"The use of the oxygen mask" vs. "The use of an oxygen mask"

[Zajac]

Could you explain me which version is correct?

[Diverhank]

zajac, it would be helpful if you can provide the sentences in a context. I think depending on the context, either can be correct. By the way, it should be "an oxygen mask".

[Zajac]

Please watch the cabin attendant as she demonstrates the use of the oxygen mask.

[Diverhank]

Thanks for the context. In this case, "the oxygen mask" is more correct than "an oxygen mask". On the airplane, the attendant would demonstrate one definite kind of oxygen mask which is the same as the ones the passengers would be using in an emergency.

[Zajac]

Ok, thanks for help!

[Alan]

Just a bit more on the 'the' 'a' problem. Take this pair of sentences:

I took the car into town this morning and was hit by a car being driven too fast. The driver of the car stopped and agreed it was his fault.

In sentence one I have used 'the' because it means my car - the one you know about. In sentence one I have also used 'a' car because we don't know anything about that car.

In sentence two we now know about the other car and its driver and so in both cases we say 'the' driver and 'the car'

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Zajac]

Is it possible to say:
"I took the car into town this morning and was hit by the car being driven too fast" ?

the - beccause we know that this car was moving too fast

[Alan]

No, because,although it was being driven too fast, we haven't heard of the car before.

A
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms