I believe I've posted about the definite article before (it's "the"). I encounter its misuse in scientific texts written by non-native English speakers (understandably, as English is unusual in its use of the definite article). I've been asked to make comments on a text that seems to be using this word inappropriately, but I have trouble articulating why it is wrong, and how to correct this class of error. I don't want to use an example from the text I'm reading, so I'll have to make one up that is similar:
It typically rains on the plains in Spain. Driving on the roads can be difficult.
There are a number of alternatives that would make these sentences better, but I find it difficult to specify exactly what is wrong with these sentences. A thinking person could determine that "the roads" refers to the roads in the plains in Spain, as we were just talking about them being rainy, and it can be difficult to drive in rainy conditions. This seems like the wrong argument to make, though. If a thinking person could determine all that from what was given, what is the point of the second sentence at all? I think it should be more immediately clear which roads one is talking about:
It typically rains on the plains in Spain. Driving on the roads in the region can be difficult.
This is better, but it's still not that good.
It typically rains on the plains in Spain. Driving on the roads in this region can be difficult.
If it must be two sentences, this is how I would prefer to see it. Perhaps I've arrived at a rule: Use "this" or "these" when the meaning can be determined from a nearby noun. Use "the" when the meaning is clear from overall context. How's that?
