effect of removing 'the'

[musicgold]

Hi,

Which of the following sentences is more correct and why?. The only difference is 'the' before 'complications'.

1. Closed-end funds allow small investors to invest in a diversified portfolio of real
estate assets without the complications of operating responsibilities.

2. Closed-end funds allow small investors to invest in a diversified portfolio of real
estate assets without complications of operating responsibilities.

Thanks,

MG.

[new2grammar]

Ist sentence sounds correct because we are specifying what is the major complication and that is the operation responsibilities, so we need to use definite article - 'the'

[musicgold]

new2grammar,

Thanks. I have seen people omitting definite articles for nouns clearly defined by a following phrase. For example, look at the following sentence.

The fact that current market prices are 20% higher than in-place prices for the contracts leases maturing until 2010, bodes well for [ ]same store growth in future quarters.

By the logic you applied to my last sentence, should there be 'the' before 'same-store growth' as it is defined by 'in future quarters'?

Thanks,

MG.

[Soup]

Adding the implies the reader already knows or is about to be told what the complications are.

Omitting the implies the reader needn't know what those complications are. Perhaps the reader already knows, perhaps going into the complications isn't in focus.

[Soup]

The fact that current market prices are 20% higher than in-place prices for the contracts leases maturing until 2010, bodes well for [ ]same store growth in future quarters.

The word same takes an article. The same is a set pair.

[musicgold]

Soup,

Thanks.

The word same takes an article

Actually in this case same-store is a compound noun.

Adding the implies the reader already knows or is about to be told what the complications are.

If you were writing this sentence, (and your reader knew what the word 'same-store growth' for a company meant), how would you write it, with or without 'the'?

Thanks.

[Soup]

The fact that current market prices are 20% higher than in-place prices for the contracts leases maturing until 2010, bodes well for [ ]same store growth in future quarters.

If you were writing this sentence, (and your reader knew what the word 'same-store growth' for a company meant), how would you write it, with or without 'the'?

If same store is hyphenated, then I would omit the because the hypenated phrase mirrors the structure of in-place prices.

If same store is not hypenated, then I would add the.

So, which is it? Is same store hyphenated or not?

Note, no comma after 2010, and this phrase contracts leases reads awkward.

[musicgold]

Yes, it is same-store (hyphenated). Sorry about that.

If same store is hyphenated, then I would omit the because the hypenated phrase mirrors the structure of in-place prices.

I am confused here. I don't understand what you mean by 'mirrors the structure'.

[Soup]

The fact that current market prices are 20% higher than in-place prices for the contract leases maturing until 2010 bodes well for [ ] same-store growth in future quarters.

[musicgold]

Soup,

Thanks. But I don't understand how 'in-place prices' affect the article of 'same-store growth' down the sentence.

What is the rule you are referring to? Please bear with me on this.

MG.