Why does this teacher alternately use articles?

[mbortas_art55]

the is something specific, or the only thing we can see. It makes sense for the car, but it makes me no sense for what the motorcycle is "a motorcycle". Can someone explain to me? I'm confused.

BTW. some definite articles can be for general stuffs such as the hospital, the guitar, etc. which make things much more complicated

 

[jutfrank]

There is no apparent good reason for the inconsistency. If this person is a teacher as you say, you might consider listening to a better one.

 

[mbortas_art55]

There is no apparent good reason for the inconsistency. If this person is a teacher as you say, you might consider listening to a better one.

That's why I started this thread.

 

[güey]

There is no apparent good reason for the inconsistency. If this person is a teacher as you say, you might consider listening to a better one.

But it just doesn't matter as she's focusing on prepositions. Here's more:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[jutfrank]

But it just doesn't matter as she's focusing on prepositions.

It's not relevant to the grammar point at hand but I think it still matters, as does mbortas_art55, who wouldn't otherwise have created this thread. It's careless modelling, and good modelling is supreme in language teaching.

 

[güey]

It's not relevant to the grammar point at hand but I think it still matters, as does mbortas_art55, who wouldn't otherwise have created this thread. It's careless modelling, and good modelling is supreme in language teaching.

It's like contextless sentences under dictionary definitions -- you may not understand what it is all about, but you're supposed to understand the usage of the word being defined.

 

[mbortas_art55]

But it just doesn't matter as she's focusing on prepositions. Here's more:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Grammar is something which makes sentences correct, so it's matter to use correct article, even in some random example

 

[jutfrank]

It's like contextless sentences under dictionary definitions -- you may not understand what it is all about, but you're supposed to understand the usage of the word being defined.

Sorry, what do you mean? I'm not sure I get your point. Which is the word being defined?

 

[güey]

Grammar is something which makes sentences correct, so it's matter to use correct article, even in some random example

She used the articles correctly -- nobody has said she didn't.

 

[jutfrank]

Well, I'm saying she didn't, since it's inconsistent. Why use 'the' for the car and 'a' for the motorbike?

(I don't want to beat up on the girl but her pronunciation modelling isn't great, either.)

 

[güey]

Sorry, what do you mean? I'm not sure I get your point. Which is the word being defined?

For example, on another forum, a user quoted this sentence: She is transcribing, from his dictation, the diaries of Simon Forman." It was a dictionary example illustrating the usage of the word transcribe, but he asked what "his" referred to. The word being defined was "transcribing".

Well, I'm saying she didn't, since it's inconsistent. Why use 'the' for the car and 'a' for the motorbike?

(I don't want to beat up on the girl but her pronunciation modelling isn't great, either.)

But she doesn't have to be consistent here. Maybe it's her car, but a random motorbike. She might have intentionally used different articles, or maybe she didn't give it any thought at all. Those are just unrelated videoclips.

 

[jutfrank]

She might have intentionally used different articles

It's possible, but if so, I can't see how the viewer can see her intention so what was the point?

or maybe she didn't give it any thought at all

That's much more likely, I think. And this is my best guess as to the answer to the question that the OP is asking.

 

[güey]

And this is my best guess as to the answer to the question that the OP is asking.

or maybe she didn't give it any thought at all

And perhaps the OP shouldn't either.

 

[Tarheel]

Grammar is something which makes sentences correct, so IT MATTERS to use THE correct article, even in some random example

 

[5jj]

i think this thread has thoroughly dealt with the original question, so I am closing it,