[Grammar] Give him a/ the second chance.

[wotcha]

We say "Give him a second chance" and I wonder why second follows 'a' not 'the'

even though 'second' is ordinal.



Thank you.

 

[Barb_D]

I don't know why people think "the" is the only article you can use with an ordinal number. You are not the first person to suggest this "rule."

A second change = another chance, not "the other" chance.

 

[5jj]

If you are not sure about that, just take a second look at Barb's post. Or you could ask for a second opinion. ;-)

 

[billmcd]

We say "Give him a second chance" and I wonder why second follows 'a' not 'the'

even though 'second' is ordinal.



Thank you.

In your example, "the" would be OK if the situation stated that the person is permitted two (or more) chances and the person had failed on the first, perhaps a rare, but possible, scenario.