JustAlilBit
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What's the differences between general words (definite and indefinite) ?
[General] General words (definite and indefinite)
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I have no idea. Where did you find these terms?
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I'm afraid I don't understand your question. Do you want to know the difference between the words "definite" and "indefinite"?
JustAlilBit
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It's hard to express what I'm trying to say.
What's the difference between them?
Why in this sentence "Life is too short" wasn't used an article?
| without the definite article | with the definite article |
|---|---|
| general words (indefinite) | general words (definite) |
| Life is too short. I like flowers. | I've read a book on the life of Bill Clinton. I like the flowers in your garden. |
What's the difference between them?
Why in this sentence "Life is too short" wasn't used an article?
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Precisely because it is not a 'definite' (defined) life. It's not 'the life of a poet' or 'the life of Bill Clinton', it's 'life' in general
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I like flowers.
Which flowers do you like?
All flowers, not a specific type of flower.
Do you really like all flowers?
Yes, but I particularly like the flowers in your garden.
In the above dialogue, at the beginning the speaker is not talking a specific type of flower or about a specific flower but later in the dialogue, he/she wants to narrow it down to specific flowers, namely "the flowers in your garden".
Which flowers do you like?
All flowers, not a specific type of flower.
Do you really like all flowers?
Yes, but I particularly like the flowers in your garden.
In the above dialogue, at the beginning the speaker is not talking a specific type of flower or about a specific flower but later in the dialogue, he/she wants to narrow it down to specific flowers, namely "the flowers in your garden".
JustAlilBit
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Did I get it right? I can use the definite article inicially in the sentences if I discribe a problem more widely.
Barb_D
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You use the definite article if you describe it SPECIFICALLY.
Try to write a few sentences with and without "the" for
1) Chocolate
2) Flavor
3) Elephants
Try to write a few sentences with and without "the" for
1) Chocolate
2) Flavor
3) Elephants
JustAlilBit
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I dumped a chocolate bar through a window, because the chocolate wasn't delicious enough.
The flavor you smell is your didn't wash sock smell.
The elephants live in Chicago Illinois, because there is plantations of weed.
It's just the examples. It was hard to imagine the sentences, because in my native language (Lithuanian) we don't have articles.
Is these sentences possible?
Barb_D
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Your first one is okay, but you didn't use it without an article.
General: Chocolate is one of my favorite things in life.
Specific: The chocolate made by Hershey is okay, but not as good as the chocolate made by Godiva.
General: It's important you make food with good flavor.
Specific: I don't like the flavor of anise. (You don't smell a flavor; you taste it.)
General: Elephants are my favorite animal.
Specific: The elephants in the Philadelphia Zoo were sent to Tennessee because their enclosure was too small and the deserved room to wander freely.
General: Chocolate is one of my favorite things in life.
Specific: The chocolate made by Hershey is okay, but not as good as the chocolate made by Godiva.
General: It's important you make food with good flavor.
Specific: I don't like the flavor of anise. (You don't smell a flavor; you taste it.)
General: Elephants are my favorite animal.
Specific: The elephants in the Philadelphia Zoo were sent to Tennessee because their enclosure was too small and the deserved room to wander freely.
JustAlilBit
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Thanks,
If I learn them, I will be a Genius.
If I learn them, I will be a Genius.
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The bad news: People whose native language does not have articles rarely master English articles usage completely.
The good news: It doesn't really matter! Misuse of articles rarely causes misunderstanding in communication. Of course, if you wish to get good marks in examinations, you need to understand the basic uses of the articles, but it's not worth spending time on the finer points and exceptions.
As a very experienced teacher, I like to think that I can help my students with most aspects of English grammar. However, when advanced students ask me to explain why articles have or have not been used in texts by native speakers, I sometimes find it very difficult to come up with convincing explanations.
JustAlilBit
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Yes it's true! I can understand everything I know thousand of English words I've learned them and I'm proud of myself. When I'm next to computer I am looking for an explanation about articles, but unfortunately not everytime I can find a specific explanation. My goal isn't to get a high mark in an examination I do it only for myself.
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