I think "people we know are lying to us" is quite specific, so it should be "listen to THE people" with definite article "the", isn't it?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Actually, the definite article "the" makes the object more specific. So saying "the people we know are lying to us" is more specific in referring to particular people who you know are lying to you. Without the definite article here, this could refer to these types of people in general. However, this sentence sounds grammatically correct both with and without the definite article "the" and could be used either way.

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Popular Q&As

01/18

1
Aren't both "sit" and "wonder" verbs? Can two verbs come together like that?
While at their base forms these two words are verbs, within the structure of the sentence "sitting" and "wondering" are both present participles. I'd say the reason this works is that there's a sense of an omitted word like "and" or "here." So It could be read as "I'm sitting here wondering" or "I'm sitting and wondering," but they sound so natural together that it's fine if those words are omitted. Also, they give us very different information about what's happening, "sitting" indicates the position, and "wondering" tells us what he's doing while sitting. Ex: I'm standing looking out the window, and then I see a bird. = I'm standing there looking out the window, and then I see a bird. Ex: She was crying, trying to get out of doing her chores.

2
Why is "nice" used here?
The expression "nice and" is often used to put more emphasis on the adjective that follows, and it is used to mean "very" in a positive context. So "nice and hot" here means very hot. Here's a few more examples of this expression: Ex: The hot tub is nice and warm. Ex: I just did laundry so now my clothes are nice and clean.

3
I'm not familiar with "Keep it coming," but does it have the same meaning as "keep it up?"
It is very similar to "keep it up," and you could possibly use "keep it up" instead of "keep it coming" here. But to be more precise, "keep it coming" means to make an effort for a given activity to continue. As if saying you want "more" of something. Ex: Keep it coming, chef. People love the burgers! Ex: Keep the jokes coming. They're hilarious.

4
What does "coronation" mean?
A "coronation" is an official ceremony to crown a sovereign. Ex: King Charles the 3rds' coronation will take place in 2023. Ex: There were many celebrities and royal guests at the coronation.

5
What does “bad news” here mean?
Saying someone is "bad news" means they are troublesome or dangerous. Ex: She's bad news, don't talk to her. Ex: After I met him, I could tell he was bad news.

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