a school and a pizza correspondence?

Question

Hi,Please take a look at some examples I found on the Google Book search of the phrase "a school," and tell me if a person is thinking of using a specific school, he or she can use "a school". I think we can say "I want a pizza" if we want a single pizza. Twenty Questions: A Novel??: Alison Clement - 2007 - 288 ???208 ???June worked at a school, and she knew that when a child couldn't be found there was almost always a simple explanation that did not involve anything ...????? ????. - ?? ?? - ? ??? ???? - ?? ??? ???  Sue Cowley's Teaching Clinic - 53 ?????: Sue Cowley - 2003 - 159 ???Sometimes it will be the case that a teacher who has worked at a school for many years is ... Reputation: Teachers who've worked at a school for some time, ...???? - ?? ?? - ? ??? ???? - ?? ??? ???  Prisoners in Prison Societies - 153 ?????: Ulla Bondeson - 1988 - 371 ???When 1 worked at a school in the early 1960s, stories circulated about the "old days," when it was forbidden to wear long pants as this was interpreted as ...???? - ?? ?? - ? ??? ???? - ?? ??? ???

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Not sure I understand your question. Your use of "specific" is a little fuzzy.

We use the idea of "specific" when distinguishing between the definite article (the) and the indefinite article (a/an). In that sense, the examples you quote are not specific.

Mary just got a job at Pinkerton Academy. She will begin working at the school next Monday. (specific school, definite article) She has never worked at a school before. (non-specific school, indefinite article.)

When deciding between the indefinite article and no article, it's an entirely different issue. It's one school/pizza/piece of pizza vs. the concept, or general idea of school/pizza.

I hate school but I love pizza. No article. I remember a school in New York. The school was fantastic! True, it's a specific school, but until it's identified in some way, we don't use the definite article. In this case, the first sentence identifies it for the second sentence.

I attended school in New York.(no article) There may have been one school or several, but we're talking about the idea of school.

Best regards, - A.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi, thank you. I think we can do this. Am I right?

Joe went to a school in Chicago in the early 80s and went to another school in the late 80s. All in all, he went to two school in the decade that spans 80s.

Joe ordered a pizza at 6 o'clock and ordered another pizza at 8 o'clock. All in all, he ordered two pizzas in that evening.

CalifJim · Answer

Through context, we can deduce the following:
June worked at a school - She worked at a specific school, but we aren't being told which school.
a teacher who has worked at a school - who has worked at any school, no matter which school -- not a specific school
worked at a school in the early 1960s - worked at a specific school, but we aren't being told which school.
_____

I take it that by "specific" you mean that it exists in the real world and you are referring to it.
Indefinites can be 1) specific or 2) non-specific.
1) I finally found a house I want to buy. / There's a house for sale on Elm Street. / A man came to the door.

2) I'm looking for a house to buy. / If you've ever bought a house, you know what I mean. / If a man comes to the door, don't let him in.
Definites can be 1) specific or 2) non-specific.
1) This is the house I want to buy. / The house on Elm is too expensive. / The man came to the door.

2) I'm still looking for the house of my dreams. / The house you like best is not always the house you can afford. / The man who wins will receive $500.
CJ

Avangi · Answer

Anonymous I think we can do this. Am I right?

Joe went to a school in Chicago in the early 80s and went to another school in the late 80s. All in all, he went to two school in the decade that spans 80s.

Joe ordered a pizza at 6 o'clock and ordered another pizza at 8 o'clock. All in all, he ordered two pizzas in that evening.

No problem.

Just an aside: to my ear, "in that evening" is uncommon. We'd say, "He ordered two in the afternoon and two more in the evening," but I think we'd say, "during that evening."

Edit. Well, Google shows 55,500 hits. But none of the ones I looked at came at the end of the phrase, like yours. They were things like, "In that evening's program, the orchestra played Brahms and Mahler."

Also, "that spans the 80's"

Avangi · Answer

CalifJim Indefinites can be 1) specific or 2) non-specific.

Thanks, Jim.

a school and a pizza correspondence?

Twenty Questions: A Novel

Sue Cowley's Teaching Clinic - 53 ???

Prisoners in Prison Societies - 153 ???

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions