Page 125 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

T h e a n d a / a n ( 2 ) : ' t h i n g s a l r e a d y k n o w n ' , e t c .
(2):
etc.
known’,
already
and
‘things
a/an
The
We use the when we expect the listener or reader to be able to identify the thing or person we
we
expect
use
the
we
person
the
to
identify
or
listener or reader to be
We
thing
the
able
when
are talking about, and we use a/an when we don't. Compare these pairs of sentences:
sentences:
we
we
Compare these pairs
talking
about,
and
of
are
a/an
when
don't.
use
• * Helen's just bought a house in Wilson Street, andand
house
Helen's
Street.
just
in
bought
Wilson
a
• ¢ Helen's just bought the house in Wilson Street. (= the house for sale we have previously
(=
Helen's
house
bought
Wilson
just
the
house
the
sale
have
for
previously
in
we
Street.
about)
talkedtalked about)
• ¢ A Korean student in our class has had to go home, andand
has
had
Korean
go
A
class
to
in
our
home.
student
• ¢ The Korean student has had to go home. (= the Korean student we have previously talked
has
go
Korean
(=
previously
talked
the
we
Korean
to
home.
student
The
student
had
have
about)
about)
• ¢ There's a bus coming, andand
a
bus
There's
coming.
• ¢ The bus is coming. (= it's the bus we are waiting for)
bus
it's
waiting
coming.
(=
we
the
is
bus
for)
are
The
woman
the
There's
from
a
bank
9 • * There's a woman from the bank on the phone, andand
on
phone.
the
• ¢ He's in a a meeting with the woman from the bank. (= you know which woman I mean)
the
(=
He's
meeting
the
which
woman
bank.
with
mean)
I
know
you
in
woman
from
r D We also use the when it is clear from the situation which person or thing we mean:
is
it
use
thing
We
mean:
we
situation
which
person
also
the
when
the
or
clear
from
• ¢ What do you think of the table? (= the table we are looking at)
of
looking
table
think
the
do
at)
(=
table?
are
the
What
we
you
• ¢ This tastes lovely. What's in the sauce? (= the sauce here on my plate)
sauce
sauce?
the
the
This
tastes
in
here
my
What's
on
plate)
lovely.
(=
• ¢ The tree looks beautiful now that it's spring. (= the tree here in the garden)
in
now
garden)
The
beautiful
the
tree
looks
(=
it's
spring.
that
the
tree
here
these examples:
Study these examples:
Study
• ¢ Dorothy took a cake and an apple pie to the party, but only the apple pie was eaten.
to
was
but
Dorothy
the
an
took
apple
party,
apple
eaten.
cake
pie
only
and
pie
a
the
We say 'an apple pie' when we first mention it, and 'the apple pie' after that, when the listenerlistener
mention
when
apple
we
after
'an
We
when
say
that,
it,
the
pie'
apple
first
and
pie’
'the
pie we mean.
which
knows
or reader knows which apple pie we mean.
reader
or
apple
block
in
of
in
a
a @ • + There was a serious fire in a block of flats in Glasgow last night. The building was totally
was
was
night.
There
fire
last
The
building
Glasgow
totally
serious
flats
a
destroyed.
• t destroyed.
We say 'a block of flats’ when we first mention it. We use 'the building' because the listener (or
We say 'a block of flats' when we first mention it. We use 'the building' because the listener (or
reader) will know which building we mean.
will
mean.
building
know
which
we
reader)
Even if the person or thing hasn't been mentioned before, if the person or thing we mean can be
if
person
or
person
or
been
mean
be
the
Even
hasn't
thing
the
can
if
before,
thing
mentioned
we
understood from what has beenbeen said before, we use the:
we use
before,
what
has
from
the:
understood
said
• ¢ We had a good time on holiday. The hotel (= the hotel we stayed in) was comfortable, and
we
time
The
was
had
stayed
a
hotel
good
the
(=
hotel
in)
on
We
holiday.
comfortable,
and
the beach (= the beach we went to) was only ten minutes away.
beach
minutes
only
the
was
we
the
beach
ten
to)
away.
(=
went
Notice that fictional writing (novels, short stories, etc.) will often mention something for the firstfirst
for
often
stories,
Notice
the
etc.)
writing
short
mention
(novels,
fictional
that
will
something
time with the to build up suspense, expectation, etc. For example, a a story might begin:
example,
etc.
For
build
expectation,
up
suspense,
story
to
time
begin:
with
might
the
• ¢ The woman opened the gate and looked thoughtfully at the house.
the
woman
looked
opened
thoughtfully
at
house.
and
the
The
gate
beginning
The is often used with nouns before a a phrase beginning of.... The of... phrase connects this noun
used
often
of....
phrase
is
connects
this
The
nouns before
phrase
noun
of...
The
with
to a particular thing or person: sound the gunfire. population words. country.
or
to
thing
particular
a
person:
Pictures can help students learn the meaning of new words.
•
Compare the middle of his speech he started to cough uncontrollably. a particular place, time, etc.,
¢
new
help
learn
can
of
Pictures
students
meaning
killed
•
disease could have
The
off half the population of the country.
the
the
off
killed
half
of
disease
The
could
have
¢
He was woken up by the sound of gunfire.
•
by
up
the
of
woken
He
«
was
sentences with:
these
these
sentences
with:
Compare
a different meaning.
•
Each
new word has
Each
new
different
word
has
¢
a
meaning.
The country has a rapidly expanding population.
•
country
has
population.
expanding
a
rapidly
¢
The
suddenly heard a sound like a gunshot.
•
He
He
like
suddenly
¢
sound
heard
a
a
gunshot.
to
in the pattern the...of...
are commonly used
refer to
Some nouns are commonly used in the pattern the...of... to refer to a particular place, time, etc.,
Some nouns
including back, beginning, bottom, end, middle, side, top:
including back, beginning, bottom, end, middle, side, top:
•
In
started
speech
uncontrollably.
the
to
he
cough
middle
¢
his
In
of
The and a/an (1) =
The and a/an (1):
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