“Since the train was delayed for more than an hour, passengers were given a full refund.” – Why is there no article before “passengers”? Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 23:30 UTC (7:30pm US/Eastern) Contributor's Guide to English Language LearnersArticle Confusion Again! Why is there an 'a' instead of a 'the'?Can “the + noun” be a general reference?appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix — why is there no definite article in front of “inflammation”?Should I use “a” or “the” to designate the particular one I'm going to talk about?Why is there no article in the sentence “Then came number”?Definite article in “Police were able to find out where the father lived from _THE_ information the child provided”British colonies or the British colonies?“The Jesus who said” - why is there a definite article before the proper name “Jesus”?particularizing attribute with indefinite articleWhy is “Reports” in the sentence below without the article “The”?

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“Since the train was delayed for more than an hour, passengers were given a full refund.” – Why is there no article before “passengers”?



Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 23:30 UTC (7:30pm US/Eastern)
Contributor's Guide to English Language LearnersArticle Confusion Again! Why is there an 'a' instead of a 'the'?Can “the + noun” be a general reference?appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix — why is there no definite article in front of “inflammation”?Should I use “a” or “the” to designate the particular one I'm going to talk about?Why is there no article in the sentence “Then came number”?Definite article in “Police were able to find out where the father lived from _THE_ information the child provided”British colonies or the British colonies?“The Jesus who said” - why is there a definite article before the proper name “Jesus”?particularizing attribute with indefinite articleWhy is “Reports” in the sentence below without the article “The”?



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6















After all, we are talking about very definite passengers – the ones that were on that train. Can it be gathered from the sentence that not all of the passengers were given a refund?



P.S. The sentence comes from a grammar book.






articles







share|improve this question




























    6















    After all, we are talking about very definite passengers – the ones that were on that train. Can it be gathered from the sentence that not all of the passengers were given a refund?



    P.S. The sentence comes from a grammar book.






    articles







    share|improve this question
























      6












      6








      6


      1






      After all, we are talking about very definite passengers – the ones that were on that train. Can it be gathered from the sentence that not all of the passengers were given a refund?



      P.S. The sentence comes from a grammar book.






      articles







      share|improve this question














      After all, we are talking about very definite passengers – the ones that were on that train. Can it be gathered from the sentence that not all of the passengers were given a refund?



      P.S. The sentence comes from a grammar book.






      articles




      articles






      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question











      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question










      asked 7 hours ago









      ZakZak

      6621311




      6621311




















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

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          6














          The sentence




          Since the train was delayed for more than an hour, passengers were given a full refund.




          is formally ambiguous. One cannot tell from the sentence alone whether the passengers were given a refund -- that is, all the passengers -- or whether only some passengers were given a refund: perhaps only those who complained. When an article is elided in this way, the reader must determine from context and common sense what the meaning is, and which article is implied. Here either choice is possible, although "the" seems more likely. But in another context the result would be different.




          After the minister's eulogy, friends and family spoke about the deceased.




          Does that mean that every one of the dead person's friends and family spoke, or only some of them? Were all of them even present? "Some" is the likely choice here, but further context could change that.




          After the minister's eulogy, friends and family spoke about the deceased -- all five who were still alive.




          Now the implication is otherwise.



          When the choice of article is obvious, omitting it does not mislead the reader. When there is more than one serious possibility, this may be poor writing. Or it may be intentionally ambiguous writing.






          share|improve this answer

























          • It's not even clear that "the passengers" would remove the ambiguity; it still requires context. Consider "Since the train was cancelled, the passengers were given a full refund". Who exactly are the passengers on a cancelled train? Those who have actually boarded? Those who have reserved seats on that particular service? The article "the" doesn't help answer these questions.

            – Michael Kay
            40 mins ago


















          4














          It could be a stylistic reason, because "the" has already been used for "the train", so "passengers" reads better. It is possibly from a newspaper article. Your reasoning is correct, the refund concerns these specific passengers.






          share|improve this answer























            Your Answer








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            2 Answers
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            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

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            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            6














            The sentence




            Since the train was delayed for more than an hour, passengers were given a full refund.




            is formally ambiguous. One cannot tell from the sentence alone whether the passengers were given a refund -- that is, all the passengers -- or whether only some passengers were given a refund: perhaps only those who complained. When an article is elided in this way, the reader must determine from context and common sense what the meaning is, and which article is implied. Here either choice is possible, although "the" seems more likely. But in another context the result would be different.




            After the minister's eulogy, friends and family spoke about the deceased.




            Does that mean that every one of the dead person's friends and family spoke, or only some of them? Were all of them even present? "Some" is the likely choice here, but further context could change that.




            After the minister's eulogy, friends and family spoke about the deceased -- all five who were still alive.




            Now the implication is otherwise.



            When the choice of article is obvious, omitting it does not mislead the reader. When there is more than one serious possibility, this may be poor writing. Or it may be intentionally ambiguous writing.






            share|improve this answer

























            • It's not even clear that "the passengers" would remove the ambiguity; it still requires context. Consider "Since the train was cancelled, the passengers were given a full refund". Who exactly are the passengers on a cancelled train? Those who have actually boarded? Those who have reserved seats on that particular service? The article "the" doesn't help answer these questions.

              – Michael Kay
              40 mins ago















            6














            The sentence




            Since the train was delayed for more than an hour, passengers were given a full refund.




            is formally ambiguous. One cannot tell from the sentence alone whether the passengers were given a refund -- that is, all the passengers -- or whether only some passengers were given a refund: perhaps only those who complained. When an article is elided in this way, the reader must determine from context and common sense what the meaning is, and which article is implied. Here either choice is possible, although "the" seems more likely. But in another context the result would be different.




            After the minister's eulogy, friends and family spoke about the deceased.




            Does that mean that every one of the dead person's friends and family spoke, or only some of them? Were all of them even present? "Some" is the likely choice here, but further context could change that.




            After the minister's eulogy, friends and family spoke about the deceased -- all five who were still alive.




            Now the implication is otherwise.



            When the choice of article is obvious, omitting it does not mislead the reader. When there is more than one serious possibility, this may be poor writing. Or it may be intentionally ambiguous writing.






            share|improve this answer

























            • It's not even clear that "the passengers" would remove the ambiguity; it still requires context. Consider "Since the train was cancelled, the passengers were given a full refund". Who exactly are the passengers on a cancelled train? Those who have actually boarded? Those who have reserved seats on that particular service? The article "the" doesn't help answer these questions.

              – Michael Kay
              40 mins ago













            6












            6








            6







            The sentence




            Since the train was delayed for more than an hour, passengers were given a full refund.




            is formally ambiguous. One cannot tell from the sentence alone whether the passengers were given a refund -- that is, all the passengers -- or whether only some passengers were given a refund: perhaps only those who complained. When an article is elided in this way, the reader must determine from context and common sense what the meaning is, and which article is implied. Here either choice is possible, although "the" seems more likely. But in another context the result would be different.




            After the minister's eulogy, friends and family spoke about the deceased.




            Does that mean that every one of the dead person's friends and family spoke, or only some of them? Were all of them even present? "Some" is the likely choice here, but further context could change that.




            After the minister's eulogy, friends and family spoke about the deceased -- all five who were still alive.




            Now the implication is otherwise.



            When the choice of article is obvious, omitting it does not mislead the reader. When there is more than one serious possibility, this may be poor writing. Or it may be intentionally ambiguous writing.






            share|improve this answer















            The sentence




            Since the train was delayed for more than an hour, passengers were given a full refund.




            is formally ambiguous. One cannot tell from the sentence alone whether the passengers were given a refund -- that is, all the passengers -- or whether only some passengers were given a refund: perhaps only those who complained. When an article is elided in this way, the reader must determine from context and common sense what the meaning is, and which article is implied. Here either choice is possible, although "the" seems more likely. But in another context the result would be different.




            After the minister's eulogy, friends and family spoke about the deceased.




            Does that mean that every one of the dead person's friends and family spoke, or only some of them? Were all of them even present? "Some" is the likely choice here, but further context could change that.




            After the minister's eulogy, friends and family spoke about the deceased -- all five who were still alive.




            Now the implication is otherwise.



            When the choice of article is obvious, omitting it does not mislead the reader. When there is more than one serious possibility, this may be poor writing. Or it may be intentionally ambiguous writing.







            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited 1 hour ago









            psmears

            40839




            40839










            answered 3 hours ago









            David SiegelDavid Siegel

            3,039316




            3,039316












            • It's not even clear that "the passengers" would remove the ambiguity; it still requires context. Consider "Since the train was cancelled, the passengers were given a full refund". Who exactly are the passengers on a cancelled train? Those who have actually boarded? Those who have reserved seats on that particular service? The article "the" doesn't help answer these questions.

              – Michael Kay
              40 mins ago

















            • It's not even clear that "the passengers" would remove the ambiguity; it still requires context. Consider "Since the train was cancelled, the passengers were given a full refund". Who exactly are the passengers on a cancelled train? Those who have actually boarded? Those who have reserved seats on that particular service? The article "the" doesn't help answer these questions.

              – Michael Kay
              40 mins ago
















            It's not even clear that "the passengers" would remove the ambiguity; it still requires context. Consider "Since the train was cancelled, the passengers were given a full refund". Who exactly are the passengers on a cancelled train? Those who have actually boarded? Those who have reserved seats on that particular service? The article "the" doesn't help answer these questions.

            – Michael Kay
            40 mins ago





            It's not even clear that "the passengers" would remove the ambiguity; it still requires context. Consider "Since the train was cancelled, the passengers were given a full refund". Who exactly are the passengers on a cancelled train? Those who have actually boarded? Those who have reserved seats on that particular service? The article "the" doesn't help answer these questions.

            – Michael Kay
            40 mins ago













            4














            It could be a stylistic reason, because "the" has already been used for "the train", so "passengers" reads better. It is possibly from a newspaper article. Your reasoning is correct, the refund concerns these specific passengers.






            share|improve this answer



























              4














              It could be a stylistic reason, because "the" has already been used for "the train", so "passengers" reads better. It is possibly from a newspaper article. Your reasoning is correct, the refund concerns these specific passengers.






              share|improve this answer

























                4












                4








                4







                It could be a stylistic reason, because "the" has already been used for "the train", so "passengers" reads better. It is possibly from a newspaper article. Your reasoning is correct, the refund concerns these specific passengers.






                share|improve this answer













                It could be a stylistic reason, because "the" has already been used for "the train", so "passengers" reads better. It is possibly from a newspaper article. Your reasoning is correct, the refund concerns these specific passengers.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 4 hours ago









                anoukanouk

                1,783414




                1,783414



























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