【问】
 A. Was he carrying a weapon and if so，what kind of weapon?
 他是否带着武器?如果他带着武器的话，那是什么武器呢?
 B. What kind of a job are you going to take?
 你想找个什么样的工作呢?
 请问what kind of与what kind of a...哪个结构是正确的呢?
 【答】 以前曾有人反对使用what kind of a，认为不定冠词a是多余的。但是使用what kind ofa (what sort of a)这个结构的例子俯拾即是。
 1. You don’t know what kind of a man he is. (Dreiser)
 你不知道他是个什么样的人。
 2. What kind of a plant is this?
 这是什么种类的植物?
 3. What sort of a girl is she?
 她是什么样的女孩?
 4. What sort of a man is this Hallorson? (Galsworthy)
 这个哈洛尔逊是怎样的人?
 现代语言学家们指出，在某些情况下，what kind of与what kind of a在意义上是有区别的。
 1. A. What kind of worker is he? (是询问他的职业或工种)
 B. What kind of a worker is he? (是询问他的能力或品质)
 2. A. What kind of doctor is he? (是询问他的专业)
 B. What kind of a doctor is he? (是询问他的能力)
 3. A. What kind of car is it? (是询问什么牌子的)
 B. What kind of a car is it? (是询问质量如何)
 4. Learning he had a mother surprised me. I also felt anger against her. How could she a-bandon such a nice boy? The Children’s Home was nice. The people there were kindand the boys were healthy. But what sort of a person was his mother? (VOA)
 知道他母亲尚在，使我很惊讶，也使我对她感到很气愤。她怎么会忍心抛下这么可爱的孩子呢?儿童之家办得很好，那里的人都很亲切，孩子们也都很健康。但他妈妈是个什么样的人呢?