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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

All the night / all night

Hello, I have a question about usage of the / a. My country's online English dictionary says the meaning of "draw a line" and "draw the line" is the same, but I think there must be some meaning difference or tiny difference of nuance. Also, it says the meaning of "all the night" and "all night" is the same, but how it could be same? There must be reasons to use "the" in each different situation, right? Please help me.
  

Top answer

Anonymous "draw a line" This means that you can draw any line you want - a straight line, a squiggly line, a dotted line, a dashed line, a thick line, a red line. etc. Anonymous "draw the line" The instructor has indicated what line he wants you to draw.

— AlpheccaStars

  • Anonymous "draw a line" This means that you can draw any line you want - a straight line, a squiggly line, a dotted line, a dashed line, a thick line, a red line.
  • etc.
  • Anonymous "draw the line" The instructor has indicated what line he wants you to draw.
  • You have to draw that particular line.
  • Anonymous "all the night" Please give the context.
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4 Answers
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Anonymous"draw a line"
This means that you can draw any line you want - a straight line, a squiggly line, a dotted line, a dashed line, a thick line, a red line. etc.
Anonymous"draw the line"
The instructor has indicated what line he wants you to draw. You have to draw that particular line.
Anonymous
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Thank you. Your answers are very clear and helpful. Then, when can I use "all the night" like "all the morning", written in your page?
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Anonymous Thank you. Your answers are very clear and helpful. Then, when can I use "all the night" like "all the morning", written in your page?
When you want to write a song, and need the extra syllables to fit the music or the rhythm of the poem:

Cole Porter: All through the night

All through the night,
I delight in your love,
All t
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"Draw a line" and "draw the line" are also common idioms.
eg "let's draw a line under that and start again" means lets stop and forget about what has just been said or done and start again (so as not to make the same mistakes etc.

Regarding your behaviour carelessness, I can put up with, but I draw the line at recklessness." ie I don't accept recklessness.
I
I don't know if yo
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