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Gori Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Correct use of articles
I keep struggling with the use of articles with conjunctions -- "and" and "or".
Native English speakers and teachers, please help me clarify which form is correct to use in each of the following cases.
(If both a&b forms are correct, please tell me the reason. Also, in formal writing, such as academic/technical/business writing, please tell me which is preferred to be used if both forms are correct grammatically.)
<Use of indefinite article "a">
1a) I have a pen, a pencil, and a notebook.
1b) I have a pen, pencil, and notebook.
2a) I have a lemon, an apple, and an orange.
2b) I have a lemon, apple, and orange.
3a) I will bring a pen, a pencil, or a notebook.
3b) I will bring a pen, pencil, or notebook.
Native English speakers and teachers, please help me clarify which form is correct to use in each of the following cases.
(If both a&b forms are correct, please tell me the reason. Also, in formal writing, such as academic/technical/business writing, please tell me which is preferred to be used if both forms are correct grammatically.)
<Use of indefinite article "a">
1a) I have a pen, a pencil, and a notebook.
1b) I have a pen, pencil, and notebook.
2a) I have a lemon, an apple, and an orange.
2b) I have a lemon, apple, and orange.
3a) I will bring a pen, a pencil, or a notebook.
3b) I will bring a pen, pencil, or notebook.
Top answer
All are fine; the A's and B's are optional constructions. This is what you cannot do: I will bring a pen, pencil, or a notebook. Drop the pen, the pencil, and eraser.
- All are fine; the A's and B's are optional constructions.
- This is what you cannot do: I will bring a pen, pencil, or a notebook.
- Drop the pen, the pencil, and eraser.
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4 Answers
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All are fine; the A's and B's are optional constructions.
This is what you cannot do:
I will bring a pen, pencil, or a notebook.
Drop the pen, the pencil, and eraser.
This is what you cannot do:
I will bring a pen, pencil, or a notebook.
Drop the pen, the pencil, and eraser.
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Thank you, Mister Micawber.
(Q1) So...what you are saying is that I should place a definite/indefinite article either before the first noun only or before each of the nouns? Is my understanding correct?
(Q2) Well, if this were true, do you mean I can also use the 1b), 2b), 3b), 4a), and 5a) even in formal writing?
(Q3) In other discussions about articles, I have read bef
(Q1) So...what you are saying is that I should place a definite/indefinite article either before the first noun only or before each of the nouns? Is my understanding correct?
(Q2) Well, if this were true, do you mean I can also use the 1b), 2b), 3b), 4a), and 5a) even in formal writing?
(Q3) In other discussions about articles, I have read bef
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Gori(Q1) So...what you are saying is that I should place a definite/indefinite article either before the first noun only or before each of the nouns? Is my understanding correct?Yes.
Gori(Q2) Well, if this were true, do you mean I can also use the 1b), 2b), 3b), 4a), and 5a) even in formal writing?Yes.
Gor
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Thank you for all your help. It helped me understand the English sentence structure a lot.
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