The zero-article tag has no wiki summary.
10
votes
3answers
2k views
Why use “the” for oceans/seas/rivers etc. but not lakes?
Possibly two questions in here: Are these sentence constructions logical, and if they are, why are they different?
I swam across the Ocmulgee River.
I swam across the Pacific Ocean.
I swam ...
7
votes
5answers
501 views
Why is “the” dropped in “I go to school by bus”?
Why is the dropped in "I go to school by bus"? Why isn't it "I go to the school by the bus" if both school and bus are countable? Does the rule that a countable noun must have an article have an ...
7
votes
2answers
459 views
Are there specific rules to build expressions with or without articles?
In English, there are lots of expressions built using articles like:
at the station
to the cinema
play the piano
have breakfast (no article)
take a bath
take a shower
Are there specific rules or ...
6
votes
3answers
366 views
Usage of “a” and “the” in titles
Which one should I use for page title?
Apple — Tasty Fruit
Apple — A Tasty Fruit
Apple — The Tasty Fruit
The article is only about tasty apple.
5
votes
2answers
3k views
“During summer” vs. “during the summer”
What is the difference between saying "during summer" and "during the summer"? As in:
I work during the summer.
I work during summer.
Are both common? Is my feeling correct that the ...
5
votes
1answer
125 views
“Time of (the) day”
I am confused about the article usage in the phrase "time of (the) day".
From my research, I understand that "time of day" (day with the zero article) is more common and probably more idiomatic. It's ...
3
votes
3answers
63 views
Use of the definite article “the” before “church”
I was in a Teacher's selection for a school in my country, and one of the coordinators said that she heard a mistake from another teacher that was unacceptable. I tried to figure out why was that, but ...
3
votes
1answer
484 views
Use (or non-use) of articles before abstract nouns
I know I have asked a similar question before but this time I have examples taken from COCA and they do puzzle me. I would love to hear explanations from native speakers.
The following (incomplete) ...
2
votes
2answers
119 views
“He feared a U.S. invasion” vs. “He feared U.S. invasion”
It it accurate to say this?
He feared a U.S. invasion.
Or should I say,
He feared U.S. invasion.
I'm trying to figure out when to place "a" in front of the U.S. when U.S. comes with a noun ...
2
votes
1answer
100 views
“In the third person” or “in third person”
Which is more correct?
He's talking in the third person.
He's talking in third person.
Does it matter?
2
votes
4answers
333 views
Should I put a definite article before a scientific term?
Which is (more) correct?
(I am with the) Laboratory of Biochemistry of Hydrobionts.
(I am with the) Laboratory of the Biochemistry of Hydrobionts.
Is there any rule for using or not ...
1
vote
1answer
148 views
Is it necessary to use “the” before using verb+“ing” in specific contexts?
I am confused with whether it is necessary to use the before verbs in certain contexts. Like:
The milking of a cow is not a painful process at all like you think.
I am afraid it has never been ...
1
vote
2answers
90 views
Why isn’t the definite article used in “The commission commanded that work […] should cease”?
In this sentence:
The commission commanded that work on the building should cease.
Why isn't the used before the word work? It seems that the work is specified by on the building.
Another ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
“Give the real temperature” vs. “give real temperature”
I would like to know if I should use the second the in the following sentence.
The thermometer does not give the real temperature.
The thermometer does not give real temperature.
And I ...
0
votes
4answers
128 views
Why is there no article in “The Child is father of the man”?
The Rainbow by William Wordsworth:
My heart leaps up when I behold
A Rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me ...
0
votes
1answer
89 views
Zero article after “of” in “a change of place”
Given the sentence
The use of apples instead of pears is unexpected in the dish.
I don't think we can use apple instead of apples. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) But then, how come we can say the ...
0
votes
2answers
113 views
Is it valid to omit “the”? [closed]
Example:
Quote from author of this publication: "..."
instead of:
Quote from the author of this publication: "..."
Is omitting the "the" in this example OK?
Update: Here's the context. ...
-1
votes
3answers
204 views
What article should be used in such sentences?
What article should be used in the following sentence?
He was English by [a/the/] blood.
I feel there should be a zero article here, but I was taught that the zero article is impossible in ...
