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Pavel
An English learner vs English articles (again)
Hello italki community,
A native English sentence - And drinking too much can cause a(*) person to pass out altogether. Shouldn't we use "the" article instead of a(*) here? Why? Well, my non-native logic - THE person here would mean that exact person who drinks too much, not any person, but definite one. If Matt drinks too much, well Matt will pass out, not John.
Thank you.
May 13, 2024 2:30 PM
Answers · 3
1
In this type of construction, it's referring to a general person (any person) who fits the criteria.
If you did use 'the' it wouldn't sounds too weird or jarring, though.
May 13, 2024
a person = any person = one
May 15, 2024
No, it's the right choice of article. No specific person was mentioned.
May 13, 2024
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Pavel
Language Skills
English, French, Russian
Learning Language
English, French
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