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HUBLOT Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

The family

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=8476587
Some of the people who lost their homes said they were too distraught to talk to ABC7 on camera. One woman said it was like having a death in the family.

Why would it be correct to say the family instead of "her family"?
  

Top answer

First, "the family" refers not only to her family but also to anybody else's family so it's a general concept (to which everyone can relate). Second, even when "the family " refers to a specific family, it's still usually ok to say "in the family" but other pronouns are also possible. It was like having a death in the family.

— Ivanhr

  • First, "the family" refers not only to her family but also to anybody else's family so it's a general concept (to which everyone can relate).
  • Second, even when "the family " refers to a specific family, it's still usually ok to say "in the family" but other pronouns are also possible.
  • It was like having a death in the family.
  • ("her" or "my" wouldn't be really wrong here but would be less natural than "in the family") It runs in the/our/my family.
  • (they all can work here)
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2 Answers
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First, "the family" refers not only to her family but also to anybody else's family so it's a general concept (to which everyone can relate). Second, even when "the family " refers to a specific family, it's still usually ok to say "in the family" but other pronouns are also possible.

It was like having a death in the family. ("her" or "my" wouldn't be really wrong here but would be le
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