language discussions from longman website

[مستر وليد السيد]

What is the difference between "part" and "a part"?

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SenderAhmed Imam PositionTeacher

Part is usually countable, but when it means a piece of something or a member in an organization or in some other uses, the article a is usually dropped before part of if there is no adjective.

She is part of the team that is developing a new security system.
She is an essential part of the team that is developing a new security system.

Is Slovenia part of the European Union?

Part of my car got dented in an accident.
A small part of my car got dented.
I need to buy a part to fix the car brakes. (Here part means one of the separate pieces of a machine. The article cannot be dropped.)
Please see "part" in LDOCE for more.