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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
(The) heavy items + (the) garbage
Hello.
There is a contained that has to be unloaded and sorted. I tell the person doing the unloading:
1. You put heavy items on the right and you put garbage on the left.
2. You put THE heavy items on right and you put THE garbage on the left.
My tutor explained: either is correct depending on this nuance:
1. No articles - we don't know if there are heavy items/garbage. If there are any heavy items/if there is any garbage, you put them as instructed.
2. Definite article - I assume/expect there are heavy items and garbage in the container and I assume you know that too, so the heavy items and garbage that I assume we both know to be there, you put them as instructed.
Is that correct? And thank you.
There is a contained that has to be unloaded and sorted. I tell the person doing the unloading:
1. You put heavy items on the right and you put garbage on the left.
2. You put THE heavy items on right and you put THE garbage on the left.
My tutor explained: either is correct depending on this nuance:
1. No articles - we don't know if there are heavy items/garbage. If there are any heavy items/if there is any garbage, you put them as instructed.
2. Definite article - I assume/expect there are heavy items and garbage in the container and I assume you know that too, so the heavy items and garbage that I assume we both know to be there, you put them as instructed.
Is that correct? And thank you.
Top answer
Yes.
- Yes.
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