Definite nad indefinite articles!

[Martina Durisova]

I have problem with articles. If I describe a flat and rooms. Do I have to use articles in front of each room name? For example: "The kitchen, living room and toilet are on the first floor."
When I speak about living in a village generally, can I use village without article although it is countable and it is in singular : " In village people are friendlier."
Sometimes nouns are used without articles so I do not know.:-?
Thanks a lot!

 

[sumon.]

When I speak about living in a village generally, can I use village without article although it is countable and it is in singular : " In village people are friendlier." No. It has to be, "In the village", or, "In a village". If "village" was changed to "villages" the article is not needed - "In villages people are friendlier."

I know almost all of the article rules of grammar books. But still I have lots of problems in articles. :shock:

English native speakers can use the before a noun to express something in general. This is the point that I want to say something to make it clear to know where is my problem .

You said that In the village people are friendlier tells about a village in general.
But my point is : If I want to make it definite , then what to do? Do you use the the same sentence?
An example maybe:

The teacher is always busy. Does this sentence has little ambiguity ? Does this sentence has two meanings ? Then how can I understand which one the speaker wants to say without more context , such as dictionary examples?

Thank you.

 

[shannico]

I know almost all of the article rules of grammar books. But still I have lots of problems in articles. :shock:

English native speakers can use the before a noun to express something in general. This is the point that I want to say something to make it clear to know where is my problem .

You said that In the village people are friendlier tells about a village in general.
But my point is : If I want to make it definite , then what to do? Do you use the the same sentence?
An example maybe:

The teacher is always busy. Does this sentence has little ambiguity ? Does this sentence has two meanings ? Then how can I understand which one the speaker wants to say without more context , such as dictionary examples?

Thank you.

I wouldn't say that THE is used when a speaker wants to express something in general, especially in the village examples provided above.
If you say

In the village people are friendlier the village you are talking about has already been mentioned, i.e. it is known to the speaker and their counterpart. Therefore it is not a general statement about villages. On the contrary it is fairly specific because it refers to THAT village.

If you want to make a general statement on villages then you have two options:

a) In a village people are friendlier. (using A - indefinite article)
b) In villages people are friendlier (using the plural).

Hope this helps.

 

[sumon.]

What about that :The the dog is a faithful animal.
The tiger is a dangerous animal.
Actually I forgot to add sometimes . Natives speakers sometimes use the before a noun to express something in general.
Thank you for your reply.

 

[5jj]

The [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] dog is a faithful animal.
The tiger is a dangerous animal.

We generallly use 'the' when we are thinking of the class as a whole, 'a/an' when we are thinking of one member of the class as a representative of the whole class.

In many cases, it is a matter of personal choice, and we can also use the plural form:

Dogs are faithful animals.
Tigers are dangerous animals.

When we are not referring to the whole class, we cannot use 'a/an':

The white tiger is becoming very rare.
White tigers are becoming very rare.
[STRIKE]A white tiger is becoming very rare[/STRIKE].

 

[sumon.]

Thanks a lot.
Can we use the following sentences in general : In the village people are friendlier . (considering villages as a whole)
The teacher remains always busy (considering teachers as a whole)
PS: sorry for the further post.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks a lot.
Can we use the following sentences in general : In the village people are friendlier . (considering villages as a whole)

No. "The" does not suggest "in general". As we have already said, "In villages, people are friendlier" is really the only way to say it as a generalisation.

The teacher [STRIKE]remains always[/STRIKE] always remains busy (considering teachers as a whole)

No, even more so than with your first sentence. If you say "The teacher" then it means one specific teacher, someone who you have already mentioned. As a generalisation, we would say "Teachers are always busy". Note that we don't usually use "remain" like this.

PS: sorry for the further post.

See above.

 

[Martina Durisova]

Do I understand it correctlly that in British English is the only way how to use the sentence in general is to use pluraL.
So is the sentence " In a village people are friendlier." correct when I want to speak generally.

 

[5jj]

Do I understand it correctlly that in British English [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] the only way [STRIKE]how[/STRIKE] to [STRIKE]use[/STRIKE] construct the sentence in general is to use the plura[STRIKE]L[/STRIKE]l.
No. You have been given other ways in several responses. If it were the only way, then your sentence below would be wrong.
So is the sentence " In a village people are friendlier." correct when I want to speak generally.?
It is one possible correct way of expressing this thought, as we have said several times.

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