[Grammar] a book that you bought , the book that you bought

[brightsun17]

I'd like to know the difference between sentence A and B.

A : I want to read a book that you bought yesterday.
B : I want to read the book that you bought yesterday.

In my opinion, I think the sentence A should be changed like this.
I want to read a book, which you bought yesterday. Am I right?

If I am not right,
Does the sentence A mean that I want to read a book of the books that you bought yesterday?

Help me please!

Thank you in advance. ^^

 

[HanibalII]

"A book" implies he bought more than one.

"The book" implies he only bought one.

If he has many books that he bought yesterday, and you wanted to read one of them, you should use, "I want to read a book, which you bought yesterday".

 

[emsr2d2]

You can combine the two with:

I want to read a book - the one you bought yesterday.

 

[Raymott]

I'd like to know the difference between sentence A and B.

A : I want to read a book that you bought yesterday.
B : I want to read the book that you bought yesterday.

In my opinion, I think the sentence A should be changed like this.
I want to read a book, which you bought yesterday. Am I right?

If I am not right,
Does the sentence A mean that I want to read a book of the books that you bought yesterday?

Help me please!

Thank you in advance. ^^

If he bought more than one book, he'd say, "I want to read one of the books you bought yesterday."
Or preferably, "I'd like to read one of the books ..." or "Could I read one of the books ...?"

 

[AppleRome]

You can combine the two with:

I want to read a book - the one you bought yesterday.

I am still a little bit unsure with understanding this..


I want to read a book -- means someone bought more than one book.

Then how could we continue with "the one you bought yesterday" (didnt we know the titles of books yet?)
What is "the one" meaning there? Is it referring to spesific book or any book?

Thank you in advance.

 

[emsr2d2]

I am still a little bit unsure with understanding this..


I want to read a book -- means someone bought more than one book.

Then how could we continue with "the one you bought yesterday" (didnt we know the titles of books yet?)
What is "the one" meaning there? Is it referring to spesific book or any book?

Thank you in advance.

Here is a scenario:

On Thursday, I go shopping with my friend Sarah. We go into a bookshop. She buys a book called "English Grammar is Easy!" and then we go back home.
On Friday, I phone Sarah and say "I want to read a book - the one you bought yesterday".

Basically, I am giving her one piece of information - simply, that I want to read a book. Then I add some information - specifically that the book I want to read is the book (the one) she bought yesterday, namely "English Grammar is Easy!"

If you change the scenario and say that she bought three books on Thursday, "English Grammar is Easy", "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and "The Da Vinci Code", then what I say to her on Friday would be different. It would become:

"I want to read a book - one of the ones you bought yesterday" or "I want to read a book - one of the books you bought yesterday". Sarah would then have to ask "Which one?" and I would answer "English Grammar is Easy".

 

[AppleRome]

How about if I say "I want to read the book - the one you bought yesterday" instead of "I want to read a book -the one you bought yesterday" ? Is it also right in sentence or too much?

Haniball said in previous post, "the book" also implies if she only buy one book..

Thank you

 

[bhaisahab]

How about if I say "I want to read the book - the one you bought yesterday" instead of "I want to read a book -the one you bought yesterday" ? Is it also right in sentence or too much?

Haniball said in previous post, "the book" also implies if she only buy one book..

Thank you

"I want to read the book - the one you bought yesterday" This is not natural. We would say "I want to read the book you bought yesterday" to express that idea.