Spanish language Q&A Forum

My question is about the quiz item: "El niño rubio con pantalones cortos es mi hermano."

Why was the article "los" not used before pantalones cortos? [e.g., El niño con los pantalones cortos es mi hermano.] An extension of my question here is that sometimes I notice a definite article is inserted while other times it is not. Therefore, what is the rule for using definite articles (los/las) in sentences of this type.

Saludos,

Pati E.

Instead of “endurecer” could you say something like “hacer más duro”?

Puse solo la mitad de la harina en el bol.

I only put half the (quantity of) flour in the bowl.

Ella tiene el doble de hermanos que él.

She has twice as many siblings as he does.

Why is it de LA harina, but not de LOS hermanos? Is the definite article always skipped after doble de? There was a quiz question for "________ tiempo" meant to be filled with doble. Would it be "el doble de" or "el doble del"? 

In the quiz question: "¿Crees que ellos me ________ ese favor?

Do you think they would do me that favour?" We're told to put hacer in the conditional. If the sentence had instead started "¿No crees que..." what would the correct tense be for hacer? 

This question: "Dime ________ te vas a ir de aquí." I think this could be interpreted in two ways, but perhaps there are other grammatical considerations that mean only one works. If the sentence is intended to mean, "tell me now at what point in the future you are leaving here", then 'cuándo' seems correct. On the other hand, if what is meant is "at the future point in time that you are leaving here, tell me", then I *think* it would be 'cuando' with no accent?

Incidentally, I have been through several rounds with tech support and I still never receive notifications of new answers. I get notified when somebody likes my question and I get Shui's suggestion every day, but only twice have I ever gotten email notifications of answers to questions. I do appreciate that questions are now marked as having answers, although that doesn't really serve to notify if there are additional answers since last I checked. 

Could you also say “Me había regalado un esqueje”?

Quiz question: "Si envías un correo hoy, probablemente ________ respuesta mañana." The conditional is apparently wrong here, but I don't think I understand why. Wouldn't it translate as "If you send a letter today, you would probably get a reply tomorrow."? 

In English I believe this is incorrect. The gerund refers to the subject in the other sentence, so this sounds as if whoever knocked on the door was also getting ready for the party.

In Spanish if it is correct - how do we know it refers to ella? Based on context?

2nd example above is  'Cuanto menos te vea, mejor'

Why subjunctive?

Why was "recoger" used in the sentence "you must tidy up your room" instead of the verb "arreglar"?

Pati E.