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Teo Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

(the) people in Taiwan

1 (a) People in Taiwan are nice and friendly. (b) Students in the U.S.A. have to go to school 195 days a year.

2 (a) The people in Taiwan are nice and friendly. (b) The students in the U.S.A. have to go to school 195 days a year.

What's the difference in meaning between sentences #1 and sentences #2?
  

Top answer

Hi, 1 (a) People in Taiwan are nice and friendly. A. have to go to school 195 days a year.

— Clive

  • Hi, 1 (a) People in Taiwan are nice and friendly.
  • A.
  • have to go to school 195 days a year.
  • These are very general statements.
  • 2 (a) The people in Taiwan are nice and friendly.
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2 Answers
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Hi,

1 (a) People in Taiwan are nice and friendly. (b) Students in the U.S.A. have to go to school 195 days a year. These are very general statements.

2 (a) The people in Taiwan are nice and friendly. (b) The students in the U.S.A. have to go to school 195 days a year. These are more specific. eg They suggest a context like: The people in Taiwan are
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There is no difference in meaning. Since there are so many people in Taiwan - millions of them - the article can be omitted. You wouldn't omit it in the following structurally similar sentences in which the reference is to a small number of people or a small amount of something:

The people in this room are nice.
The boys in the courtyard are playing football.
The water in
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