Define referring and non referring expression with example?

Referring expression: A referring expression is a word or phrase that is used to identify a specific person, place, thing, or idea. It refers to something that is known to both the speaker and the listener.

Example: "The man in the blue shirt is my brother." In this sentence, "the man in the blue shirt" is a referring expression that identifies a specific person.

Non-referring expression: A non-referring expression is a word or phrase that does not refer to a specific person, place, thing, or idea. It is used to make a general statement or to provide additional information.

Example: "Some people believe that aliens exist." In this sentence, "some people" is a non-referring expression that does not identify any specific individuals.

Referring Expressions:

- Refer to a specific entity or object by naming it.
- Contain definite articles ("the") or proper nouns.
- Can be replaced by a pronoun without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Examples:

- "The President of the United States"
- "My grandmother"
- "The Eiffel Tower"

Non-Referring Expressions:

- Do not refer to a specific entity or object.
- Often contain indefinite articles ("a/an") or quantifiers ("some", "many").
- Cannot be replaced by a pronoun without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Examples:

- "A black cat"
- "Many students"
- "Most people"