(The) red notebooks
#1 Hi Mandy, this is Norman. We met last month (I gave you red notebooks).
OR
#2 Hi Mandy, this is Norman. We met last month (I gave you THE red notebooks).
The article before "red notebooks" - am I right to say that the use of that article depends on how close (proximity) the red notebooks are to my point of view or memory? For example, if we've just discussed them, I will use "the". If they're more distant in my mind (or maybe I think Mandy might forget about them), I will not use it. Does that make sense?
Top answer
"I gave you the red notebooks" can be used, as you say, if they've already been mentioned in the conversation. However, it might also be used in the case when you want to jog Mandy's memory: "I gave you the red notebooks ... (you know, those ones that ...
- "I gave you the red notebooks" can be used, as you say, if they've already been mentioned in the conversation.
- However, it might also be used in the case when you want to jog Mandy's memory: "I gave you the red notebooks ...
- (you know, those ones that ...
- )".
- In this case you can also use "those notebooks".
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"I gave you the red notebooks" can be used, as you say, if they've already been mentioned in the conversation. However, it might also be used in the case when you want to jog Mandy's memory: "I gave you the red notebooks ... (you know, those ones that ... etc.)". In this case you can also use "those notebooks".
"I gave you red notebooks" feels somewhat unnatural. The alternative to "the"
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