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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Need an article?

Dear Teachers,

Here is a sentence I am trying to write.

I love living in this city. (The) people are friendly, (the) food is good, and (the) real estate is cheap.

Is it wrong to dismiss the definite article before people, food and real estate? My teacher explained something, but I didn't quite understand. I think he said it's okay not to use "the" before people. No articles means any people are friendly in the city, "the" those people who live here. It's more definite.
The same goes for food.
I think he said no article is needed before real estate.

Can someone please help and explain? Thanks a lot!!
  

Top answer

Anonymous I love living in this city. (The) people are friendly, (the) food is good, and (the) real estate is cheap. In my opinion 'the' is optional before 'people' and 'real estate', but not before 'food'.

— CalifJim

  • Anonymous I love living in this city.
  • (The) people are friendly, (the) food is good, and (the) real estate is cheap.
  • In my opinion 'the' is optional before 'people' and 'real estate', but not before 'food'.
  • Anonymous Can someone please help and explain?
  • I'm speculating.
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3 Answers
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AnonymousI love living in this city. (The) people are friendly, (the) food is good, and (the) real estate is cheap.
In my opinion 'the' is optional before 'people' and 'real estate', but not before 'food'.
AnonymousCan someone please help and explain?
I'm speculating. 'food' is such a general term that it means 'any food' o
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In my opinion, the definite article is optional before "people" and "real estate", but it seems unnatural not to place it before "food".
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(Cross-posted with CJ - great minds think alike!)

I can't explain what makes food special. It just doesn't look natural without the definite article in that context.
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