Doubt about article "the" in a sentence
I can't understand why in the sentence below "the over-use of crops" needs the article "the", and "Widespread clearing of trees" doesn't need it. What would be the basis for that?

Widespread clearing of trees and the over-use of crops constitute nearly one third and just over a quarter respectively.

Question

Doubt about article "the" in a sentence
I can't understand why in the sentence below "the over-use of crops" needs the article "the", and "Widespread clearing of trees" doesn't need it. What would be the basis for that?

Widespread clearing of trees and the over-use of crops constitute nearly one third and just over a quarter respectively.

Answer

The use of "the" here is not essential and it is up to the speaker  to include it or not. 
I can add that in my opinion, it doesn't sound strange the way it is written, however, if the writer had said "The widespread clearing of trees and the over-use of crops..." it would sound redundant to include "the" twice...

Answers · 2

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