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sleeper
Joined: 07 Nov 2005
Posts: 67
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 Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 8:17 am Post subject: He works in a library. |
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Hi, there.
Today I'd like to ask you about the difference betweeen 'a library' and 'the library.'
Look at the following sentences.
#A1. He works in a library.
#A2. He works in the library.
#B1. He studies French in a library.
#B2. He studies French in the library.
What is the difference between A1 and A2, or B1 and B2?
Which is more often used in your everyday conversation, 'a library' or 'the library'?
I'm looking forward to your kind explanation.
Thanks.  |
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KazAV
Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Posts: 151
Location: Brit in Bonn, Germany
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| Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 10:02 am Post subject: |
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| A library could be any library. The library means one library in particular. |
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Jintii
Joined: 18 Feb 2006
Posts: 111
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: He works in a library. |
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| sleeper wrote: |
#A1. He works in a library.
#A2. He works in the library.
#B1. He studies French in a library.
#B2. He studies French in the library.
What is the difference between A1 and A2, or B1 and B2?
Which is more often used in your everyday conversation, 'a library' or 'the library'? |
A library: this is the first time this library has been mentioned OR I'm referring to any library (it doesn't matter which one)
The library: this is not the first time this library has been mentioned, so the listener should know which library I mean OR there is only one library, so it's obvious which one I mean
I use both a and the constantly. I couldn't say which article is used more often. They are both very, very common but they have different meanings. |
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