If three nouns are the objects of a verb, do you need the definite article with each?

Question

Does a sentence with multiple objects, the first object taking the definite article, need to have the definite article repeated with each noun.

He grabbed the book, the flowers, and the chocolate.

Would the following following sentence ever be grammatically correct?

He grabbed the book, flowers, and chocolate.

This is more a matter of style than of grammar. Your second sentence is (inevitably) shorter and so sounds and feels brisker. The first, because of the repetitions, is slower and more deliberate/emphatic. But the difference is relatively slight. — Tuffy, Jun 26 '20 at 21:51
Does this answer your question? Is it necessary to use "the" multiple times? — Edwin Ashworth, Jun 27 '20 at 15:06

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 26 '20 at 21:59

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He grabbed the book, the flowers, and the chocolate.

Would the following following sentence ever be grammatically correct?

He grabbed the book, flowers, and chocolate.

Yes. The reason I shall give may be considered subjective by some but I think it is valid.

He grabbed the book, the flowers, and the chocolate.

This for me has a suggestion of choice, e.g.

"He looked around at all the different things he could take. Then , leaving behind the watch, he grabbed the book, the flowers, and the chocolate.

He grabbed the book, flowers, and chocolate.

This for me suggests that the three items are considered as a collection that aren't separable in the context.

"After much consideration, he decided on three presents for Mary, a book, some flowers and some chocolate. It was time to leave so he grabbed the book, flowers, and chocolate, and hurried out of the store."

answered Jun 26 '20 at 21:59

chasly - supports Monica

37,215

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The one with the three definite articles could also indicate that the objects were in different places so needed a bit longer to assemble than the one with only one article. If they were all on the dining table you would probably use the shorter one, if the chocolate was on the dining table, the book on the bedside table and the flowers in the kitchen you woukd probably use the longer version. – BoldBen Jun 26 '20 at 22:57
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If the last two are unnecessary, the first one is too. I grabbed book, flowers, chocolate, and fled. – John Lawler Jun 26 '20 at 23:07
Yes, I agree with both of these comments. – chasly - supports Monica Jun 26 '20 at 23:29
If the last two are unnecessary, this might be because the first "the" can govern the conjunction of all 3 NPs, "book, flowers and chocolate". Whether or not that first "the" can be omitted as well is a separate stylistic choice. – Rosie F Dec 24 '20 at 08:13

If three nouns are the objects of a verb, do you need the definite article with each?

1 Answers1