0
Believer Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

definite due to a prementioned noun

Hi,

According to the Collins/Cobuild Compact English Learner's Dictionary, shingle is a mass of stones on the shore of a sea or river. As you can see the word 'shore' has been modified with the definite article 'the'. I think the reason is that the object it belongs to has been mentioned -- which being the 'sea'.

I will give another sentence to strengthen my argument:

When you looked at the untempered pedometer of a car, you can find out how many miles it has ran so far.

If you look at the sentence above, the before the word 'untempered' is there due to the prementioned 'car'. A car has been mentioned and the pedometer is automatically assumed to be that of that car.

Do you agree?
  

Top answer

Hi Believer, Shingle is a mass of stones on the shore of a sea or river I think the definite article 'the' is used in your sentence because the dictionary is making a general statement about all things of a particular type (from CCEU), which, in this case, is the shore of a sea or river. Best wishes, PBF

  • Hi Believer, Shingle is a mass of stones on the shore of a sea or river I think the definite article 'the' is used in your sentence because the dictionary is making a general statement about all things of a particular type (from CCEU), which, in this case, is the shore of a sea or river.
  • Best wishes, PBF
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

1 Answers
0
Hi Believer,

Shingle is a mass of stones on the shore of a sea or river

I think the definite article 'the' is used in your sentence because the dictionary is making a general statement about all things of a particular type(from CCEU), which, in this case, is the shore of a sea or river.

Best wishes,

PBF

Related Questions