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Russkiy Bear Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
Subsequent mentions of single items of a definite plural
1) He went to the kitchen to grab mugs. He came back and gave me one of them/ one of the mugs / one / 2 mugs. – I’m sure I can say it easily. Correct me if I'm wrong
How about
He went to the kitchen to grab mugs. He came back and gave me a mug. Can I say this and a listener will understand it’s one the mugs he brought from the kitchen? Oh I’m sure he will. I’m just asking if it’d be a correct way of putting this with the articles and all. A mug, in this case, is indefinite but in a definite context? Is it possible in English? Should be. Is this how it works with subsequent mentions of single items of the definite plural?
He went to the kitchen to grab mugs. He came back and gave me a red mug.
He went to the kitchen to grab red mugs. He came back and gave me a mug.
How about these 2? Would they work in this situation?
2) The similar situation.
I got a job in a Swedish company. (so, the colleagues and the boss and all by implication. I know I can say one colleague…., one of the colleagues…) A colleague bothers me a lot.
An indefinite colleague from a definite company. Would that work?
How about
He went to the kitchen to grab mugs. He came back and gave me a mug. Can I say this and a listener will understand it’s one the mugs he brought from the kitchen? Oh I’m sure he will. I’m just asking if it’d be a correct way of putting this with the articles and all. A mug, in this case, is indefinite but in a definite context? Is it possible in English? Should be. Is this how it works with subsequent mentions of single items of the definite plural?
He went to the kitchen to grab mugs. He came back and gave me a red mug.
He went to the kitchen to grab red mugs. He came back and gave me a mug.
How about these 2? Would they work in this situation?
2) The similar situation.
I got a job in a Swedish company. (so, the colleagues and the boss and all by implication. I know I can say one colleague…., one of the colleagues…) A colleague bothers me a lot.
An indefinite colleague from a definite company. Would that work?
Top answer
Russkiy Bear He went to the kitchen to grab mugs. He came back and gave me a mug. Can I say this and a listener will understand it’s one the mugs he brought from the kitchen?
- Russkiy Bear He went to the kitchen to grab mugs.
- He came back and gave me a mug.
- Can I say this and a listener will understand it’s one the mugs he brought from the kitchen?
- Yes.
- Russkiy Bear l.
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1 Answers
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Russkiy BearHe went to the kitchen to grab mugs. He came back and gave me a mug. Can I say this and a listener will understand it’s one the mugs he brought from the kitchen?Yes.
Russkiy Bearl. I’m just asking if it’d be a correct way of putting this with the articles and all.He went to the kitchen to grab some mu
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