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Ukrainian_Hobbit Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
Articles...
Should we use an article here?
"We sat in the garden and stared at (the?) night."
It somehow seems to me that "the" fits quite nicely, but the teacher insists on using no articles here. Should any article be used in this sentence, and why?
"We sat in the garden and stared at (the?) night."
It somehow seems to me that "the" fits quite nicely, but the teacher insists on using no articles here. Should any article be used in this sentence, and why?
Top answer
1. , something or someone. 2.
- 1.
- , something or someone.
- 2.
- "At night" is "during an arbitrary night".
- "At the night" is not idiomatic.
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2 Answers
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1. "Stare" or "stare at " requires an object, i.e., something or someone.
2. "At night" is "during an arbitrary night". "At the night" is not idiomatic.
(EX) We often sat in the garden at night and stared (at) each other.
(EX) That night we sat in the garden and stared at the night sky.
paco
2. "At night" is "during an arbitrary night". "At the night" is not idiomatic.
(EX) We often sat in the garden at night and stared (at) each other.
(EX) That night we sat in the garden and stared at the night sky.
paco
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A m0ore natural version would be to say that you stared 'into' the night. But in any case, you will need 'the'.
Your teacher is correct in that the phrase 'at night' meaning something happening during the night does not take 'the'. However, as Paco said, you cannot just say you stared 'during' the night. You have to be staring at something - so this sentence means that the object of your
Your teacher is correct in that the phrase 'at night' meaning something happening during the night does not take 'the'. However, as Paco said, you cannot just say you stared 'during' the night. You have to be staring at something - so this sentence means that the object of your
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