Wednesday, 30 June 2010

Difference between a/an and the



Very simply:

a/an just means 'one of a class'
the means 'you know exactly which one'.

Compare:

  • A doctor must like people. ( = any doctor, any one of that profession)

  • My brother's a doctor. ( = one of that profession) I'm going to see the doctor. ( = you know which one: my doctor)

  • I live in a small flat at the top of an old house near the town hall, (a small flat, there might be two or three at the top of the house — it could be any one of these.

  • an old house: there are lots near the town hall — it could be any one.

  • the top: we know which top: it's the top of the house where the person lives — a house only has one top.

  • the town hall: we know exactly which town hall is meant: there's only one in the town.)

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