the twins

[Maybo]

Is "The twins" a set phrase? If I don't know the twins and just accidentally saw them going to swim, can I say "Two twins went swimming after lunch"?

The twins went swimming after lunch. (https://learnersdictionary.com/definition/twin)

 

[jutfrank]

No, it isn't a set phrase.

Yes, you can. The article The is used only because the speaker wants to make reference to a specific set of twins. Your sentence, which doesn't use a definite article, doesn't do that, which is fine in a different context.

Your question here is really about use of articles, and nothing to do with the word twins. Perhaps you should review how to use articles.

 

[SoothingDave]

"Two twins" seems redundant to me. Or could be mistaken to be talking about 4 people (two sets of twins).

 

[GoesStation]

"Two twins" seems redundant to me. Or could be mistaken to be talking about 4 people (two sets of twins).

Not to me. I'm describing something I just saw: twin brothers going to the swimming pool. How else would you say it?

I certainly wouldn't understand "two twins" to mean four people. That would be two pairs or sets of twins.

 

[Maybo]

"Two twins" seems redundant to me. Or could be mistaken to be talking about 4 people (two sets of twins).

I've thought about this. But if I say "Twins went...", would it also sounds like there were more than 1 set of twins? Or actually I can use "a set of twins"?

 

[GoesStation]

I've thought about this. But if I say "Twins went...", would it also [STRIKE]sounds[/STRIKE] sound like there [STRIKE]were[/STRIKE] was more than [STRIKE]1[/STRIKE] one set of twins? Or can I actually [STRIKE]I can[/STRIKE] use "a set of twins"?

You can say "two twins", "a pair of twins", or "a set of twins". Although I suggested the last version above, I'm not crazy about it.

Modals are followed by the infinitive. Spell out small numbers. Please make sure you form questions correctly.