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Victork Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Indefinite vs. definite articles
Hello!
I have the following questions concerning article usage.
I know that one of the uses of the definite article is when a noun has already been mentioned. Does that hold true at all times, or does it depend on specificity?
For example:
A man walks in a park and sees a woman on a bench. He goes home and thinks of the woman he saw on a bench in the park.
My explanation for article use: "woman" is specific and gets the definite article. So is the park. The bench isn't - there are many benches in the park, and it could be one as well as the next one. Is my logic correct and the above sentence right?
2nd example, more complicated this time:
A man walks in a park and sees a woman on a bench, a dog at her feet. He goes home and thinks of the woman he saw back in the park, sitting on a bench with a dog at her feet.
I use the same logic as in the first example. The woman and the park are specific for me. The dog and the bench are not, even though they have been mentioned in the first sentence. For me, it's "some dog", "some bench". They are not specific for me.
Is my logic correct or not?
Thank you!
Vic
I have the following questions concerning article usage.
I know that one of the uses of the definite article is when a noun has already been mentioned. Does that hold true at all times, or does it depend on specificity?
For example:
A man walks in a park and sees a woman on a bench. He goes home and thinks of the woman he saw on a bench in the park.
My explanation for article use: "woman" is specific and gets the definite article. So is the park. The bench isn't - there are many benches in the park, and it could be one as well as the next one. Is my logic correct and the above sentence right?
2nd example, more complicated this time:
A man walks in a park and sees a woman on a bench, a dog at her feet. He goes home and thinks of the woman he saw back in the park, sitting on a bench with a dog at her feet.
I use the same logic as in the first example. The woman and the park are specific for me. The dog and the bench are not, even though they have been mentioned in the first sentence. For me, it's "some dog", "some bench". They are not specific for me.
Is my logic correct or not?
Thank you!
Vic
Top answer
victork A man walks in a park and sees a woman on a bench. He goes home and thinks of the woman he saw on a bench in the park. Ok.
- victork A man walks in a park and sees a woman on a bench.
- He goes home and thinks of the woman he saw on a bench in the park.
- Ok.
- victork The woman and the park are specific for me.
- The dog and the bench are not, Well, both the dog and the bench are certainly specific.
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6 Answers
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victorkA man walks in a park and sees a woman on a bench. He goes home and thinks of the woman he saw on a bench in the park.Ok.
victorkThe woman and the park are specific for me. The dog and the bench are not,Well, both the dog and the bench are certainly specific. It's just that you chose to treat them as indefinite noun
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Thank you, Ivanhr. I just wanted to make sure that there is no set rule that requires the definite article on the second mention of a noun and allows me to manipulate with the emphasis (in this case, on the woman), that I have this choice.
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victork no set rule that requires the definite article on the second mention of a nounThey are usually required but not always.
For example, you would say
Mary has two kids, a son and a daughter. The son is five and the daughter is two. (The the's are needed here but I'm sure you already know that)
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Thank you! Yes, I already know that! 
But in my original examples, no problems?
But in my original examples, no problems?
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victorkBut in my original examples, no problems?I don't see any, although I'd use 'the dog'.
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