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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
I want to know the reason why "a" or "the" or non-article is used in these
0 A: In those days, African people suffered "the lack of rain". 02 br
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00 B: In those days, African people suffered "a lack of rain". 02 br
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00 C: In those days, African people suffered "lack of rain". 02 br
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00 ①I wonder why in A "the lack of rain" is used. 02 br
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00 Is it because "the lack of rain" has inside it the structure that 'They lacked rain' and it is a specific occurrence? 02 br
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00 ②I wonder why in B "a lack of rain" is used. 02 br
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00 Is it because "a lack of rain" has no such structure as A has, and expresses one-time unspecified occurrence? 02 br
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00 I think it means one of the occurrences. 02 br
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00 ③I wonder why in C "lack of rain" is used (why it has no article). 02 br
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00 Is it because "lack of rain" has no such structure as A has, and is conceptual and idiomatic? 0-
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00 B: In those days, African people suffered "a lack of rain". 02 br
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00 C: In those days, African people suffered "lack of rain". 02 br
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00 ①I wonder why in A "the lack of rain" is used. 02 br
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00 Is it because "the lack of rain" has inside it the structure that 'They lacked rain' and it is a specific occurrence? 02 br
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00 ②I wonder why in B "a lack of rain" is used. 02 br
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00 Is it because "a lack of rain" has no such structure as A has, and expresses one-time unspecified occurrence? 02 br
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00 I think it means one of the occurrences. 02 br
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00 ③I wonder why in C "lack of rain" is used (why it has no article). 02 br
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00 Is it because "lack of rain" has no such structure as A has, and is conceptual and idiomatic? 0-
Top answer
0 Yes, I think you understand it very well. Though the phrase 'in those days' makes A unlikely as a specific occurence, it could refer to a previously mentioned drought. 0-
- 0 Yes, I think you understand it very well.
- Though the phrase 'in those days' makes A unlikely as a specific occurence, it could refer to a previously mentioned drought.
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1 Answers
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0 Yes, I think you understand it very well. Though the phrase 'in those days' makes A unlikely as a specific occurence, it could refer to a previously mentioned drought. B is a more generic occurrence, and C posits 'lack' as a non-count noun. 0-
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