student asking question

Why is there "a" in front of "dinner"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

The article "a" is used here because it indicates that the dinner event is a special event. Normally, meals don't take on articles, but when it is a special meal or a more formal event, then you can use articles such as "a" and "the" before the meal. An article is also used when there is an adjective before the meal. Here's an example of this: Ex: I didn't eat breakfast today. Ex: My friend hosted a brunch at her house. Ex: We had a big dinner with my family.

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