 |
| Image Source: TOPick |
Part 1
A Tiger, the Tiger, or Tigers: Which One Is Correct?
Tiger is a countable noun so it should either be preceded by a determiner (e.g. a, the, that, and their) or be made plural (tigers):
✅ Chris was born in the Year of the Tiger.
❌ Chris was born in the Year of Tiger.
✅ We saw a tiger at the zoo.
❌ We saw tiger at the zoo.
✅ I like tigers.
❌ I like tiger.
Use a tiger if you are describing a non-specific tiger, or one that is mentioned for the first time:
✅ If you see a tiger in the wild, the first thing to do is to keep calm. (any tiger, not a specific one)
✅ Do you know what I saw yesterday? A tiger! (a tiger being mentioned for the first time)
Use the tiger if you are referring to a specific tiger that is known to you and your listener/reader, or if you are talking about tigers as a species:
✅ The tiger we saw yesterday was huge! (a specific tiger)
✅ The tiger is a fearsome yet majestic animal. (all tigers collectively as a species)
Use tigers if you are talking about tigers in general:
✅ Tigers are smaller than elephants.
✅ I'm scared of tigers.
The same principle applies to other animals, such as monkeys, pandas, and eagles.
Also by the Same Tutor
Part 2: 'Relax' or 'Relax Oneself'?
Part 3: 'Exchange Program' or 'Exchanging Program'?
Part 4: 'Yours sincerely' or 'Yours faithfully'?
Part 5: Should We Say 'Take Bus', 'Take the Bus', or 'Take a Bus'?
Part 6: 'I Afraid' or 'I Am Afraid'?
Part 7: 'Date Someone' or 'Date with Someone'?
Part 8: A Missing Relative Pronoun
Part 9: Are 'Basketball', 'Football', and 'Badminton' Countable or Uncountable?
Part 10: 'Every Time' or 'Every Time When'?
Part 11: Should 'Mum' Be Capitalised? (Read this blog post for a more in-depth discussion of the topic.)
Examples from the Media
Days after quietly ringing in the Chinese New Year, Beijing is celebrating the Year of the Tiger on the Olympic stage. The tiger—a symbol of strength and good luck in Chinese folklore—was featured during Friday's Winter Olympic opening ceremony. —Toronto Star (2022)
A tiger at a wildlife park tore through the door of an enclosure and pounced on a keeper, a zoo visitor has told an inquest. Gareth Bell had been visiting South Lakes Safari Zoo in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, in May last year when he saw the tiger attack Sarah McClay in the keepers' corridor. —The Independent (2014)
And in some places in the United States, owning an exotic pet such as a tiger isn't regulated at all. —CNN (2020)
Tigers are classified as an endangered species and in the wild, they normally roam freely across large areas of territory. —South China Morning Post (2022)
Other Real-World Examples of Misuse
 |
| The definite article the is required as it is a specific monkey. You could also say that 'the monkey is climbing up the tall tree' if you want to point out that it is in the process of climbing. |
 |
| An eagle can be used to talk about a generic eagle, representative of the entire species. |
 |
| In this sentence, the panda refers to pandas as a species. (Image Source: 香港中學文憑試 : 英文星級句子全攻略) |
0 Comments