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Erasmus Student Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Plural nouns and definite article
Greetings everyone,
I find myself not understanding the use of the definite article with plurals in some situations (we don't have articles in my language). This is how I understand it. Suppose I tell you,
'Yesterday I went to a bookstore to buy some books. However, I didn't end up buying [any] books.'
If I learned my English well, in the above I don't have any particular books in mind in the first sentence, so in the second article zero article is appropriate. So I either omit it or add 'any'.
But it is possible that in the first sentence I do have a group of books in mind (e.g. two novels by Kafka). In that case, I would use the definite article in the second sentence: 'I didn't end up buying the books.'
So this depends on whether in my first sentence I think of a certain group of books (which merits the definite article in subsequent mentions) or it's still on a general level (no article/any).
Does this sound correct or have I got the whole thing wrong?
I find myself not understanding the use of the definite article with plurals in some situations (we don't have articles in my language). This is how I understand it. Suppose I tell you,
'Yesterday I went to a bookstore to buy some books. However, I didn't end up buying [any] books.'
If I learned my English well, in the above I don't have any particular books in mind in the first sentence, so in the second article zero article is appropriate. So I either omit it or add 'any'.
But it is possible that in the first sentence I do have a group of books in mind (e.g. two novels by Kafka). In that case, I would use the definite article in the second sentence: 'I didn't end up buying the books.'
So this depends on whether in my first sentence I think of a certain group of books (which merits the definite article in subsequent mentions) or it's still on a general level (no article/any).
Does this sound correct or have I got the whole thing wrong?
Top answer
Erasmus Student Yesterday I went to a bookstore to buy some books. However, I didn't end up buying [any] books. Much better: However, I ended up not buying any books.
- Erasmus Student Yesterday I went to a bookstore to buy some books.
- However, I didn't end up buying [any] books.
- Much better: However, I ended up not buying any books.
- Because of the negation, I would not omit "any".
- g.
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15 Answers
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Erasmus StudentYesterday I went to a bookstore to buy some books.Much better: However, I ended up not buying any books.However, I didn't end up buying [any] books.
Because of the negation, I would not omit "any".
Erasmus Studentit is possible that in the first sentence I do have a group of books in mind (e.g. two
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It is not directly related to your question, but instead of your first sentence it would be more usual to say:
"Yesterday I went to a bookstore to buy some books. However, I ended up not buying any."
As far as the use of "the" is concerned, "the books" requires the reader/listener to already know which books are meant. Let's ignore the fact that you would probably say "them" or "
"Yesterday I went to a bookstore to buy some books. However, I ended up not buying any."
As far as the use of "the" is concerned, "the books" requires the reader/listener to already know which books are meant. Let's ignore the fact that you would probably say "them" or "
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This is what I would say (as a native speaker):
1. You spend no money in the bookstore.
Yesterday I went to a bookstore to buy some books. However, in the end, I didn't buy anything.
2. You bought something else.
'Yesterday I went to a bookstore to buy some books. However, I ended up not buying any books, but I did buy some notepads and mechanical pencils.'
3. Yo
1. You spend no money in the bookstore.
Yesterday I went to a bookstore to buy some books. However, in the end, I didn't buy anything.
2. You bought something else.
'Yesterday I went to a bookstore to buy some books. However, I ended up not buying any books, but I did buy some notepads and mechanical pencils.'
3. Yo
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Wow, thank you so much for your great responses. Not one but three - and so detailed! This is super helpful. Thanks a lot to all three of you!
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CalifJimBy the way, Erasmus Student, are you also MariaRC?Sorry, what do you mean?
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Erasmus StudentWow, thank you so much for your great responses. Not one but three - and so detailed! This is super helpful. Thanks a lot to all three of you!You're welcome.
By the way, are you also MariaRC and VictorK? If so, we would appreciate if you settled on one name and stuck with it.
CJ
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Erasmus StudentSorry, what do you mean?We have three or four students all posting from the same geographical location with the same kinds of questions, namely, questions on the use of articles. Can you help us solve the mystery? Many students? Or one student with many names?
CJ
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CalifJimWe have three or four students all posting from the same geographical location with the same kinds of questions, namely, questions on the use of articles. Can you help us solve the mystery? Many students? Or one student with many names?CJNo, I am sorry, but you must be making a mistake. Personally I am posting from my school, either from the library o
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Erasmus Studentwe do have many international students.Ah. So "Erasmus" is some kind of a school? Maybe a language school?
CJ
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CalifJimAh. So "Erasmus" is some kind of a school? Maybe a language school?Erasmus is a program, of which I am a student, but I am at a university that has a coop program with Erasmus. Most of the students here are international, but only a few are Erasmus. Also we have tutors and advisors, one of who recommended a number of forums to us, as 'external support
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