an eraser and pen VS an eraser and pen

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Jenthecute

#193982 Wed, 08 Feb 06 04:00 AM

well.. the title says it all Smile [:)]

when listing items like below,

1) do not use an eraser and pen!

2) do not use an eraser and a pen!

which is acceptable?

if 2) is okay, do i have to add 'a' everytime a new item comes out (like 3) or can i leave the latter one(like 4)?

3) do not use a pen and a pencil!

4) do not use a pen and pencil!

i hope my questions aren't so weird... these things are very tricky at least to me. :-(

and i'll put all my hopes on you, gurus!!! Smile [:)] thanks in advance!!

P.S. how about 'the'?? like

5) use it with the A and B / use it with the A and the B.

Jenthecute

Joined on Fri, Feb 3 2006

seoul

Junior Member (71)

Mister Micawber

#194059 Wed, 08 Feb 06 08:40 AM

Not weird at all, Jenthecute.

If the two items are stated briefly and are in some sense considered a 'set' in the writer's mind, then only a single article will serve for both:

Pass me the bread and butter.
I need a pen and eraser.
That's the long and short of it.

Often, the single article (or other determiner-- my mom and dad are in the kitchen) is the more expected form, but there is nothing ungrammatical about using the article before each noun. Therefore, your #s 1-5 are all correct. However, omission of the second determiner is limited by length:

I need a cheap plastic ballpoint pen and a durable artgum eraser.
Hand me my battered black top hat and my rusty old cane.

Here, the phrases are too long to comfortably share a single determiner.