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DorisPao Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
The + abstract noun
Hi everyone!
Ms. Lee is in charge of trading at the firm.
Ms. Lee is in charge of the trading at the firm.
Who oversees banking here?
Who oversees the banking here?
Infrastructure was terrible.
The infrastructure was terrible.
My English tutor says that in all the above examples, both versions are correct, but "the" is not necessary and adds nothing to the meaning. He says it just takes up space and zero article is better.
Where he prefers to use the definite article is:
"What do you like most about living in Singapore?"
"Oh, the infrastructure is superb!"
In this example, zero article would be too general, though not impossible and "the" is better.
Do his explanations make sense to you, dear native speakers?
Thank you.
Ms. Lee is in charge of trading at the firm.
Ms. Lee is in charge of the trading at the firm.
Who oversees banking here?
Who oversees the banking here?
Infrastructure was terrible.
The infrastructure was terrible.
My English tutor says that in all the above examples, both versions are correct, but "the" is not necessary and adds nothing to the meaning. He says it just takes up space and zero article is better.
Where he prefers to use the definite article is:
"What do you like most about living in Singapore?"
"Oh, the infrastructure is superb!"
In this example, zero article would be too general, though not impossible and "the" is better.
Do his explanations make sense to you, dear native speakers?
Thank you.
Top answer
In the first two cases and the last case I agree. In the third case, "(The) Infrastructure was terrible", I would include the article. Without it, the sentence feels a bit deficient to me.
- In the first two cases and the last case I agree.
- In the third case, "(The) Infrastructure was terrible", I would include the article.
- Without it, the sentence feels a bit deficient to me.
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16 Answers
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In the first two cases and the last case I agree. In the third case, "(The) Infrastructure was terrible", I would include the article. Without it, the sentence feels a bit deficient to me.
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GPY,
What if I wrote:
Infrastructure in Jakarta is poor.
Is that OK? Since I have a definite place now, is it be less deficient even without the article?
What if I wrote:
Infrastructure in Jakarta is poor.
Is that OK? Since I have a definite place now, is it be less deficient even without the article?
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DorisPaoGPY,What if I wrote:Infrastructure in Jakarta is poor.Is that OK? Since I have a definite place now, is it be less deficient even without the article?Perhaps so, but I think I would still personally use the article.
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Thank you, GPY. Actually, I found some sources in Google Books:
By comparison, in Congo, infrastructure was poor . . .
Infrastructure was poor, the road network . . . (a book about India)
And many other examples. But "the" is also used a lot in such cases.
I am not trying to contradict you, by the way, so please don't take it the wrong way. I am just trying to gr
By comparison, in Congo, infrastructure was poor . . .
Infrastructure was poor, the road network . . . (a book about India)
And many other examples. But "the" is also used a lot in such cases.
I am not trying to contradict you, by the way, so please don't take it the wrong way. I am just trying to gr
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DorisPaoBy comparison, in Congo, infrastructure was poor . . .Infrastructure was poor, the road network . . . (a book about India)Interesting. Maybe some people are beginning to think of "infrastructure" as a non-count noun.
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CalifJimInteresting. Maybe some people are beginning to think of "infrastructure" as a non-count noun.Well, isn't it? You can't have "two infrastructures".
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DorisPaoWell, isn't it? You can't have "two infrastructures".Hmm. I thought you could. But regardless, you're right to bring this up because I was going in the wrong direction on this one. "the" is used with both countable and uncountable nouns, so I don't know what I was thinking.
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It's okay, thanks, CJ! This actually makes me feel relieved. If native speakers as knowledgable as you sometimes get tripped up by this, what hope is there for us?
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DorisPaowhat hope is there for us?Indeed! It's hard to say. It seems that all of you have to stay more awake than I do.
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