Editors Wobbly Desk
The Classroom
Addictionary
The instructor comes in dodging & dancing mode to keep his brain confused, accurately fixing him for more puzzling questions.
Student — I would like to invite you to be a speaker for the program. Note- only one speaker in that program. Should I use a speaker or the speaker. Some told me “a” coz a job and it’s the first time being mentioned. Some told me “the” coz only one person in the program invited to be the speaker.
Teacher — The most accurate thing to say here would be ‘the’, which clearly indicates that there is only one speaker. People might sometimes say ‘a’, but this could cause confusion if there’s only one speaker.
We use ‘a’ before professions, especially after the verb ‘be’ (e.g. ‘I am a teacher’, ‘She’s an engineer’), but this rule doesn’t apply in all circumstances.
I hope you can understand the circumstances under which I am attempting to explain to you.
Student — We use article the with a group of islands, but why do we say Bermuda without the, could you clarify, please? Thanks in advance.
Teacher — First, why “Thank you in advance” will you faint after hearing the response. Render it, purely if you can make your thick brain understand.
Bermuda is actually a shortened version of the full name, which is the Islands of Bermuda. When the full name is used we use ‘the’; only the abbreviated form is without. I guess we treat Bermuda as a name in itself, just as we do with Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean states.
If your brain could figure it out, please force it into saying, “Thank you.”
Student — I have one question. We usually put a/an when we mention something for the first time. But what if I mean a concrete item, but l mention it for the first time? For example: He burned the house.
Yes, I mean a specific house, but this is the first time I mention it. Despite this, I use “the”. Can you answer: Am I right and explain me why or why no?
Teacher — When we say that we use the indefinite article when we mention something for the first time it is really a helpful guide rather than a rule. The true rule is that we use the indefinite article when we are speaking about a non-specific example. In other words, if the listener does not know which particular thing is being referred to, or if it does not matter which one, then we use the indefinite article. On the other hand, if both the listener and speaker know which particular thing is being referred to (it is familiar to both) then we use the definite article.
What this means is if I use ‘the’ then I assume that you know which thing I am referring to. This could be because it has already been mentioned, but it could also be because there is only one (the Moon, the United Nations) or because it is obvious from the context.
Thus, in your example you could use ‘the’ if both the speaker and the listener know which house you are talking about. Perhaps you are standing in front of it, making it obvious from the context.
The class adjourned on this note of seeing the house burned down.
