Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should we get rid of proper spelling too? Hu kairs az long az u git tha meening, rit?

Luv eet!

What is proper English spelling though? Nobody knows, nor does anyone know why certain words with exact same order of letters are pronounced differently! Sean, Shawn. Anna, with an e, but Armory, with an a!

Anonymous wrote:The reason articles are useful is the same reason that verbs and other words are inflected. Adding additional meaning in a sentence is helpful because sometimes not every word is heard clearly, maybe in a noisy environment or shouted across distance or for another reason. And the additional information from articles, verb conjugation and S-V agreement, etc. allows the listener to properly fill in missing words.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should we get rid of proper spelling too? Hu kairs az long az u git tha meening, rit?

Luv eet!

Anonymous wrote:Should we get rid of proper spelling too? Hu kairs az long az u git tha meening, rit?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a big difference between "the" and "a." Look at these two sentences:

1) The boy is running down the street.
2) A boy is running down the street.

In #1 you know it is a specific boy, one who within the context of the paragraph has been identified. In #2 you only know that some random boy is running down the street.

Not much difference, though, and who is ever saying that other than English teachers? To teach how to use a useless article. When did you hear that sentence in actual use? I know this boy or a random boy is running? You are never going to use it that way, ever. Useless.

Have you seen my little brother?

1) The boy is running down the street.
2) A boy is running down the street.

I might be dense, but I see no reason to keep the article in both your cases in real conversation. "OMG, a boy is running down the street, and a car is coming!" If you know the boy, is a specific boy, why would you even say the boy? Andrew is running down the street. or Boy (any boy that I don't know) is running down (the) street, surely you are not just yelling around to a random person that is not near the road?

FYI that there are two of us responding to you. We would both be "a poster" as opposed to "the poster" meaning there is only one of us.

If you don't get it, you don't get it. I'm not going to get into an argument about it although you clearly want one. So if either of us responds to you again, it will be up to you to determine if it is only the other poster or if it is a poster who might be different.

Tootaloo!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a big difference between "the" and "a." Look at these two sentences:

1) The boy is running down the street.
2) A boy is running down the street.

In #1 you know it is a specific boy, one who within the context of the paragraph has been identified. In #2 you only know that some random boy is running down the street.

Not much difference, though, and who is ever saying that other than English teachers? To teach how to use a useless article. When did you hear that sentence in actual use? I know this boy or a random boy is running? You are never going to use it that way, ever. Useless.

Have you seen my little brother?

1) The boy is running down the street.
2) A boy is running down the street.

I might be dense, but I see no reason to keep the article in both your cases in real conversation. "OMG, a boy is running down the street, and a car is coming!" If you know the boy, is a specific boy, why would you even say the boy? Andrew is running down the street. or Boy (any boy that I don't know) is running down (the) street, surely you are not just yelling around to a random person that is not near the road?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a big difference between "the" and "a." Look at these two sentences:

1) The boy is running down the street.
2) A boy is running down the street.

In #1 you know it is a specific boy, one who within the context of the paragraph has been identified. In #2 you only know that some random boy is running down the street.

Not much difference, though, and who is ever saying that other than English teachers? To teach how to use a useless article. When did you hear that sentence in actual use? I know this boy or a random boy is running? You are never going to use it that way, ever. Useless.

Have you seen my little brother?

1) The boy is running down the street.
2) A boy is running down the street.

I might be dense, but I see no reason to keep the article in both your cases in real conversation. "OMG, a boy is running down the street, and a car is coming!" If you know the boy, is a specific boy, why would you even say the boy? Andrew is running down the street. or Boy (any boy that I don't know) is running down (the) street, surely you are not just yelling around to a random person that is not near the road?

1) The boy is running down the street.
It’s your brother.

2) A boy is running down the street.
I don’t know if it’s your brother.

Anonymous wrote:Articles provide additional context. Yes, some languages don't have articles and the world hasn't stopped. You should be happy that English doesn't have gendered and numbered articles.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a big difference between "the" and "a." Look at these two sentences:

1) The boy is running down the street.
2) A boy is running down the street.

In #1 you know it is a specific boy, one who within the context of the paragraph has been identified. In #2 you only know that some random boy is running down the street.

Not much difference, though, and who is ever saying that other than English teachers? To teach how to use a useless article. When did you hear that sentence in actual use? I know this boy or a random boy is running? You are never going to use it that way, ever. Useless.

Have you seen my little brother?

1) The boy is running down the street.
2) A boy is running down the street.

I might be dense, but I see no reason to keep the article in both your cases in real conversation. "OMG, a boy is running down the street, and a car is coming!" If you know the boy, is a specific boy, why would you even say the boy? Andrew is running down the street. or Boy (any boy that I don't know) is running down (the) street, surely you are not just yelling around to a random person that is not near the road?

Anonymous wrote:I concur.

Well, there is a slight change in meaning but you can figure it out from context. The Chinese do it every day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a big difference between "the" and "a." Look at these two sentences:

1) The boy is running down the street.
2) A boy is running down the street.

In #1 you know it is a specific boy, one who within the context of the paragraph has been identified. In #2 you only know that some random boy is running down the street.

Not much difference, though, and who is ever saying that other than English teachers? To teach how to use a useless article. When did you hear that sentence in actual use? I know this boy or a random boy is running? You are never going to use it that way, ever. Useless.

Have you seen my little brother?

1) The boy is running down the street.
2) A boy is running down the street.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A bison

And if you just said: bison.
You would know exactly what you mean, and everyone would know it too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a big difference between "the" and "a." Look at these two sentences:

1) The boy is running down the street.
2) A boy is running down the street.

In #1 you know it is a specific boy, one who within the context of the paragraph has been identified. In #2 you only know that some random boy is running down the street.

Not much difference, though, and who is ever saying that other than English teachers? To teach how to use a useless article. When did you hear that sentence in actual use? I know this boy or a random boy is running? You are never going to use it that way, ever. Useless.