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Zajoman Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Definite article
Hello there, folks. A quick one - is definite article (marked as italic) necessary in the following short story?
Mary: "Yo, John, have you brought your items?"
Jonh: "Geez, I forgot them at Lucy's."
Mary: "It's all right, I'll pick them up as I'm on my way to see her anyway."
When Mary arrives at Lucy's, she says: "Hi, Lucy, can I pick up the John's items?"
Take this as a story that is presented to the reader rather than an actual situation. The reader is told there are some items John forgot. So when Mary talks to Lucy, the reader already knows about the items, so we naturally use definite article. But he/she also know that the items belong to John, so if we say "John's items", we know exactly what we're talking about. I feel there is no need for definite article here because of that.
I'd like your opinions on this. Thank you.
Mary: "Yo, John, have you brought your items?"
Jonh: "Geez, I forgot them at Lucy's."
Mary: "It's all right, I'll pick them up as I'm on my way to see her anyway."
When Mary arrives at Lucy's, she says: "Hi, Lucy, can I pick up the John's items?"
Take this as a story that is presented to the reader rather than an actual situation. The reader is told there are some items John forgot. So when Mary talks to Lucy, the reader already knows about the items, so we naturally use definite article. But he/she also know that the items belong to John, so if we say "John's items", we know exactly what we're talking about. I feel there is no need for definite article here because of that.
I'd like your opinions on this. Thank you.
Top answer
I agree with you: the is not necessary. To say " the John's items", we would most likely be talking about a "customer" of a prostitute.
- I agree with you: the is not necessary.
- To say " the John's items", we would most likely be talking about a "customer" of a prostitute.
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1 Answers
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I agree with you: the is not necessary.
To say "the John's items", we would most likely be talking about a "customer" of a prostitute.
To say "the John's items", we would most likely be talking about a "customer" of a prostitute.
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