Articles – Usage in ‘The Students and the Teacher’

articles

When talking about local schools and how students study can I use the articles in the following way?

  1. "A student studies 10 to 12 subjects." (Removed "the")

  2. (Removed the)"Students start their first class at 8:45".

3.(Removed the)"Students are in the same classroom all day."

  1. "A/the (not "the") teacher goes from one classroom to another at the start and end of a class (not "the class"), not the students."

  2. (The removed)"Students stand up for the teacher, when the teacher leaves the classroom, the students talk with their classmates."

  3. (The removed)"Students have luch in their classroom."

"The removed" and not "the" means I am not going to use them.

Best Answer

In most of these examples the definite article "the" can be included or omitted with no significant change in meaning. In a few i am unsure of your intent.

(1) A student studies 10 to 12 subjects.

I do not see how "the" would be plausible in (1). writing "the student" would be incorrect unless context had previously established that a specific student was being discussed.

In the case of (4) there are several possibilities suggested by the example, all of which are valid:

  • A teacher goes from one classroom to another at the start and end of a class, not the students. (fine)
  • The teacher goes from one classroom to another at the start and end of a class, not the students. (OK if a specific teacher is meant, including an unnamed generic teacher)
  • A teacher goes from one classroom to another at the start and end of the class, not the students. (OK but I would prefer "a class")
  • The teacher goes from one classroom to another at the start and end of the class, not the students. (As above)

The expression: A/the (not "the") at the start of (4)is a bit confusing to me.

(5) Students stand up for the teacher, when the teacher leaves the classroom, the students talk with their classmates."

The use of articles in (5) is fine, but it might be better split into two sentences. Perhaps:

(5) Students stand up for the teacher when the teacher leaves the classroom. After the teacher leaves the students talk with their classmates.

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