User v.s. the user

Question

Hi,One of this days I received a letter (from a native speaker of English) and among the sentences in that letter, this one drew my attention:User should not be allowed to edit that amountI picked up on the absence of the definite article left to the word "user". I think it should be "The user...."Could you tell me whether I'm right and the ommission of the article was by way of shothand, or I'm wrong and the article should not be thereThanks !

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Yes, you're right.

Say 'the user'. Or you could say 'Users'.

Clive

MrPernickety · Answer

Thanks, Clive !

Avangi · Answer

MrPernickety One of this days I received a letter (from a native speaker of English) and among the sentences in that letter, this one drew my attention:

Just an aside (you're usually so idiomatic):

"The expression "one of these days" typically applies to the future, not the past.

You could say, "One day I received a letter," but that lacks currency. It's used for telling a story, like "once upon a time."
If it happened recently, I'd say, "I recently received a letter," or "Recently, I received a letter."

"One of these days" is usually a "warning" (friendly or unfriendly) that something (pleasant or unpleasant) might happen:
"One of these days I'll get around to paying you a visit." "One of these days I'll surprise you and publish my book." "One of these days you're gonna say that to the wrong person!"
Or a couple of songs: (Nancy Sinatra) "These boots are made for walkin' / An' that's just what they'll do / One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you."
(Some ol' blues singer?) "Some one of these days / You're gonna miss me, Honey,"

MrPernickety · Answer

AvangiJust an aside (you're usually so idiomatic):

"The expression "one of these days" typically applies to the future, not the past.

Thanks, Avangi !

Up until recently I thought that "one of these days" referred to the past, but now I know better than to think that )))

I'm doing my dead level best to be as idiomatic as possible, because I know that when people use idioms in my native language it sounds cool ))

User v.s. the user

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