a typical vs the typical

Both 'a typical' and 'the typical' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'A typical' is used to refer to something that is characteristic of a particular type or group, while 'the typical' is used to refer to something that is characteristic of a specific known example. The choice between them depends on whether you are talking about a general characteristic or a specific example.

Last updated: March 25, 2024 • 1855 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to something that is characteristic of a particular type or group.

"a typical"

Use 'a typical' when you want to describe something that is characteristic of a particular type or group. It is used to indicate a general trait or feature.

Examples:

A typical day in my life involves waking up early, going for a run, and then having breakfast.
She has a typical British accent.
This is a typical example of his work.
It's a typical response from him.
A typical student in this program is between 20 and 25 years old.

Show examples from the web [+]

Please describe a typical 24-hour Papa Song cycle.
This is a typical regeneration cycle.
Just, well... a typical family Christmas.
They wanted a story About a typical teenage girl.
The transport sector is a typical example.
Mr Allister is a typical example.
And I will show you a typical skull from East Asia.
Just a typical, normal, boring high school date.
That's not in a typical school record.
This is not a typical school.
You're such a typical rebellious Pisces.
- You are such a typical Smålander.
And we were eating a typical Chinese cultural diet.
I was running scared - a typical, useless man.
That's not the sign of a typical stroke.
Right. But this isn't a typical engineering problem.
It's something a typical Czech person won't miss.
This isn't a typical case of emotional trauma.
He'll be a typical intellectual, disagreeable and impotent.
The house is a typical settlement structure with adaptations.

Alternatives:

a common
a usual
a standard
a regular
a characteristic

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to something that is characteristic of a specific known example.

"the typical"

Use 'the typical' when you want to describe something that is characteristic of a specific known example. It is used to indicate a particular trait or feature.

Examples:

She is the typical student who always sits in the front row.
This is the typical behavior we see from him when he's stressed.
That's the typical response we get from customers in this situation.
He has the typical reaction of someone who is afraid of heights.
This is the typical outcome of such experiments.

Show examples from the web [+]

Term referred to the production method and to the typical rosé colour.
I should like to ask whether that is one of the typical effects of our idea of a wider Europe.
Presents like the typical dominant/submissive, but I doubt it's that textbook.
It's the typical disaster of the American films.
Perhaps she's the typical definition of unisex.
That's the typical "yes" reaction.
Lieutenant... this doesn't look like the typical defensive wound.
This ignores the real world and illustrates the typical short-sightedness of the EU.
In the end, they'll settle into a giant rounded blob, the typical form of elliptical galaxies across the universe.
You know, this isn't exactly the typical response to a bad dream.
"that can only be admired."in this sense, meg griffin is not the typical American girl.
I haven't been the typical first girlfriend and you've always been there for me.
I'm not exactly the typical high school school dance type, as you may have noticed.
So if you picture the typical classroom nowadays: When I was going to school, we sat in rows.
So if you picture the typical classroom nowadays:
Classification under heading 0402 is also excluded as the product does not have the typical composition of a natural milk powder.
Euronymous invented the typical Norwegian black metal riff.
Definitely a notch above the typical FBI stakeout.
These ranges shall recognise the typical characteristics of electricity supplied by public distribution systems.
The combination of all these factors gives the product the typical morphological and organoleptic characteristics which make it highly prized and easily recognisable.

Alternatives:

the common
the usual
the standard
the regular
the characteristic

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a typical vs the typical

"a typical"

"the typical"

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