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victoria
Could you tell me whether I can say "cook a lunch"?
Aug 18, 2013 12:08 AM
Answers · 6
2
"Cook lunch" would be more common, but "cook a lunch" is perfectly fine.
August 18, 2013
1
If you're talking specifically about the mid-day meal, you can say 'cook the lunch' (i.e.: 'It's my turn for cooking the luch today').
But for talking about a meal in general use 'cook a meal' or 'cook the meal' (i.e.: 'I have to cook a meal at least once every day', 'Yesterday I cooked a delicious meal for dinner').
August 18, 2013
'A lunch' is only used when modifying 'lunch'.
Ex.
I cooked a healthy lunch.
I cooked a lunch consisting of...
I cooked a lunch that...
'A lunch' on its own IS acceptable, but if you don't intend to modify 'lunch' then it's more natural to drop the article.
August 24, 2013
"Cook a lunch" may be correct in situations where one is cooking a meal for sometime in the future. For instance, one might "cook a lunch" in the evening to bring to work the next day, although you could also just "cook lunch for tomorrow." It may not be formally correct but I definitely hear it used colloquially. However, most of the time "cook lunch" is used.
August 18, 2013
No, 'cook a lunch" is never perfectly fine, "cook lunch" would be the correct way of saying it if it is a regular thing, like "I'm going to cook lunch" or "I cook lunch every day". Otherwise "Cook a meal", like below.
August 18, 2013
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victoria
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), English, Japanese
Learning Language
English, Japanese
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