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Heavenletter #4863 The Life of Your Dreams

Posted February 20th, 2014 by Luus

Dear Gloria,

Is "million dollars" in the following paragraph correct, or should it be "a million dollars"?

The woman of your dreams is no longer the woman of your dreams, and the new job becomes old hat, and, you discover that million dollars has its limitations just as fifty-thousand did.

Thanks.

Luus

‹ Heaven #4836 It Is Your Own Giving of Love That You Long For Heavenletter #4862 Mining for Gold needs new title ›

Hi Luus~ Both are correct

On February 20th, 2014 Charles Fi... says:

Hi Luus~ Both are correct and the meaning is similar. As it is, "that" belongs to "million" and means that particular million dollars you managed to earn. You would emphasize "that" in speaking the sentence aloud.

If you insert an "a", the "that" belongs to "discover" and would not be emphasized in speech, could even be eliminated as understood but unspoken. It would make the million dollars a little more abstract.

Gloria can decide but I think it works fine just like it is. You should know that not all Americans routinely come up with a million dollars all at once. I am in the 99% along with most people and a million dollars is very abstract in spite of inflation.

Changed my mind on rereading

On February 20th, 2014 Charles Fi... says:

Changed my mind on rereading it. I think other people might also be confused like you were and it might work better with the "a" inserted. Gloria can still decide.

I agree, Luus and Charles.

On February 20th, 2014 Gloria Wen... says:

I agree, Luus and Charles. Yes, the a inserted.

Thank you both so much.

Also in Dutch we could leave

On February 20th, 2014 Luus says:

Also in Dutch we could leave the "a" out, but it is much clearer when we talk about "a million dollars".