A bank

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#71787 Wed, 02 Feb 05 11:58 PM

Hello

I'd like to check which article to use ,"a bank" or "the bank."
Would you take a look at the following sentences?

#1 My sister works for a bank.

#2 My sister will have worked in a bank for ten years by next year.
#3 My sister will have worked in the bank for ten years by next year.

Question 1
If I don't think of a specific bank, is #1 OK? If the persons who are talking this topic know the bank, should I say "My sister woks for the bank"?

Question 2
How about #2 and #3? Which is better? Does it depend on whether the bank is specific or not?

Thank you.

Guest

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CalifJim

#71798 Thu, 03 Feb 05 01:52 AM

My sister works for a bank. = My sister works for a certain unnamed bank.
My sister works for the bank. = My sister works for that particular bank that you and I are familiar with.

The same idea holds for #2 and #3, but with an extra interpretation for #2.

My sister ... worked in a bank for ... = My sister ... worked in a certain unnamed bank for ...

ALSO: My sister ... worked in a bank for ... = My sister ... worked in one bank or another for ... = My sister ... done bank work for ...

My sister ... worked in the bank for ... = My sister ... worked in that particular bank that you and I are familiar with for ...

When you have two statements which express different ideas, it is never a question of which is better except insofar as one or the other is more truthful for the situation you want to describe. So neither of the choices in either pair is better than the other.

CJ

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (17,477)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche