in good shape.
2) US corporates are in a good shape.

I feel the meanings are identical, and although you may occasionally come across (2), form (1) is much more common.

not a teacher

 

[emsr2d2]

Just for information, if you use "good shape" with regard to people, to mean that they are fit and healthy, then we don't use the article.

I've been exercising three times a week for six months and now I'm in good shape.
He's in good shape for running the London Marathon.

Note that we can also use "great shape", "fantastic shape", "amazing shape" in the same way. Some people also refer to being fit and healthy as simply "in shape". That usage leads to my favourite claim: "I'm in shape. Round is a shape."