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MariaRC Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
(The) beer
Hi, I picked this from a dialogue:
"I am going to go and buy beer."
"Don't worry, stay here. I will go and buy the beer myself."
Could you omit the article before beer in the second sentence? It may not be specific enough. It's not like any specific beer brand is necessarily kept in mind. It's still 'some beer'.
Is the question clear? For example:
"I am going to go a computer store and buy a computer."
"Don't worry. I will go and buy a computer for you myself."
'The computer' would sound strange in the reply . . . It's not any specific computer that has already been ordered; it's any at that store (to be decided).
Can the same logic apply to beer?
Bottom line: is there "...buy beer myself" or "buy the beer myself" correct?
Thank you enormously.
M
"I am going to go and buy beer."
"Don't worry, stay here. I will go and buy the beer myself."
Could you omit the article before beer in the second sentence? It may not be specific enough. It's not like any specific beer brand is necessarily kept in mind. It's still 'some beer'.
Is the question clear? For example:
"I am going to go a computer store and buy a computer."
"Don't worry. I will go and buy a computer for you myself."
'The computer' would sound strange in the reply . . . It's not any specific computer that has already been ordered; it's any at that store (to be decided).
Can the same logic apply to beer?
Bottom line: is there "...buy beer myself" or "buy the beer myself" correct?
Thank you enormously.
M
Top answer
buy beer myself" or "buy the beer myself" correct? Both are fine. I would use "the", assuming "the beer that you want", and that there are other things involved in a party situation.
- buy beer myself" or "buy the beer myself" correct?
- Both are fine.
- I would use "the", assuming "the beer that you want", and that there are other things involved in a party situation.
- I'll buy the beer; you buy the pizza; Joe will buy the other snacks.
- The computer situation is different.
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4 Answers
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MariaRCBottom line: isBoth are fine. I would use "the", assuming "the beer that you want", and that there are other things involved in a party situation. I'll buy the beer; you buy the pizza; Joe will buy the other snacks.there"...buy beer myself" or "buy the beer myself" correct?
The computer situation is different. It not so
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CalifJimBoth are fine. I would use "the", assuming "the beer that you want", and that there are other things involved in a party situation. I'll buy the beer; you buy the pizza; Joe will buy the other snacks.The computer situation is different. It not so easy to make it follow the situational pattern I described for 'beer'. For many people "beer" is "beer". The exact bran
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MariaRCHave a nice weekend!That's already well in progress.
You too!
CJ
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I see any difference between your examples as being more to do with the fact that "beer" is uncountable (in this usage) while "computer" is countable.
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