they had a skirmish vs the two had a skirmish

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'They had a skirmish' is a more general statement, while 'The two had a skirmish' specifies that only two people or groups were involved. The choice between them depends on the level of detail and specificity the speaker wants to convey.

Last updated: March 15, 2024 • 602 views

they had a skirmish

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is a general statement indicating that a skirmish occurred, without specifying the number of people or groups involved.

Examples:

They had a skirmish over the disputed territory.
The soldiers had a skirmish with the enemy forces.
The two factions had a skirmish near the border.
After the argument, they had a skirmish in the schoolyard.
The protesters had a skirmish with the police.

Show examples from the web [+]

... on their way to Concord, where they arrived early this day. On their march they had a Skirmish with some Country People at Lexington.... " Diary of John Rowe,
Soon after some of the our guard came in reporting that they had a skirmish with them. Soon followed 100-200 cavalry men--the guard. Such a skedadling as ...
Early in the week they had a skirmish with a regiment in Patterson?s Creek Valley on its way to re-occupy Petersburg, but with no important result; 1 man killed ...
Near Abbeville they had a skirmish with the enemy without serious results to the Regiment. Reached Oxford only to find that the enemy had fallen back still ...

Alternatives:

They engaged in a skirmish.
A skirmish occurred.
There was a skirmish.
A skirmish took place.
They fought a skirmish.

the two had a skirmish

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase specifically indicates that only two people or groups were involved in the skirmish, providing a more detailed description.

Examples:

The two had a skirmish over the disputed territory.
The two armies had a skirmish at the border.
After the argument, the two had a skirmish in the schoolyard.
The two siblings had a skirmish over the remote control.
The two rival gangs had a skirmish in the alley.

Show examples from the web [+]

Aug 1, 2010 ... In 1994, Cable #9 marked the first time Cable met Omega Red in battle. The two had a skirmish in which Omega Red got the jump on a partially ...

Alternatives:

The pair had a skirmish.
Both of them had a skirmish.
The two groups had a skirmish.
The two sides had a skirmish.
The two individuals had a skirmish.

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they had a skirmish vs the two had a skirmish