Forum newsfeeds 
|  | | Notices | You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly at the top of your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice house the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion. | 
15-Aug-2004, 06:23
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Country: Taiwan
Posts: 1,816
Current Location: Taipei First Language: Mandarin Thanks: 0
Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts
| |  a/the
Quote: |
I turn it into a contest, telling the loudest group will win a prize. Who do you think makes the most noise? The last group.
|
I would think that the prize is somehow specific, so is it proper to use a definite article 'the' in this context? |
15-Aug-2004, 14:50
| | Member | | Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 429
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
| |
' prize ' is not specific I guess unless we elaborate on it.
You will win a prize in this contest and the prize is a big watch :) |
15-Aug-2004, 14:59
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Country: Taiwan
Posts: 1,816
Current Location: Taipei First Language: Mandarin Thanks: 0
Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts
| |
Quote: |
Phil Jacksons, coach of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, is a dedicated believer in the power of visualisation.
| Why not 'the' coach of the Los Angeles... |
15-Aug-2004, 15:08
| | Member | | Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 429
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
| |
The use of ' the ' gives a sense of making comparison. If there is no such purpose involved, there is no such necessity.
Example.
Rachel is a girl. :) Even though we know who we are talking about
If two coaches involved and we want to specify either one, then ' the ' is used
Phil Jackson, the coach of A team, is better than any other coaches. |
15-Aug-2004, 15:13
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Country: Taiwan
Posts: 1,816
Current Location: Taipei First Language: Mandarin Thanks: 0
Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts
| |
Quote: |
Originally Posted by blacknomi Quote: |
Phil Jacksons, coach of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, is a dedicated believer in the power of visualisation.
| Why not 'the' coach of the Los Angeles... | Phil, the coach of Los Angeles Lakers basketball, is....
Because he leads the team and that makes him the coach of Team A.  |
15-Aug-2004, 15:17
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Country: Taiwan
Posts: 1,816
Current Location: Taipei First Language: Mandarin Thanks: 0
Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts
| |
Sorry, I didn't finish reading your post before posting mine. I see your point. It makes sense if we provide two teams in the context and make it a comparative like the example you gave. And my point is since he is the coach of Team A, not the player. What do you think? |
16-Aug-2004, 02:38
| | Member | | Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 429
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
| |
If ' the ' is used, it means that he is a coach from a particular place that is ' Los Angeles ' and not from other place.
No harm in specifying that anyway :). It is not wrong or what just gives such a sense I mean. OK another example
Dogs are a faithful animal.
The dogs are a faithful animal.
Both are correct, but the one with ' the ' means ', they are compared to other animals.
The first is in its general sense |
16-Aug-2004, 03:52
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Country: Taiwan
Posts: 1,816
Current Location: Taipei First Language: Mandarin Thanks: 0
Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts
| |
Thank you. I got it! :D
I'll come up with some others later. | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
Posting Rules
| You may post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT. The time now is 05:54. | |
