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Anonymous Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Help you do (the) right things?

Hi. Do you need to have the definite article before the phrase "right things" in the sentence below?

Reading the Bible will help you do (the?) right things.

I think we don't need to put the definite article before the phrase "right things" in the following example sentence. I am not sure I have used the words "conflicting interests" correctly to reflect what I wanted to say, though. Thank for your help in advance.

I think doing right things can be difficult at times, especially when conflicting interests are involved.
  

Top answer

Anonymous Do you need to have the definite article before the phrase "right things" in the sentence below? ) right things. Yes, it is more natural, as is the singular 'thing': Reading the Bible will help you do the right thing .

— Mister Micawber

  • Anonymous Do you need to have the definite article before the phrase "right things" in the sentence below?
  • ) right things.
  • Yes, it is more natural, as is the singular 'thing': Reading the Bible will help you do the right thing .
  • The same applies to your other sentence; the standard phrase is 'the right thing': I think doing the right thing can be difficult at times, especially when conflicting interests are involved .
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3 Answers
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AnonymousDo you need to have the definite article before the phrase "right things" in the sentence below? Reading the Bible will help you do (the?) right things.
Yes, it is more natural, as is the singular 'thing': Reading the Bible will help you do the right thing.

The same applies to your other sentence; the standard phrase is 'the ri
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Thank you very much. Thank you for letting me know the standard phrase is "the right thing." But setting aside the issue of the phrase "the right thing" being a standard phrase, if we used the phrase in the sentence, which is one of the two I wrote in the last post, I think we wouldn't put the definite article before the phrase "good things." I think the difference lies in the meaning of those two
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AnonymousI think doing good things can be difficult at times,
AnonymousDoing this will help you do good things.
Now you cannot use 'the'.
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