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Reegis Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Articles: A or The clothes department
Hello, everyone.
1) Is there a rule (apart from standard rules about articles) saying when we should say a department and when the department with some modifier at the beginning?
For example here http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/department?q=department we can see two cases:
- a government/university, etc. department
- the marketing/sales, etc. department
2) Why do we say a government department and at the same time the sales department?
3) If I would like to say that somebody works in some clothes department (not specific one), then should I say 'He works in a clothes department' or 'He works in the clothes department'? Normally it would be obvious to use an indefinite article, but considering the example above I am not so certain.
Thanks in advance for your help. This is the topic that I find very confusing.
1) Is there a rule (apart from standard rules about articles) saying when we should say a department and when the department with some modifier at the beginning?
For example here http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/department?q=department we can see two cases:
- a government/university, etc. department
- the marketing/sales, etc. department
2) Why do we say a government department and at the same time the sales department?
3) If I would like to say that somebody works in some clothes department (not specific one), then should I say 'He works in a clothes department' or 'He works in the clothes department'? Normally it would be obvious to use an indefinite article, but considering the example above I am not so certain.
Thanks in advance for your help. This is the topic that I find very confusing.
Top answer
A: Where does Jim work? B: He works in the clothes department of the local Kmart store. or A: Where does Jim work?
- A: Where does Jim work?
- B: He works in the clothes department of the local Kmart store.
- or A: Where does Jim work?
- B: He works in the local Kmart store.
- A: Oh, which section.
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4 Answers
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A: Where does Jim work?
B: He works in the clothes department of the local Kmart store.
or
A: Where does Jim work?
B: He works in the local Kmart store.
A: Oh, which section.
B: He works in the clothes department.
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B: He works in the clothes department of the local Kmart store.
or
A: Where does Jim work?
B: He works in the local Kmart store.
A: Oh, which section.
B: He works in the clothes department.
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Reegis
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Hmmm, this is interesting...
Let me make sure I got you right:
Normally we say that somebody works in a shop, in a factory, in a hospital or in an office, but clothes department is an exception and should not be used in such context with an indefinite article? Do you suspect any explanation why it sounds incomplete while the previous examples sound c
Let me make sure I got you right:
Normally we say that somebody works in a shop, in a factory, in a hospital or in an office, but clothes department is an exception and should not be used in such context with an indefinite article? Do you suspect any explanation why it sounds incomplete while the previous examples sound c
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Reegisbut clothes department is an exception and should not be used in such context with an indefinite article? Do youI don't know which examples you're referring to. It's incomplete because a clothes department does not exist by itself as a sepsuspecthave any explanation why it sounds incomplete while the previous examples sound complete?
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Sorry for the delay in answering, but I took some leave and left town:)
Every day I learn English brings some interesting new facts. Let me sum up if I got your right:
We ca
teechrI don't know which examples you're referring to.I meant these examples: somebody works in a shop, in a factory, in a hospital or in an office.
Every day I learn English brings some interesting new facts. Let me sum up if I got your right:
We ca
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