Question
Updated on
5 February
- Simplified Chinese (China)
-
English (US)
-
English (UK)
Question about English (US)
Which sounds the most natural?
1. I want to see a dentist.
2. I want to go to a dentist.
3. I want to see the dentist.
4. I want to go to the dentist.
Which sounds the most natural?
1. I want to see a dentist.
2. I want to go to a dentist.
3. I want to see the dentist.
4. I want to go to the dentist.
1. I want to see a dentist.
2. I want to go to a dentist.
3. I want to see the dentist.
4. I want to go to the dentist.
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5 February
Featured answer
- English (US)
2 is best, 1 is OK, 4 is OK. 3 sounds like you are at the dentist office talking to the person at the front desk.
But nobody ever says "I want to go to a dentist". It's always "I need to go to a dentist."
Highly-rated answerer
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- English (US)
2 is best, 1 is OK, 4 is OK. 3 sounds like you are at the dentist office talking to the person at the front desk.
But nobody ever says "I want to go to a dentist". It's always "I need to go to a dentist."
Highly-rated answerer
- Simplified Chinese (China)
@paulf9765 Thank you. What if I said “I need to go to the dentist”? Using “the” would be talking about a specific dentist, right?
- English (US)
"I need to go to the dentist" is fine. It means "my dentist" or "any dentist". You don't need to be referring to a specific dentist.
Highly-rated answerer
- Simplified Chinese (China)
- English (US)
- Simplified Chinese (China)
- English (US)
@branduhn actually, I think "see a movie" is more common when going to a theater, and "watch a movie" is more common at home.
Highly-rated answerer
- Simplified Chinese (China)
@paulf9765 Thanks. If I want to go to a theater, which of these sounds the most natural to you?
1. I want to see a movie.
2. I want to go to the movies.
3. I want to go to the movie theater.
1. I want to see a movie.
2. I want to go to the movies.
3. I want to go to the movie theater.
- English (US)
- Simplified Chinese (China)
@paulf9765 Thanks. If I change “see a movie” to “see the movie”, does that mean any movie or a specific movie?
- English (US)
@branduhn a specific movie that I mentioned earlier
Highly-rated answerer
- Simplified Chinese (China)
@paulf9765 Thanks. If you’re already at the movie theater, your friend asks where you are, would you say “I’m watching the movie” or “I’m seeing the movie”?
- English (US)
- Simplified Chinese (China)
@paulf9765 Thanks, why does “see the movie” only means a specific movie, while “see the dentist” can mean any dentist or a specific dentist? Could you explain?
- English (US)
@branduhn This rule for using "the" only applies for "the dentist", "the doctor", "the bank", "the library", "the hospital", "the post office", "the barber", and "the store". I can't think of any more examples.
Highly-rated answerer
- Simplified Chinese (China)
@paulf9765 Thanks, so in those phrases, “the” doesn’t mean a specific thing. Do you think this sounds natural?
“Every time your heart is broken, a doorway cracks open to a world full of new beginnings, new opportunities. Never regret yesterday. Life is in your today, and you make your tomorrow.”
“Every time your heart is broken, a doorway cracks open to a world full of new beginnings, new opportunities. Never regret yesterday. Life is in your today, and you make your tomorrow.”
- English (US)
@branduhn Yes, I think so. I'm not sure about "life is in your today" but I think it is fine.
Highly-rated answerer
- Simplified Chinese (China)
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