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Teo Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
the/a bus (plane, taxi, car, ...)
A: How did you come to school this morning?
1. B: I took a bus (train, car, taxi ...) to school.
2. B: I took the bus (train, car, taxi ...) to school.
What's the meaning difference between #1 and #2?
C: How did you go to New York?
3. D: I took a plane.
4. D: I took the plane.
What's the meaning difference between #3 and #4?
Thank you very much for your reply.
1. B: I took a bus (train, car, taxi ...) to school.
2. B: I took the bus (train, car, taxi ...) to school.
What's the meaning difference between #1 and #2?
C: How did you go to New York?
3. D: I took a plane.
4. D: I took the plane.
What's the meaning difference between #3 and #4?
Thank you very much for your reply.
Top answer
#1 and #2: The suggests a regular line or service-- with train and bus the two articles are essentially synonymous in conveyed meaning. The definite article does not work with taxi unless you always take the same vehicle. With car , a car gives new information to the listener re your ownership of a vehicle, or befriending of a car owner, while the car assumes the listener already knows of the vehicle's existence.
- #1 and #2: The suggests a regular line or service-- with train and bus the two articles are essentially synonymous in conveyed meaning.
- The definite article does not work with taxi unless you always take the same vehicle.
- With car , a car gives new information to the listener re your ownership of a vehicle, or befriending of a car owner, while the car assumes the listener already knows of the vehicle's existence.
- #3 and #4: Again a regular line or service, ergo: as above.
- Please note that in all cases, context gets involved: previous mention or uniqueness will necessitate the definite article anyway.
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1 Answers
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#1 and #2:
The suggests a regular line or service-- with train and bus the two articles are essentially synonymous in conveyed meaning.
The definite article does not work with taxi unless you always take the same vehicle.
With car, a car gives new information to the listener re your ownership of a vehicle, or
The suggests a regular line or service-- with train and bus the two articles are essentially synonymous in conveyed meaning.
The definite article does not work with taxi unless you always take the same vehicle.
With car, a car gives new information to the listener re your ownership of a vehicle, or
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