parents and the students

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

abcnews.go.com/GMA/Media/kyron-h … d=10847733
Though there is understandable concern among parents that one of their own vanished in what is typically considered to be a safe environment, Shelby said parents and [color=red]the students have been cooperative with authorities.

Isn’t “the parents and studetns” correct?

2

Neither is incorrect, but that sentence makes it seem that there is a certain set of students in mind. That may or may not be the case.

3

Hi Tofu,

Very often the use of the definite article ‘the’ is used to highlight/emphasise a noun. In your sentence

you have examples of an article and no articles. The writer says ‘parents’ and ‘authorities’ without an article because he is talking about those two groups in general. He uses the definite article with ‘students’ to suggest ‘students’ in particular almost along the lines of ‘and I am talking about the students, don’t forget them’.

Alan