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Zbig Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Reference
Hi. Can someone here kindly explain why English speakers say this:
I'd like to thank you for giving me a reference.
It's a student who thanks a professor for a reference. The professor provided it for the student. The professor obviously knows about the reference and so does the student. Why 'a reference' and not 'the reference'? I asked someone English here and he said it's the way he'd say but he doesn't know why.
He explains:
I'd like to thank you for giving me a reference.
But
Thank you for the reference.
Can someone explain this to me? Thank you very much.
Zbig
I'd like to thank you for giving me a reference.
It's a student who thanks a professor for a reference. The professor provided it for the student. The professor obviously knows about the reference and so does the student. Why 'a reference' and not 'the reference'? I asked someone English here and he said it's the way he'd say but he doesn't know why.
He explains:
I'd like to thank you for giving me a reference.
But
Thank you for the reference.
Can someone explain this to me? Thank you very much.
Zbig
Top answer
In this situation, "the" is also possible, in which case you would be talking about the very specific reference he gave you. The sense of "a reference" on the second occasion is still that the reference he gave you is an example, an instance of all references. The student was grateful for the fact that the professor gave any reference - the precise reference did not matter at the time of thanking.
- In this situation, "the" is also possible, in which case you would be talking about the very specific reference he gave you.
- The sense of "a reference" on the second occasion is still that the reference he gave you is an example, an instance of all references.
- The student was grateful for the fact that the professor gave any reference - the precise reference did not matter at the time of thanking.
- To say it another way.
- Let's say the professor gave the student a sealed envelope with the reference inside.
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7 Answers
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In this situation, "the" is also possible, in which case you would be talking about the very specific reference he gave you.
The sense of "a reference" on the second occasion is still that the reference he gave you is an example, an instance of all references. The student was grateful for the fact that the professor gave any reference - the precise reference did not matter at the
The sense of "a reference" on the second occasion is still that the reference he gave you is an example, an instance of all references. The student was grateful for the fact that the professor gave any reference - the precise reference did not matter at the
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Michael Chambers,
Thank you very much for your detailed response. This is very interesting. Because in this situation, when the student thanked the professor for 'a reference', he'd already seen this reference (knew its contents). So if I understood you, even on that second occasion, when he knew what the reference said, its specificity wasn't important for him yes? He was stepping back a
Thank you very much for your detailed response. This is very interesting. Because in this situation, when the student thanked the professor for 'a reference', he'd already seen this reference (knew its contents). So if I understood you, even on that second occasion, when he knew what the reference said, its specificity wasn't important for him yes? He was stepping back a
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zbigI'd like to thank you for giving me a reference.I am thanking him for his act of kindness and consideration, not for the particular email or piece of paper.
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zbigI'd like to thank you for giving me a reference.When you need something or ask for something (countable), you ask for "a ...". When you receive it, it's still "a ...".
I asked him for a pen, so he gave me a pen. (There is no specific pen identified in this whole transaction.)
I needed a place to stay overnight, so a friend of
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CalifJim, I am sorry I never thanked you for your reply. I didn't check this after you had posted your reply.
I am assuming that in this context, the student could also say: "thank you for the reference", if both the professor and the student understand which one is referred to, right?
Sorry again for being so late.
Zbig
I am assuming that in this context, the student could also say: "thank you for the reference", if both the professor and the student understand which one is referred to, right?
Sorry again for being so late.
Zbig
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zbigI am assuming that in this context, the student could also say: "thank you for the reference", if both the professor and the student understand which one is referred to, right?Yup!
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