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Calvinshli Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

'a first' vs 'the first'

I often see the article 'a' precede 'first', and this makes me confused. Shouldn't we use 'the' to specify the first one?

For example:

First dates are as important as your first impression in a job interview, so knowing how to impress a girl on a first date is a make or break for future relationship.

Please help!
  

Top answer

Hello, Calvin—and welcome to English Forums. You can also have 'a first date': a first date with Mary, a first date with Rachel, a first date with Loren, a first date with Julia, etc.

  • Hello, Calvin—and welcome to English Forums.
  • You can also have 'a first date': a first date with Mary, a first date with Rachel, a first date with Loren, a first date with Julia, etc.
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4 Answers
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Hello, Calvin—and welcome to English Forums.

You can also have 'a first date': a first date with Mary, a first date with Rachel, a first date with Loren, a first date with Julia, etc.
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Thanks for your speedy reply, but what I would like to know is why not 'the first date', but 'a first date'.

Emotion: smile
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Because—as I have already shown you—you can have many first dates.
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