Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
(The) boxes
Hi,
I have the following question: I arrive at home from a trip and realize that my roommates decided that we should all move. There are boxes in the hallway. I enter the apartment and say:
"Are we moving?"
"Yes. That's why we got (the) boxes."
Would you agree that either "boxes" or "the boxes" can be used depending on whether I want to emphasize the boxes? Eg
"That's why we got boxes" - some boxes, introducing them.
"That's why we got the boxes" - the ones we all know of, "those boxes", the ones in the hallway.
Is that about right?
I have the following question: I arrive at home from a trip and realize that my roommates decided that we should all move. There are boxes in the hallway. I enter the apartment and say:
"Are we moving?"
"Yes. That's why we got (the) boxes."
Would you agree that either "boxes" or "the boxes" can be used depending on whether I want to emphasize the boxes? Eg
"That's why we got boxes" - some boxes, introducing them.
"That's why we got the boxes" - the ones we all know of, "those boxes", the ones in the hallway.
Is that about right?
Top answer
Yes.
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AnonymousThere are boxes in the hallway. I enter the apartmentIf you tripped over the boxes or had to step over them, the roommates would almost always use "the boxes."
If the boxes were stashed away in a back bedroom, the roommates would almost always use "boxes."
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