THANK YOU.
You wrote:
I think they are unaffected, but I think also that the 'would's are incorrect:
If
the power goes out,
I dare to think that they will all leave.
If
the power goes out,
I bet they will all leave.
If
the power goes out,
I am sure that they will all leave.
If
the power goes out,
I bet that they will all leave.
And I wrote this:
Thank you. So if the word is specifically referenced to by context, we should use the definite article to indicate specifcity of it like you did with the noun 'power'. Is that right?
And to that, I think you said 'yes'.
The problem I have is that it is hard to distinguish situations where the detinite noun is necessary (as it seems) since some words like 'freedom' and 'proclamation' and possibly 'power' have what I can say a capacity to dwell and function well in both specifically referenced and non-specifically referenced situations like this:
We value freedom of press.
This one I picked out from the google book search:
Order for proclamation o fthe King's Peace
Two examples above I feel can use the detinite noun and not use it with little difference, if at all.
I thin the same goes to the original sentences with the word 'power' except you are very sure the reference it to a specific group of people and situation needs to be specific, but I feel, in most wriiting situations in the real world, don't need the definiteness brought by having placed 'the' before the likes of the word 'power'.
So, in most cases, I feel the version without the 'the's is good.
If power goes out, I dare ...