A 7

[HSS]

One curry I do like at this restaurant is the "Beef Curry" made up to a 7 on their spiciness scale.
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Just wondering. Does 'a 7' always have to be 'a 7,' and not just '7'?

Thanks,

Hiro

 

[owlman5]

This is a good question, Hiro. I think it makes sense to say "The beef curry is prepared at seven on their spiciness scale."

 

[HSS]

So, it could be just '7' in the original sentence, though? (Does the sentence sound idiomatic anyway?)

 

[owlman5]

Yes, I think you could say "...made up to seven on their spiciness scale." I see no good reason for insisting on the "a" here.

 

[stallion]

This is a good question, Hiro. I think it makes sense to say "The beef curry is prepared at seven on their spiciness scale."

It is better to say "prepared" instead of "made up" and either using "a" or not is ok.

 

[Packard]

Using the Richter Scale format for a model, then you can use numerals and leave off the article.

The dish was a 7.2 on the spiciness scale.

 

[Gwan]

It is better to say "prepared" instead of "made up" and either using "a" or not is ok.

My take on the original sentence was that the curry can be made anywhere from zero (or one, or whatever) to seven on the spiciness scale, therefore you would need to retain 'made up to a'. Which is not to say that I'm right and you're wrong, but I think it can be argued either way.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Isn't "a 7" an abbreviation of "a score of 7"?
It reminds me of a (dreadful?) pop music programme on UK TV in the 60s where the judges said things like: "I'll give it a five"

 

[JamesM]

I agree. I think it makes more sense with "a" there. It's like a grade or a score. I don't say "I got A on the test"; I say "I got an A on the test". It seems to me it follows the same pattern.

 

[Packard]

My initial thought was that the article was required.

But using the Richter scale as a model I found that it is not used there so I think it is OK to leave it off here.

I agree that the numbers refer to a "level" and if you use that notion to drive your thinking then "a" would be used.

It was prepared to a [level] 7 on the spiciness scale.

But using the same thinking I would leave it off in this case:

It registered 7 on the spiciness scale.

 

[Andygc]

Isn't "a 7" an abbreviation of "a score of 7"?
It reminds me of a (dreadful?) pop music programme on UK TV in the 60s where the judges said things like: "I'll give it a five"

Uncle Bob, your memory may be slipping. It was "Oi'll give it foive".

There is no real reason to object to One curry I do like at this restaurant is the "Beef Curry" made up to 7 on their spiciness scale, but I would find a 7 much more natural.

PS. If it is just called beef curry, then it is not a 1 to 7 scale, but at least 1 to 15.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Uncle Bob, your memory may be slipping. It was "Oi'll give it foive".

You must be right as I was sure I remembered a sort of hiccup before the "foive"!