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Zenkg Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Grammar

which of the following sentences are correct..?

1) The pencil and the eraser are on the table.

2)The pencil and eraser are on the table.

someone advise me please!
  

Top answer

They're both perfectly natural and common. We often skip the second article when the two items may be thought of as a pair. The nut and bolt are rusted together.

— Avangi

  • They're both perfectly natural and common.
  • We often skip the second article when the two items may be thought of as a pair.
  • The nut and bolt are rusted together.
  • ") I'm not saying it's incorrect to include the second article!
  • The knife and [the] fork should be on opposite sides of the plate.
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5 Answers
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They're both perfectly natural and common.

We often skip the second article when the two items may be thought of as a pair.

The nut and bolt are rusted together. (Nobody would say "the nut and the bolt.")

I'm not saying it's incorrect to include the second article!

The knife and [the] fork should be on opposite sides of the plate
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Both are possible. #2 makes the two things seem more like a related pair that naturally go together (as opposed to separate items that just happen to be on the table at the same time).
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zenkg 1) The pencil and the eraser are on the table.
2)The pencil and eraser are on the table. As an aside, one would assume that the pencil and eraser are detached, which is perhaps not typical.

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AvangiAs an aside, one would assume that the pencil and eraser are detached, which is perhaps not typical.
I assumed they were detached.
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Thank you very much for your help.
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