When to use "the"

Question

What rule applies to explain why you have to say, "All the teachers are alloted forty-five minutes per session," as opposed to, "All teachers are alloted forty-five minutes per session."

Thanks for your help.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

AnonymousWhat rule applies to explain why you have to say, "All the teachers are alloted forty-five minutes per session," as opposed to, "All teachers are alloted forty-five minutes per session."

I don't agree that you have to say "All the teachers ...". I don't know any such rule.

Nevertheless, if you refer to "all the teachers", you refer to a set of teachers already known to the reader. Perhaps these teachers were discussed earlier and for this reason your reader knows which group of teachers you are talking about.

"all teachers", taken very strictly, can mean "all the teachers in the world", which is probably not the intended meaning. But even in this case, context and common sense may guide the reader to take "all teachers" to mean the same set of teachers that "all the teachers" means, as explained above.

CJ

When to use "the"

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