Should I use an article when I'm talking about general facts in comparative structures?

Question

Should I use an article in the following case when I'm talking about a general facts in comparative sentence structure, like the following?

For example:

Choice 1: Elephant is bigger than fox. Watermelon is bigger than grape.

Choice 2: An elephant is bigger than a fox. A watermelon is bigger than a grape.

The generic uses are "An/the elephant is bigger than a/the fox"; "A/the watermelon is bigger than the a/the grape". And with plural nouns "Elephants are bigger than foxes" or "Elephants are bigger than foxes"; "Watermelons are bigger than grapes". Note that the definite use with "the" could also have a non-generic interpretation. — BillJ, Commented Apr 24, 2018 at 7:15

Sam · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-25 20:27:39Z

Choice 1: Elephant is bigger than fox. Watermelon is bigger than grape.

This is wrong. It is grammatically incorrect.

Choice 2: An elephant is bigger than a fox. A watermelon is bigger than a grape.

Very good for general facts.

Choice 3: The elephant is bigger than the fox. The watermelon is bigger than the grape.

Not about general facts. This is about a specific elephant and a specific fox.

Choice 4: Elephants are bigger than foxes. Watermelons are bigger than grapes.

Very good for general facts.

1 Answer 1