Please look at this sentence: Giraffe is the tallest animal. My take is that this sentence needs to begin with the definite article. But my daughter's teacher says 'not necessary' because there cannot be two "the" (s) in one sentence. Please clarify and help me justify if you think I have a point. Thank you.

Question

anonymous · Answer

"There cannot be two 'the'(s) in one sentence" is extremely silly.

As you suspect, it should be "the giraffe is the tallest animal."

anonymous · Answer

Yeah giraffes are the tallest animals

anonymous · Answer

There can absolutely be two "the (s)" in one sentence.  there can even be... >gasp<... three!  LOL!

The Giraffe is the tallest animal.
A Giraffe is the tallest animal.
or
Giraffes are the tallest animals.

anonymous · Answer

Your  daughter's teacher is wrong.  Check out  the last example on David Appleyard's website on English grammar.  And you can definitely use more than one "the" in a sentence.
The definite article is used in front of countable nouns representing a whole class or category of something. 	

    The computer has changed our lives.
    It is left up to the consumer to decide
    which one to buy.
    We all have a responsibility to look after
    the old and infirm.
    The whale is the largest mammal.