Have a look at a typical conversation between Masami and I:
M: “I want to go to a hundred yen shop today.”
D: “Okay, which one?”
M: “Any one.”
There are many hundred yen shops selling the same kind of products. We can go to many different shops in many different places to get what we want. It’s not one definite place.
Dictionary definition of “A” – one; any indefinite example of; used to denote a singular item of a group.
Another typical conversation between Masami and I:
D: “It’s a nice day. Shall we go to the mountain?”
M: “Okay. When do you want to go?”
D: “After lunch.” Why is it “the mountain.”?
Even though there are many mountains in many different places, Masami and I often go to one mountain near our house. Because we go there frequently it has become “the mountain.” It is one definite place. We could say the mountain name but it’s easier to say, “the mountain.”
Dictionary definition of “The” – definite grammatical article that implies necessarily that an entity it articulates is presupposed; something already mentioned, or completely specified later in that same sentence, or assumed already completely specified.
Often, English learners don’t know when to use an article (a/an or the) or which one to use, I quite understand that. It’s one of the many grammatical differences between our languages.
There are exercises you can do to help remind you. Next time you’re going somewhere ask yourself, “Am I going to a place or going to the place?”
【あなたの心が伝わるあなただけの英語】
英語でのコミュニケーションをあなたらしい英語で。一人一人のレベル、能力、興味に合った教材や方法での英語レッスンプログラムをオンラインで学べます。
”あなたの英語”でコミュニケートしたい方は、まずは無料カウンセリングをご予約ください。
