[Grammar] class president

[Bogusia Kaczmarek]

Which is correct?
class president or a/the class president

I can't find in a dictionay, in my texbook there is a sentence 'She is too shy to run for class president'.

Thanks for any help
Bogusia

 

[BobK]

I've never heard of one, but in schools that have such a person the sentence is right with no added article. She is too shy to run for [the position of] class president.

b

 

[emsr2d2]

The same goes for a rather more important position than "class president". When we talk about people who want to be elected as the President or Prime Minister of their country, we don't use the article.

Barack Obama is running for President.
Ed Milliband is running for Prime Minister.
Most people are too honest to run for Prime Minister.

 

[Gillnetter]

Which is correct?
class president or a/the class president

I can't find in a dictionay, in my texbook there is a sentence 'She is too shy to run for class president'.

Thanks for any help
Bogusia

She is too shy to run for a class president = She is too shy to pursue, or chase, one of the many people who are class presidents.
She is too shy to run for the class president = She is too shy to pursue, or chase, the one person who is the president of the class.
She is too shy for run for class president = She is too shy to try to get enough votes and engage in the other activities necessary to become the class president.

 

[emsr2d2]

Would you really say "to run for" meaning "to chase/pursue"?

I would say "He is running for the bus" but that just means running (hopefully) fast enough to get on the bus. I wouldn't say he was chasing the bus.

 

[Gillnetter]

Would you really say "to run for" meaning "to chase/pursue"?

I would say "He is running for the bus" but that just means running (hopefully) fast enough to get on the bus. I wouldn't say he was chasing the bus.

I suppose it depends on where the bus is. If I am moving quickly forward (running) to arrive at the location where the bus is scheduled to stop, I could say that I am running for the bus. If the bus has already left the location and I haven't arrived at that location, and I quickly move in the direction of the next bus stop, I am now in the position of chasing the bus. An expansion of "chase" is reflected (In the US at least) when it is said that a woman is chasing a man. This has come to mean that she is activity trying to get the man to enter into a relationship with her. "chase" is also used in the political world - the Republican candidate is chasing the presidency.