
Student or Learner
For most of the journey there was clear blue sky.
This sentence is taken from Cambridge Advanced Grammar In Use. Could we add 'a' before 'clear blue sky'?
Thanks a lot.
The meaning would be different. If you say 'a clear blue sky', you are referring either to the sky at one particular moment, or - idiomatically - to an unexpected event.
There was clear blue sky throughout the journey.
but
There was a clear blue sky when we set out, but the clouds got thicker and thicker as we neared the camp-site, and we had to put the tent up in pouring rain.
And, idiomatically:
We were getting on fine, when out of a clear blue sky she suddenly started crying.
b
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