(The) tickets

Question

Dear English Speakers,My husband and I want to see a show, and I agreed to buy tickets. But I am a forgetful woman, so when I get home, I tell my husband:"Oops, I forgot to buy (the) tickets."Is the sentence correct without the article before tickets? I didn't have any specific tickets in mind (it's not like we ordered them and they were waiting for us to be picked up, in which case it would be specific) - it's some/any tickets for the show.

Englishmaven · Accepted Answer

No, they are particular tickets for a particular show, so they are "the tickets."

Gudrun · Answer

Interesting. It's a particular show, yes. But why do you say they are "particular tickets"? At this stage, it's any tickets for that show? I mean, for example, if I say, "I ordered tickets. Can you pick them up?" Then it's "I forgot to pick up the tickets". That makes sense. But here?

Fivejedjon · Answer

GudrunBut why do you say they are "particular tickets"?

You and your husband had talked about buying tickets for a show. These are the tickets you forgot to buy.

Gudrun · Answer

fivejedjon GudrunBut why do you say they are "particular tickets"?You and your husband had talked about buying tickets for a show. These are the tickets you forgot to buy.

Thank you, fivejedjon.

CalifJim · Answer

Gudrunwant to see a show, and I agreed to buy tickets. ... I forgot to buy (the?) tickets. ... it's some/any tickets for the show.

I love this question.

The use of "the" signals that the speaker feels he/she has given enough information to answer "which (tickets)?". If the speaker uses "the", and the listener asks "which?", there has been a breakdown in communication.

1.
— I bought the tickets.
— Great. (The listener correctly believes "the" tickets are the tickets for the show already discussed.)

2.
— I bought the tickets.
— Which tickets? (The listener has forgotten about the show.)
— The tickets for the show we're going to see.

3.
— I bought the tickets.
— Which tickets?
— Seats 14 and 15 in Row S.
_______________

It seems to me that you feel that the tickets are not specific in 2, whereas they are specific in 3. It's not necessary to cut it so close. For purposes of this situation, 2 is sufficiently specific to sanction the use of "the".

I think the use of "forgot" complicates the issue. Tickets which were not bought can't be specific in the sense of 3, of course, but it's enough that they are specific in the sense of 2.

CJ

Gudrun · Answer

CJ, I am sorry I never thanked you for this. It's been a while since I logged in. Thank you very much.

G.

(The) tickets

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