Grammar · Free lesson
Bicycles or the bicycles? General and specific plurals
You enjoy bicycles as a way to travel. You also hired three particular bicycles yesterday. English can separate the general preference from your opinion of that rented set.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
Use bicycles with no article to talk about bicycles generally: I like bicycles. Use the bicycles for a particular set the listener can identify: I like the bicycles we rented. The choice changes which group you mean.
Think “the type” or “this particular set.”
For an ordinary plural such as bicycles, a general statement normally has no article. Add the when you mean an identifiable group. Earlier mention, shared surroundings or a detail such as we rented can help identify it.
Move from a type to a known set
Bicycles are useful for short trips.
The bicycles outside our office are wet.
We rented three bicycles. The bicycles are new.
Plural does not automatically mean “no the.” The bicycles is useful when the listener knows which bicycles you mean.
Choose the scope of your comment
Express a general preference
I like bicycles.
Introduce a particular group
We rented three bicycles.
Refer to that same group
I like the bicycles we rented.
Try it now
Decide which bicycles you mean.
Read all answers and explanations
Express a general preference for bicycles, with no particular group in mind.
I like bicycles.I like bicycles states the general preference. The bicycles would point to an identifiable set; a cannot introduce the plural bicycles.
You and a friend can both see the same two bicycles blocking the door. Refer to that identified pair and ask for them to be moved.
Please move the bicycles beside the door.The bicycles beside the door identifies the shared pair. Bare bicycles can refer to unspecified bicycles; it does not clearly select that known pair here. A bicycles is not a singular noun phrase.
In “I like the bicycles we rented,” which bicycles does the noun phrase identify?
The particular bicycles we rented.We rented identifies the particular set. This is not a claim about every bicycle or one unspecified bicycle.
Put it into practice
Separate the general comment from the rented set.
First, make a general statement about bicycles. Then refer to the full set of three bicycles you and your listener rented yesterday. Keep the two comments in that order.
The bicycles are useful for short trips. Bicycles we rented yesterday are new.
See a model answer
Bicycles are useful for short trips. The bicycles we rented yesterday are new.
The wording now separates a general comment from a comment about the known rented set. The choice follows the intended reference, not just the plural ending.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Must I mention the group before I use the?
No. The situation or a detail can identify it on the first mention. If both people can see the bicycles blocking the door, the can point to that group.
Please move the bicycles beside the door.
Are plural nouns always general without the?
No. A plural without the can also introduce unspecified members, as in I bought bicycles. Here we compare a general preference with an identifiable set; context still matters.
I bought bicycles for the club.
Take it into your day
I like bicycles is general. I like the bicycles we rented points to that rented set.
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