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AndyOrban Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Mountains
Hi.
I have a couple of questions about the definite article with 'mountains'.
1. From Milan you can see the Alps in the north. I didn't know that. So when I visited Milan and realized you can, I said:
i) I didn't know you can see mountains from Milan!
ii) I didn't know you can see the mountains from Milan!
As I understand, both are ok. The first means 'some montains', the last 'the mountains that we to be know there - it could only be the Alps'. Right?
2. I am reading a short story. The writer writes:
From the window he could see the mountains.
There is no prior description of the place or mention of these mountains. Why is the writer using 'the'?
3. Can you say:
I was coming down from mountains.
Is it okay without the article like that?
Thank you a lot!
Andy
I have a couple of questions about the definite article with 'mountains'.
1. From Milan you can see the Alps in the north. I didn't know that. So when I visited Milan and realized you can, I said:
i) I didn't know you can see mountains from Milan!
ii) I didn't know you can see the mountains from Milan!
As I understand, both are ok. The first means 'some montains', the last 'the mountains that we to be know there - it could only be the Alps'. Right?
2. I am reading a short story. The writer writes:
From the window he could see the mountains.
There is no prior description of the place or mention of these mountains. Why is the writer using 'the'?
3. Can you say:
I was coming down from mountains.
Is it okay without the article like that?
Thank you a lot!
Andy
Top answer
I didn't know you could see (the) mountains from Milan! AndyOrban As I understand, both are ok. The first means 'some montains', the last 'the mountains that we to be know there - it could only be the Alps'.
- I didn't know you could see (the) mountains from Milan!
- AndyOrban As I understand, both are ok.
- The first means 'some montains', the last 'the mountains that we to be know there - it could only be the Alps'.
- Right?
- Yes.
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7 Answers
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I didn't know you could see (the) mountains from Milan!
AndyOrbanAs I understand, both are ok. The first means 'some montains', the last 'the mountains that we to be know there - it could only be the Alps'. Right?Yes.
AndyOrbanThere is no prior description of the place or mention of these mountains. Why is the writer using
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Thank you a lot, AlpheccaStars!
I assume the same logic applies to my 3rd question.
He came down from (the) mountains.
Either is correct then?
I assume the same logic applies to my 3rd question.
He came down from (the) mountains.
Either is correct then?
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AndyOrbanHe came down from (the) mountains.Either is correct then?Only "the" works. It is not optional. Physically, a person has to be on specific mountains.
He came down from the sky.
He came down from the tree.
He came down from the balcony.
etc.
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Oh, okay. I thought that because you could say 'I came from a mountain', you can also say 'from mountains' (meaning that no article before a plural noun is equivalent to an indefinite article before a singular noun).
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AndyOrbanmeaning that no article before a plural noun is equivalent to an indefinite article before a singular nounUnfortunately I don't think it is that simple.
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GPYUnfortunately I don't think it is that simple.A perfect understatement.
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