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Nina_Nia Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Articles

Hello,

Could you correct these sentences, please and tell me what is the rule of using the instead of an in the third sentence?

1.I took a/the book from a/the shelf and started to read. (There were a few books and I took one of them) (And a few shelves too)

2.I took the/a book from a / the shelf and started to read.(There was only one book and one shelf, but I still used 'a' before book and shelf because they were mentioned for the first time)

3.As a kitten, she fell from an/the attic of a nine-storey bulding into a ventilation shaft. (There is only one attic and she fell from one of them) I thought I should have used 'an attic' because it was mentioned for the first time, but that was wrong.
4.As a kitten, she fell from an/the attic of a nine-storey bulding into a ventilation shaft. (There are two attics and she fell from one of them)

Thanks
  

Top answer

Nina_Nia I took a book and started to read. (There were a few books and I took one of them) I took the book and started to read. (There was only one book) As a kitten, she fell from the attic of a nine-story building into a ( the is also possible) ventilation shaft.

— JohnParis

  • Nina_Nia I took a book and started to read.
  • (There were a few books and I took one of them) I took the book and started to read.
  • (There was only one book) As a kitten, she fell from the attic of a nine-story building into a ( the is also possible) ventilation shaft.
  • (There is only one attic and she fell from it.
  • one of them ) As a kitten, she fell from an attic of a nine-story building into a ventilation shaft.
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3 Answers
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Nina_Nia I took a book and started to read. (There were a few books and I took one of them) I took the book and started to read. (There was only one book) As a kitten, she fell from the attic of a nine-story
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I had to edit my post a little. I have been told that if there is one book, one shelf, one attic, etc and I mention them for the first time I should still use the definite article instead of the indefinite one. Is that right?

Thanks
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This thread should help you sort it out.
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