Not a singular or plural?

Question

Hi, thx for reading my post, I have the following q's:

1, Since he became president, both....

2, After she left hospital, her husband....

Why the writer did not say "since he came a/the president"? The interesting thing is the dictionary does not say whether the word "president" is countable or uncountable. I thought if it is a noun, if must either be countable or uncountable?

Same for the second one, why the wrtier did not say "after she left the hospital"
?

3, I was thinking of going to London...but it depends how much I have got. Why we dont say "depends on"?

4, I m about to start work on my second novel.

Why we dont say "I'm about to start WORKING or I'm about to start to work?

Thx so much!!

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

Welcome to EF, peterchan! I hope you'll learn to write compelete words. It's more polite for the reader if he doesn't have to guess at the meaning.

peterchan1, Since he became president, both..

It's a point of English grammar that if only one person can have a title at a time, no article is used in certain contexts and with certain verbs. The article is used if the word is the subject of the sentence:

He was elected president.
They made him king.
John Kennedy was [the] president of the USA in 1961.
The president was present at the ceremony.

peterchan2, After she left hospital, her husband..

If she was a patient, no article is used in British English. Americans use an article even then. If a hospital is mentioned merely as a building, an article is needed. Also, doctors and nurses work at hospitals and consequently an article should be used in such contexts.

He was taken to [the] hospital after the accident.
Dr Smith works in/at a/the hospital in this town.
Can you see that building behind the trees? It's a hospital.
peterchan3, I was thinking of going to London...but it depends how much I have got. Why we dont say "depends on"?

"Why don't we say...?" The preposition should be used.

peterchan4, I m about to start work on my second novel.

Why we dont say "I'm about to start WORKING or I'm about to start to work?

There are often many ways to express a certain idea. Both your suggestions are also correct. In the example work is a noun, not a verb.

CB

Peterchan · Answer

Thanks CE, you are so helpful.

Just 2 things here regarding point 1 and 4.

1. You said if only one person can have a title at a time, no article is used in certain contexts. So, for a ESL like, I probably would say He was the elected president and The made him a king. When you hear sentences like that, would you consider they are incorrect or you would know straight away that they were not written by a native speaker?

2. The sentence, which was written in a grammar book states "I was thinking of going to London, but it depends how much I have got." My comment is that it should be written as "I was thinking of going to London, but it depends ON how much I have got." But the gramma book cant be wrong, so what do you think? Are they both correct?

Thanks again.

Cool Breeze · Answer

1. You can never be sure what a native or a non-native speaker might say. Quite a few native speakers have told me a native speaker would never say a certain thing and yet a Google search gives countless examples. I would say: He is the president-elect. They made him a king is fine if there are several kings simultaneously.

2. I have already said what I consider correct.

CB

Anonymous · Answer

can you explain  further when to use a hospital and the hospital???is the word hospital singular or plural???

Not a singular or plural?

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