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Tkacka15 Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
A John
Why is "a John" in There is a John at the door acceptable but not John?
Top answer
Both are possible. "A John" = A person named John. A person knocks on the door and says to X: "Hi, I'm John.
- Both are possible.
- "A John" = A person named John.
- A person knocks on the door and says to X: "Hi, I'm John.
- " John is unknown to X.
- " ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X and Y are both upstairs.
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3 Answers
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Both are possible.
"A John" = A person named John.
A person knocks on the door and says to X: "Hi, I'm John. Is Y there?"
John is unknown to X.
X says to Y: "There's a John at the door."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X and Y are both upstairs.
"A John" = A person named John.
A person knocks on the door and says to X: "Hi, I'm John. Is Y there?"
John is unknown to X.
X says to Y: "There's a John at the door."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X and Y are both upstairs.
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tkacka15There is a John at the door.There is a person named John at the door. (Existential there.)
"a John" is an indefinite expression.
tkacka15There is John at the door. / There is John — (he's) at the door.John is there, at the door. (Locative there; "in that place".)
"John" is a definite expressi
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