(in)definite article usage:"I missed THE bus" but "had to take A taxi"

Question

"The articles quizz" have correct answers:

58. I was really angry because I missed ___THE__ bus

60. There were no buses so I had to take __A__ taxi

i.e. indefinite "a" and definite "the" for quite similar situations - some unspecified bus or taxi.

Could you explain me why is such difference in the usage of articles?

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I was really angry because I missed _THE__ bus

There were no buses so I had to take __A__ taxi

i.e. indefinite "a" and definite "the" for quite similar situations - some unspecified bus or taxi.

Could you explain me why is such difference in the usage of articles?

If you want to refer to an actual bus, eg where you see one leaving the bus-stop just as you arrive, you can say 'I just missed a bus'.

However, we idiomatically speak of 'the bus' when we want to refer to all buses, ie bus transportation in general.

eg Every day, I get on the bus at 7 am.

We don't speak of 'the taxi' in this way.

In other words, we have an idiomatic way of speaking about buses, but not about taxis.

Clive

(in)definite article usage:"I missed THE bus" but "had to take A taxi"

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬