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Moon7296 Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary
Article(The car/A car/Cars)
1. The car became an increasing necessity of life in the twentieth century.
2. A car became an increasing necessity of life in the twentieth century.
3. Cars became an increasing necessity of life in the twentieth century.
It is said that all three types of article, the, a and -s(zero with plural count nouns) can be used to make a generic reference.
Q) Even if #1,2 and 3 refer to a generic reference, is there no difference between the three at all?
2. A car became an increasing necessity of life in the twentieth century.
3. Cars became an increasing necessity of life in the twentieth century.
It is said that all three types of article, the, a and -s(zero with plural count nouns) can be used to make a generic reference.
Q) Even if #1,2 and 3 refer to a generic reference, is there no difference between the three at all?
Top answer
moon7296 Q) Even if #1,2 and 3 refer to a generic reference, is there no difference between the three at all? No. No difference in meaning.
- moon7296 Q) Even if #1,2 and 3 refer to a generic reference, is there no difference between the three at all?
- No.
- No difference in meaning.
- The most usual way to say it in ordinary conversation is #3.
- The most formal way to say it in a written report is #1.
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3 Answers
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moon7296Q) Even if #1,2 and 3 refer to a generic reference, is there no difference between the three at all?No. No difference in meaning. The most usual way to say it in ordinary conversation is #3. The most formal way to say it in a written report is #1.
CJ
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I agree with CJ even though I personally wouldn't use sentence #2. The indefinite article "a" can normally be used to generalize only when we have an example that represents an entire class. Consider the following sentences
The car is a vehicle with four wheels.
A car is a vehicle with four wheels. (any car is a vehicle with four wheels)
but
The computer has changed
The car is a vehicle with four wheels.
A car is a vehicle with four wheels. (any car is a vehicle with four wheels)
but
The computer has changed
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Hi, Ivanhr.
You don't think "A tiger...." and "A computer...." are not appropriate because they CAN BE interpreted as only one entity even though we have another interpretation as general tigers and computers?
You don't think "A tiger...." and "A computer...." are not appropriate because they CAN BE interpreted as only one entity even though we have another interpretation as general tigers and computers?
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