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the definite article

 
 
Reply Sat 4 Jul, 2015 09:16 am
Can ... two of you help me with these heavy cases?

a) the b) --- I would choose the answer a) the . I think that the definite article can be used even before cardinal numbers when the noun in a sentence is certain. what do you think?
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Type: Question • Score: 0 • Views: 590 • Replies: 6
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dalehileman
 
  2  
Reply Sat 4 Jul, 2015 09:33 am
@ificouldreturnit,
Ifi you need to clarify
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Ragman
 
  1  
Reply Sat 4 Jul, 2015 10:07 am
@ificouldreturnit,
A. "Can the two of you .." is the better choice.
Although eliminating 'the' doesn't' make it wrong grammatically, it makes it awkward. As a spoken sentence, it wouldn't be something you'd be likely to hear.
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FBM
 
  2  
Reply Sat 4 Jul, 2015 08:07 pm
@ificouldreturnit,
ificouldreturnit wrote:

Can ... two of you help me with these heavy cases?

a) the b) --- I would choose the answer a) the . I think that the definite article can be used even before cardinal numbers when the noun in a sentence is certain. what do you think?



Both a) and b) are possible. Use of articles is very context-dependent. If there are only two people there, the "two" is definite, so use "the." If there is a larger group of people and you just want two of them to help, use b).

a) Can the two of you... (speaking to the only two people there)
b) Can two of you... (speaking to a larger group)
ificouldreturnit
 
  2  
Reply Tue 7 Jul, 2015 08:04 am
Dear friends and teachers,

I got it. Thanks for your attention!
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InfraBlue
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Jul, 2015 09:28 am
@FBM,
Excellent!
FBM
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Jul, 2015 09:44 am
@InfraBlue,
Of the course. Wink
0 Replies
 
 

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