be exposed to the measles by a student who had it/I'm so hungry that I could eat a horse.
1.
The school children are exposed to the measles by a student who had it.
→Is this sentence correct? Is the THE necessary before "measles"?

2.
I'm so hungry that I could eat a horse.
→Can I use "can" instead?

Thanks!

Question

be exposed to the measles by a student who had it/I'm so hungry that I could eat a horse.
1.
The school children are exposed to the measles by a student who had it.
→Is this sentence correct? Is the THE necessary before "measles"?

2.
I'm so hungry that I could eat a horse.
→Can I use "can" instead?

Thanks!

Answer

1. It is possible, but not obligatory, to use 'the' before 'measles'.

2. No, because this is (presumably) a hypothetical situation!

Answer

I agree with Su.Ki's points (as I usually do!) but also wanted to mention that there's something not quite right about the first sentence, because it's not the other student who is exposing the children, but some third party, an authority-figure adult presumably. Also, if the exposure is in the present, then the infection would need to be, too. So I might write it as "The school children are exposed to the measles of a student who has it".

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