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"kind of a"

A common error on standardized test questions is the inclusion of "a" after a classification term such as "kind of," "sort of," and "type of." It is not correct to insert the article "a" (or "an") between the preposition ("of") and the object of the preposition.

Bob is the kind of a man who likes his cookies with milk.

This is the corrected version of the sentence:

Bob is the kind of man who likes his cookies with milk.

Do not do this:

  • sort of a person
  • type of an animal
  • kind of a girl

Do this:

  • sort of person
  • type of animal
  • kind of girl

Note: This usage of "kind of" and "sort of" is acceptable because the terms relate to the classification of a person or thing. Never use "kind of" and "sort of" in place of words like "rather" or "somewhat."

Never Do This: "kind of" and "sort of"

,

Bob was kind of hungry, so he ate a cookie.

The phrases "kind of" and "sort of" are colloquial and vague in their meaning. Standardized examinations often include these expressions in test questions; it is easy to overlook these errors because they are so commonly found in everyday speech. Use words like "somewhat" and "rather" in place of these slang terms.

Bob was somewhat hungry, so he ate a cookie.

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