ENGLISH
REFERENCE

kind of sb/sth

fixed phr..
A1 Beginner Oxford

fixed phr.. A type or category of person or thing.

fixed phr.. A noun phrase used to classify a person or thing as belonging to a particular category or type.


SIMPLE

What kind of music do you like?

CONTEXTUAL

It's the kind of movie that makes you think about your life long after it's over.

COMPLEX

He was the kind of leader who inspired unwavering loyalty, yet his methods were often questioned by those outside his immediate circle.

Usage

Often used in questions with 'what' or 'which' to ask for a classification.

Teaching tip

Distinguish this classificatory use from the informal adverbial hedge 'kind of' (meaning 'somewhat'), which has a different syntactic function and is often pronounced 'kinda'.

Pitfall

What kind of a car is it?What kind of car is it?The indefinite article 'a' or 'an' is usually omitted after 'kind of' when classifying something.

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