Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[hiromi525]

#1 The table is being cleared.
#2 A table is being cleared.
I promise that both of the sentences are gramatically correct.
What difference does it make?
Can you please visualize the two situation and explain to me about the difference?

[pugachevV]

The denotes a specific table. e.g. The table my mother made.

She only made one and this is it.

A table my mother made. She made lots of them.

Both your sentences require additional information for us to make sense of them.
The table is being cleared after lunch at our house, but in Canada they're still in bed.
(The table at our house)

Somewhere in the world a table is being cleared. (Any table, anywhere).