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yoshi-pooh
Joined: 04 May 2006
Posts: 195
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 Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:00 am Post subject: "a" or "the"? |
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Hi, everyone!
Today I'd like to ask you a question about the use of articles.
Let's say you're walking with a friend, and you happen to see a cute girl wearing a nice yellow hat. In that situation, how would you let the friend know about the cute girl?
(Pointing the girl, you say either A or B.)
A: Can you see the girl with the yellow hat over there? She's cute.
B: Can you see the girl with a yellow hat over there? She's cute.
Which one would sound more natural to native speakers of English?
Thank you!
yoshi-pooh |
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pugachevV
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 2295
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:41 am Post subject: |
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You would use A: if you wanted to draw your friend's attention to the girl.
If you were looking for a girl who was wearing a yellow hat, you might ask someone, "Have you seen a girl with (or in, or wearing )a yellow hat? |
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CP
Joined: 12 Jun 2006
Posts: 2875
Location: California
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:43 am Post subject: |
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You would use "the," I suppose because you would be pointing out a particular girl wearing the yellow hat that your friend would be able to see for himself.
However, if you told someone about it later, you would probably say, "Yesterday I saw a cute girl wearing a yellow hat."
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb |
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yoshi-pooh
Joined: 04 May 2006
Posts: 195
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| Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:52 am Post subject: |
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CP, pugachevV, I appreciate your replies.
Satoru |
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