Let's look at these two sentences:   People are always looking for a bargain. The people have made their choice.   Here come my questions:   How can I be sure if I should use "the" or not?  Are there any rules to follow to make the choice easier? Is this related to context?
4654
I can’t for the life of me figure out where to use a and where to use the — and where there is no article at all. Is there a simple rule of thumb to memorize?   The standard rule you always hear:     “If a person knows which item you are talking about then use "the"   . . . doesn’t clear things up for me, as I have no idea whether or not they know.
120502
A colleague asked me which of these sentences is correct, or if they are both correct which is better to use.   Are you using the current template version? Do you use the current template version?   I recommended using the first sentence but only because it sounds better to me.  Is there anything grammatically wrong with the second sentence or does it convey a different meaning to the first sentence?
54499
When should whilst be used instead of while?  For example, should I use the first or the second sentence?      They don't do this whilst they do that.   They don't do this while they do that.   Which would be correct?
97368
I have been struggling with articles for quite a long time. Most of the times, I understand but then the more I understand them, the more it's getting perplexed!   For this particular question, I'm keeping in mind that the definite article 'the' is used for the one and only, a unique thing. Known to both - the listener and the speaker. If I say there was a table, it means there was some table but then if you and me are standing in a hall and we see a table, I won't use an indefinite article. There, it's Do you see the table? Quite clear.   Let's extend this further...  You and me are standing on a footpath. And we see a sexy Bentley...     "Wow, what a car!" is generally what we hear. But...   why not the? I'm talking about that Bentley only --that particular car, in front of us (like the table).   And to argue, I'm not talking about the same model by German Volkswagen AG (or else 'a car' is justified!) because it has a beautiful sticker of Spiderman on it. Volkswagen does not make it that way!   Same case with...     "What the beautiful pair of legs!" - She's right in front of me!   "What the movie it is! Awesome!" - Telling someone in the interval.   Though I'm asking this question, What a beautiful... and What a movie... seems correct.   Ah, I am trying to come up with What the [countable noun]... examples but finding it difficult. Is it that weird?
111155
What is the difference between these phrases? When is it valid to use which? Should they be avoided as being ambiguous?
33404
I still have problems to figure out when it's right to use I or me in an answer.  For example, what is the right answer to "Who did this?"  If I did it, should I say I or me? I've heard native speakers using both. Is there a rule?   And what are some examples when to use me, and when I?
17061
Which is correct?     Everyone were convinced that he would go to the game.   Everyone was convinced that he would go to the game.   I think it's "was", because "everyone" is singular, but I just wanted to check.
37209
I want to ask about two sentences, and what would be the correct way to form a question:     It's very important that we eat healthy food, ...........?     Which would be the correct question tag: (isn't it) or (don't we)?      It's a must that all applicants follow the rules of the competition, ..........?    Which would the correct question tag: (isn't it) or (don't they) or (mustn't they)?   Please could you tell me the correct answers, and, more importantly, why those are correct?
90093
The following sentence is from NY Times. "Another corporate structure being exploited now more than ever is the master limited partnership."  In the sentence, the concept of "master limited partnership" is first introduced. So, It does not have any contextual clues to identify what that refers to. But still it has "the" in it. However, the "the" in the sentence might not be used generically as the generic use of nouns is pretty much limited to nouns of animal, plant, or inventions. Then, what is the function of "the" there?  What is the difference between the sentence and when I just say "a master limited partnership" or "master limited partnerships"?
117225
Which of the following sentences is correct in a formal context?  Both?  If possible, please also explain why each of these sentences is correct/incorrect.     I do not know where the best place to ask this question is.      I do not know where is the best place to ask this question.
90290
I'm writing up my dissertation and I'm really confused where to use "the". Examples:     In this experiment, (the?) heat transfer coefficient was calculated, allowing to estimate (the?)frost thickness.    And:     Firstly, (the?) air properties are defined.   And:     As (the?) crystals grow in radius, the amount of air in (the?) ice is reduced, due to (the?) ice becoming more packed.   None of the nouns mentioned above have been used for the first time, so I rule out the use of "a".   Would appreciate any help.
33064
Possible Duplicate:             Or is it region specific? I was always taught that when ending a quotation, that punctuation remains inside of the quote.     I think he said, "we should go to the store."   Are you sure he said, "we should go to the store?"   As opposed to:     I think he said, "we should go to the store". Are you sure he said, "we should go to the store"?   This is just an arbitrary example off of the top of my head, and it's hard for me to come up with an example for the second usage because it looks completely wrong to me.   I actually got into a small argument with my girlfriend earlier this year because she uses something similar to the second example, and said that's how she was taught (which is why I ask if it's region-specific.)  Anyway, is there a correct usage for ending a quotation with punctuation?
96225
The first and second chapters are....   Or      The first and the second chapters are...   Which is the correct usage? Is it correct to use the for both the phrases or not?? Please explain to me.
100352
Which of the following two sentences is correct?  He must decide who to be. He must decide whom to be.  I can think of arguments for both sides, but I'm not sure. To elaborate, is who(m) the object of decide, the subject of be, or the object of be? Does the infinitive form of be have any bearing on the answer? And is there anything else to consider about the position or role of who(m) in this particular sentence that would inform the answer? The answers to the linked question  say to &quot;substitute he and him for who and whom.&quot; However, that doesn't give a clear answer in this context, because neither of those pronouns sounds right: &quot;He must decide to be he&quot;? &quot;He must decide to be him&quot;? Normally we'd use a reflexive pronoun here (&quot;He must decide to be himself&quot;) and it's not clear what case that corresponds to.
107900
There is a  with a similar title, however it then focused on two specific examples. The main question is when we should use "the" before an Of-phrase.   Is "the" used for the first part or the whole phrase?  for example, is it [the history ] of the internet. Or the [history of the internet ].  Some examples by searching google:        the International Day of the Girl Child   the study of Pattern Recognition    The Charter of the United Nations   More than 60 United Nations Member States have never been Members of the Security Council.   the Word of the Day   The history of the Internet   Transactions of the American Mathematical Society   Proceedings of the Royal Society    Types of problems and tasks      For example in     Machine learning is a subfield of computer science that evolved from the study of pattern recognition and computational learning theory in artificial intelligence.   Why "the study". Please note there is not much context for the "study" and I suspect the possessive construction has a role.   Apart from these examples, I feel in Of-phrases the domain of objects become limited, and it allows to use "the" for the noun before "of". For example you can't say "the mouse"! which mouse? but you can say "the mouse of a computer" because in the domain of a single computer, mouse is specific.    For another example we may say "The manager of a shop" (even without any context) but not "the customer of the shop" (again without any context). maybe "the customers of the shop" or maybe just "customers of the shop". "the door of the house" but not "the window of the house", because without any context we don't have one window but one door. Similarly, "the head of a human" but not "the hand of a human" (maybe the left hand of a human).  Does this analysis creditable?
1901
This is one thing that keeps bugging me, and maybe there's a direct answer. Grammatically, which one is more correct of these two?  Does it make a difference?  I tried not to do that. I tried to not do that.
77121
I just would like to know if this sentence would be grammatically correct and in which cases should I use it:  I don't know when he is back instead of he will be back . I know the rule with when "no will" in most cases but we can say" please let me know when it will be available or when it is available"  If that's not correct let me know why please