LQZ
Member
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2009
- Member Type
- Other
- Native Language
- Chinese
- Home Country
- China
- Current Location
- China
Dear teacher,
I've learned the following rule of how to use the definite article (the).
I however ran into a sentence that apparently doesn't apply to the rule mentioned while reading news on the New York Times.
Could you please explain to me why "an indicator" is used, not "the indicator"? Thanks.
LQZ
I've learned the following rule of how to use the definite article (the).
We use the definite article with certain kinds of proper nouns:
Geographical places: the Sound, the Sea of Japan, the Mississippi, the West, the Smokies, the Sahara (but often not when the main part of the proper noun seems to be modified by an earlier attributive noun or adjective: We went swimming at Ocean Park)
...
Nouns followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with "of": the leader of the gang, the president of our club.
I however ran into a sentence that apparently doesn't apply to the rule mentioned while reading news on the New York Times.
“It’s important to keep the economy in mind here. Sometimes Black Friday is not an indicator of the holiday season, because people are so focused on deals that they’ll get themselves up early,” she said, while in better economic times, they will shop even on days without huge promotions. New York Times (subscription, free)
Could you please explain to me why "an indicator" is used, not "the indicator"? Thanks.
LQZ