A / the computer in an office

Question

Suppose there' re several computers in an office near my house, one of which I'm now using.
Which of A and B well describes the above situation, or both?
A: I'm now using a computer in an office near my house.
B: I'm now using the computer in an office near my house.

If both are fine, tell me the difference.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

anonymous Which of A and B well describes the above situation, or both?

It depends on what you want to say. Articles are slippery customers.

anonymousIf both are fine, tell me the difference.

Say "please".

anonymousI'm now using a computer in an office near my house.

You might mean that you are using a computer and not, say, your phone, and incidentally, it's in that office. You might mean that you are not using your home computer or your laptop but some other computer that happens to be in that office. You might mean that you are in that office, and what you are doing is using one of its computers. There are probably more interpretations that I can't think of before breakfast.

anonymousI'm now using the computer in an office near my house.

You might mean that that office only has one computer, and that's what you are using. You might mean that what you are doing is using a computer, but you are saying "using the computer" the way we say "using the phone", meaning any computer or phone. I'm going to go have a bowl of Wheat Chex now.

A / the computer in an office

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions