There is *a first time* for everything, why don't use *the first time*
Hi there,
I googled this question before, but I could not get an answer. Could you please tell me why we don't say There is *the first time* for everything. I supposed that we should always put *the* before first. Or could you please give a hint to read what grammar here is?
There is a first time for everything
Thank you for your help.
Search from various English teachers...
Answers · 11
1
Usually we use "the" with superlatives because they refer to one specific thing. "The fastest runner" refers to one specific person. "Everything," however, is non-specific, and refers to many different things. "There's a first time for this, there's a first time for that, there's a first time for everything."
1
I can see the difficulty for students here. For example, you would have to use "the" in this sentence: "The first lesson for every new teacher is a very nervous experience."
For me, I think the common usage of "there is a" to introduce new things into a narrative is a good perspective which I don't think can be argued with.
1
We are referring to a general, hypothetical idea and not a specific situation. We also use "there is a/an" to introduce the existence of new thing in our narrative.
Normally, we use first time in specific, unique situations e.g. "The first time that I taught a lesson was a scary experience."
1
The article "a" is more appropriate since the verb used is "is" and the object pronoun "everything" is also singular.
1
Because "a" is an indefinite (not specific) article and "the" is a definite (specific) article.
For example:
I'd like an apple (not specific, any apple will do)
Can you give me the apple (talking about an apple in sight)
Same with "a first time". The time is not specified, you don't know when the "first time for everything" will be, you only know that there will be "a time" at some point.
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