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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The drink in your hand
Hi English Gurus,
If I see someone walk towards me with an alcohol drink in his hand, do I say:
(i) I see a drink in your hand - I think you may be an alcoholic!
(ii) I see the drink in your hand - I think you may be an alcoholic!
Which of them is correct? (I make a job, I don't think one drink makes an alcoholic). I think both. But what is the difference with these articles? A or the? How does it change the sentence? I don't understand? Can I say 'the drink'? It is what. Well, the drink in his hand. Definite.
If I see someone walk towards me with an alcohol drink in his hand, do I say:
(i) I see a drink in your hand - I think you may be an alcoholic!
(ii) I see the drink in your hand - I think you may be an alcoholic!
Which of them is correct? (I make a job, I don't think one drink makes an alcoholic). I think both. But what is the difference with these articles? A or the? How does it change the sentence? I don't understand? Can I say 'the drink'? It is what. Well, the drink in his hand. Definite.
Top answer
" You could make a subtle distinction: (i) I see a drink in your hand. (You remark that the person is carrying some kind of beverage. ) (ii) I see the drink in your hand.
- " You could make a subtle distinction: (i) I see a drink in your hand.
- (You remark that the person is carrying some kind of beverage.
- ) (ii) I see the drink in your hand.
- ( You remark that the person is carrying some kind of alcoholic beverage.
- ) (i) I see that drink in your hand - I think you may be an alcoholic!
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5 Answers
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There is not much difference between "a" and "the." You could make a subtle distinction:
(i) I see a drink in your hand. (You remark that the person is carrying some kind of beverage. Could it be alcoholic or tonic?)
(ii) I see the drink in your hand. ( You remark that the person is carrying some kind of alcoholic beverage. )
(i) I see that drink
(i) I see a drink in your hand. (You remark that the person is carrying some kind of beverage. Could it be alcoholic or tonic?)
(ii) I see the drink in your hand. ( You remark that the person is carrying some kind of alcoholic beverage. )
(i) I see that drink
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I agree with what AS says about there not being much of a difference between the articles. It's an emphasis thing. I would only like to add that "the" often means "that".
So "I see the drink in your hand", in this context, essentially means "I see the/that drink [that is in your hand]".
If you use "that" (instead of an article), then you're really being emphatic, as AS writes.
So "I see the drink in your hand", in this context, essentially means "I see the/that drink [that is in your hand]".
If you use "that" (instead of an article), then you're really being emphatic, as AS writes.
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