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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

a third time

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He tried to jump up a third time.
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Reading the above sentence, I have a question.
If I change 'a' in a third time into 'the', the sentence can be interpreted in other way? If it be so, please teach me how they're not the same.
  

Top answer

Anonymous He tried He made several tries — a first try, a second try, and a third try. He failed on the first try, so he made a second try and a third try. He failed on the second try, so he made a third try.

— CalifJim

  • Anonymous He tried He made several tries — a first try, a second try, and a third try.
  • He failed on the first try, so he made a second try and a third try.
  • He failed on the second try, so he made a third try.
  • It sounds to me like He tried to jump up a third time .
  • We don't know the result of the third try.
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3 Answers
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AnonymousHe tried
He made several tries — a first try, a second try, and a third try.
He failed on the first try, so he made a second try and a third try.
He failed on the second try, so he made a third try.

It sounds to me like He tried to jump up a third time.
We don't know the result of the third try.

At the time he made
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CalifJimAt the time he made a third try, the third try didn't exist yet, so there's no way to refer to it as the third try.
With your help, I understand it clearly. Your explanation reminds me of why I should say 'A Third World War' not 'The Third World War' at the moment unless I were Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Anonymouswhy I should say 'A Third World War'
Good point. We hope there won't be a third world war. (We would never use 'the third world war' in that sentence.)

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