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"At the right time" vs "at a right time"

English Language & Usage Asked on December 29, 2020

Tell me please what is the difference between the following sentences.

It is totally fine to add suplementary exercises to the main lifts. Just do it at the right time.

It is totally fine to add suplementary exercises to the main lifts. Just do it at a right time.

I heard the latter in a podcast where two native speakers discussed strength training. I was totally confused because I thought that only the definite article could be used before words like right, or wrong. If the second one is also right, then what shade of meaning does it bear?

One Answer

This question is actually asking the difference between the word "the" and the word "a"

The difference between "the" and "a" is the number

"the" says there is only 1
"a" says there is more than 1, and any one will do

this is a constant rule and it doesn't matter what is being discussed

"the car" vs "a car"
"the cat with the torn ear" vs "a cat with a torn ear"

now for the dictionary bit:

"the"
1.1 Used to refer to a person, place, or thing that is unique.
‘the Queen’ ‘the Mona Lisa’ ‘the Nile’

both are from oxford dictionaries

"a"
2. Used to indicate membership of a class of people or things.

‘he is a lawyer’
‘this car is a BMW’

Answered by WendyG on December 29, 2020

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