About the article 'the' - Refering to something not mentioned beforehand

Yes, it's understood you mean "the bus that goes through your neighborhood to pick up the school kids there."

("by bus" or "on the school bus.")

We also say "the doctor" or "the mechanic" etc to refer to a person in a certain profession even though the person doesn't know which doctor or which mechanic. I have to go to the doctor is enough.

Ah, I think I know what you mean, Grammar Geek. Thank you for explaining that to me.

Best wishes,

PBF

Grammar GeekWe also say "the doctor" or "the mechanic" etc to refer to a person in a certain profession even though the person doesn't know which doctor or which mechanic. I have to go to the doctor is enough.

Is it wrong to say "I'm sick. I need to see a doctor"?

Re: About the article 'the' - Refering to something not mentioned beforehand

Referring

No, it's acceptable as well.

1. I'm sick. I need to see a doctor.

2. I'm sick. I need to see the doctor.

Is there any difference between the two sentences?

Many thanks.

1. The sick person doesn't have any particular doctor in mind.
2. The sick person has a particular doctor in mind.

In the second case, the particular doctor must be determined by the context in which the sentence is uttered. (A phone call to a particular doctor's office; at the reception desk in a clinic where it is known which doctor is the one you usually see; in a small t

Could we use the article 'the' to refer to something if we haven't mentioned it beforehand?

Yes. Any time you're thinking of a specific instance of something you can use the. You don't have to have mentioned it; you only have to have it in mind, knowing that your listener will know which particular thing you are referring to.

I read something inte

I arrived home on foot as I missed the bus.

I believe that in AmE it should be I arrived home by foot as I missed the bus.

Am I right?

"on foot" sounds better to me than "by foot."