the monkeys/ monkeys

Please tell me which sentence is correct between (1) and (2) in this dialogue? A: Did you see Matilda? B: (1)Yes, I saw her feeding the monkeys. / (2)Yes, I saw her feeding monkeys. If the meanings of (1) and (2) are different, I want to know the difference between (1) and (2).

Hello asako87, and welcome to the forum.

asako87 said:

Please tell me which sentence is correct between (1) and (2) in this dialogue.

Click to expand...

Both are possible. In #1, the reference is to a specific/known/previously mentioned monkeys. In #2, the reference is to any monkeys.

Number 1 might be heard at an old-fashioned zoo that doesn't prohibit feeding its animals. Number 2 might occur in a place where monkeys are native, so Matilda could feed them anywhere.

GoesStation said:

Number 1 might be heard at an old-fashioned zoo that doesn't prohibit feeding its animals. Number 2 might occur in a place where monkeys are native, so Matilda could feed them anywhere.

Click to expand...

I should have added a bit more to my sentence about number 1. We would use the definite article there because we know that we're talking about specific monkeys: the ones in the monkey house.

GoesStation said:

Number 1 might be heard at an old-fashioned zoo that doesn't prohibit feeding its animals. Number 2 might occur in a place where monkeys are native, so Matilda could feed them anywhere.

Click to expand...

If Mitilda is at an old fashioned zoo and I say "I saw her feeding monkeys", is it wrong?

asako87 said:

If Mitilda is at an old fashioned zoo and I say "I saw her feeding monkeys", is it wrong?

Click to expand...

No.

Tarheel said:

No.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply. You mean even though Matilda is at the old fashioned zoo, it's correct to say " I saw her feeding monkeys."?

teechar said:

Hello asako87, and welcome to the forum.

Both are possible. In #1, the reference is to a specific/known/previously mentioned monkeys. In #2, the reference is to any monkeys.

Click to expand...

Does 'any monkeys' include a specific/known/previously mentioned monkeys?

I think 'any monkeys' may include specific/known/previously mentioned monkeys.

asako87 said:

Thanks for your reply. You mean even though Matilda is at an old fashioned zoo, it's correct to say " I saw her feeding monkeys."?

Click to expand...

Sure. (I don't know what you mean by "old-fashioned zoo".)

See post #3, Tarheel.

Once again, we need to talk about what is is "correct" (that is, a teacher could not mark it as "a wrong answer") and what is natural.

If the zoo allowed you to feed the monkeys, then you would say "... feeding the monkeys." To omit "the" would not be natural.
If monkeys were a native species, then you would say "... feeding some monkeys [in Duncan Park]." To omit "some" (or "few" or "a couple" or something similar) would be unnatural.

As a side note, "Have you seen" is also more likely as a general statement than "Did you see" - which suggests a specific point in time.

Tarheel said:

Sure. (I don't know what you mean by "old-fashioned zoo".)

Click to expand...

I mean the zoo with the animals in the cages. Do you understand what I mean? I'm not good at English.

Barb_D said:

Once again, we need to talk about what is is "correct" (that is, a teacher could not mark it as "a wrong answer") and what is natural.

If the zoo allowed you to feed the monkeys, then you would say "... feeding the monkeys." To omit "the" would not be natural.
If monkeys were a native species, then you would say "... feeding some monkeys [in Duncan Park]." To omit "some" (or "few" or "a couple" or something similar) would be unnatural.

Click to expand...

If you're a teacher and your students write "I saw Matilda feeding monkeys"(Monkeys are in the cage in the zoo and the zoo allowed to feed the monkeys), will you give your students the perfect score or the demerit mark?

asako87 said:

If you're a teacher and your students write "I saw Matilda feeding monkeys" (the monkeys are in [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] a cage in the zoo, and the zoo allows [STRIKE]ed[/STRIKE] people to feed the monkeys), will you give your students [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] a perfect score? [STRIKE]or the demerit mark?[/STRIKE]

Click to expand...

No, I wouldn't. "... feed monkeys" (without "the") is not about a specific group of monkeys. That's clearly not the case here.

teechar said:

No, I wouldn't. "... feed monkeys" (without "the") is not about a specific group of monkeys. That's clearly not the case here.

Click to expand...

Please excuse me I ask you too many questions. I want to know clearly. I will ask you three questions. 1.Do you mean I should not say "I saw Matilda feeding monkeys(without "the") when the monkeys are in a cage in the zoo? 2. If "I saw Matilda feeding monkeys(without "the")" is wrong, is it wrong gramatically or does it sound unnatural? 3. When the monkeys are in a cage in the zoo, English native speakers don't speak ".... food monkeys(without 'the")?