"one year" vs. "a year"

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hello!
I’m new here and I have a question. Should we use the indefinite article or the numeral in these examples:

I will live there a year.
or
I will live there one year.

Thank you!

2

Hi and welcome to the site,

I think you should add ‘for’ to both sentences. The only difference is in the suggestion that ‘a’ is more general than the use of ‘one’ If you say: I will live there for one year, you are being very precise about the duration of your stay but of course the meaning is the same for both because it is still 12 months.

Alan

3

Thank you for your answer!

In fact while writing the sentences I wasn’t sure whether to use “for” or not. :slight_smile:

4

Thanks, Alan. :smiley:

Am I allowed to shed some of my light on the sentences? :shock: Please see if I am right!

Hi Camie

When “one” is understood, we use “a”. For example:

1- I want a cup of tea. (“one” is understood)

2- The bus fell into a ravine but only “one” passenger was killed. (Here we cannot use “a” because we have to be precise, as Alan said in his explanation.

Tom

5

Hi Tom,

Spot on!

A