Definite article part II

Question

(the) Security forces helped us fight (the) terrorists.If I wanted to refer all security forces in a specific country would I need to use a definite article? Same with "the terrorists", I want to make clear that the security forces are fighting not all terrorists but a few groups of terrorists; would I have to use the definite article then?

Anon203c8 · Accepted Answer

We normally use the definite article for nouns that are known/specific. As well as, using it can be optional.

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymous (the) Security forces helped us fight (the) terrorists.If I wanted to refer all security forces in a specific country would I need to use a definite article? Same with "the terrorists", I want to make clear that the security forces are fighting not all terrorists but a few groups of terrorists; would I have to use the definite article then?

The Security Forces helped us fight terrorists. Here, it could be any terrorists, not necessarily all, but possibly all.
The Security Forces helped us fight the terrorists. Here, it is specific terrorists in specific situations, and we don't know which terrorists unless something before this has told us which terrorists the terrorists are. It is not necessarily all terrorists.

"all terrorists" would be all the terrorists in the world, so it doesn't matter whether you put "the" or not, it's not likely that you mean "all terrorists".

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim Anonymous (the) Security forces helped us fight (the) terrorists.If I wanted to refer all security forces in a specific country would I need to use a definite article? Same with "the terrorists", I want to make clear that the security forces are fighting not all terrorists but a few groups of terrorists; would I have to use the definite article then?The Security Forces helped us fight terrorists. Here, it could be any terrorists, not necessarily all, but possibly all.The Security Forces helped us fight the terrorists. Here, it is specific terrorists in specific situations, and we don't know which terrorists unless something before this has told us which terrorists the terrorists are. It is not necessarily all terrorists."all terrorists" would be all the terrorists in the world, so it doesn't matter whether you put "the" or not, it's not likely that you mean "all terrorists".CJ

Is the second sentence better to use then?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousIs the second sentence better to use then?

I would use the first.

CJ

Definite article part II

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