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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Learning
The Articles
The articles have been always my nightmare. The "a" and "an" are no problem, but I still have a huge problem with the "the" and the occasions that don't require it. I keep reading my grammar book; however, when I come to writing, all the nouns in my text seem to break all the rules I have learned.
How about musical groups? "The Beatles" obviously requires a "the", but why doesn't "Police" require one?
What confuse me most are the nouns that start with a capital letter, such as: Congress, Carnegie Hall, Smithsonian, Federalists, Nazis, U.S.S. Arizona, Lexus and so on.
How about titles of classical music pieces? The Bell of Liszt, The Moldau of Smetana, The Afternoon of a Faun of Debussy, The Nutcracker of Tchaikovsky and so on seem to require a "the" for each. On the other hand, Spanish Rhapsody of Ravel, Pierrot lunaire of Schoenberg, Maple Leaf Rag of Joplin, West Side Story of Bernstein and so on don't have a "the".
How about musical groups? "The Beatles" obviously requires a "the", but why doesn't "Police" require one?
What confuse me most are the nouns that start with a capital letter, such as: Congress, Carnegie Hall, Smithsonian, Federalists, Nazis, U.S.S. Arizona, Lexus and so on.
How about titles of classical music pieces? The Bell of Liszt, The Moldau of Smetana, The Afternoon of a Faun of Debussy, The Nutcracker of Tchaikovsky and so on seem to require a "the" for each. On the other hand, Spanish Rhapsody of Ravel, Pierrot lunaire of Schoenberg, Maple Leaf Rag of Joplin, West Side Story of Bernstein and so on don't have a "the".
Top answer
[nq:1]The articles have been always my nightmare. The "a" and "an" are no problem, but I still have a huge ... [/nq] "Spanish Rhapsody" - the tune is a rhapsody with a Spanish motiv; "Peerrot lunaire" is French - I think it might be a name; "West Side Story" is a story about a place known as "West Side".
- [nq:1]The articles have been always my nightmare.
- The "a" and "an" are no problem, but I still have a huge ...
- [/nq] "Spanish Rhapsody" - the tune is a rhapsody with a Spanish motiv; "Peerrot lunaire" is French - I think it might be a name; "West Side Story" is a story about a place known as "West Side".
- Regards, Einde O'Callaghan
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8 Answers
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[nq:1]The articles have been always my nightmare. The "a" and "an" are no problem, but I still have a huge ... - in English river names are usually preceded by "the", "The Afternoon" - the tune is about a specific afternoon.[/nq]
"Spanish Rhapsody" - the tune is a rhapsody with a Spanish motiv; "Peerrot lunaire" is French - I think it might be a name; "West Side Story" is a story about a plac
"Spanish Rhapsody" - the tune is a rhapsody with a Spanish motiv; "Peerrot lunaire" is French - I think it might be a name; "West Side Story" is a story about a plac
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[nq:1]The name of the group is "Police" not "The Police" - why? Because the founders of the group decided they liked it better that way.[/nq]
OK, what would you do when you have to write about Police in your essay? Do you go like this:
I am a big fan of Police and Wings. When the Police came to the U.S.A., I went to their concert five times in a row.
Or do you go with
OK, what would you do when you have to write about Police in your essay? Do you go like this:
I am a big fan of Police and Wings. When the Police came to the U.S.A., I went to their concert five times in a row.
Or do you go with
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[nq:2]The name of the group is "Police" not "The Police" - why? Because the founders of the group decided they liked it better that way.[/nq]
[nq:1]OK, what would you do when you have to write about Police in your essay? Do you go like this: ... I went to their concert five times in a row. Or do you go without the "the"? Leave out "the".[/nq]
[nq:2]I don't understand what is confusing. Th
[nq:1]OK, what would you do when you have to write about Police in your essay? Do you go like this: ... I went to their concert five times in a row. Or do you go without the "the"? Leave out "the".[/nq]
[nq:2]I don't understand what is confusing. Th
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[nq:2] OK, what would you do when you have to ... in a row. Or do you go without the "the"?[/nq]
[nq:1]Leave out "the".[/nq]
Acknowledged.
[nq:2]So it's fine to put a "the" when it is necessary or specific.[/nq]
[nq:1]Not necessarily. I believe American English often refers to "Congress" without "the",[/nq]
What is the motive for "the"? Is it because there is only one Congress
[nq:1]Leave out "the".[/nq]
Acknowledged.
[nq:2]So it's fine to put a "the" when it is necessary or specific.[/nq]
[nq:1]Not necessarily. I believe American English often refers to "Congress" without "the",[/nq]
What is the motive for "the"? Is it because there is only one Congress
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[nq:2] Not necessarily. I believe American English often refers to "Congress" without "the",[/nq]
[nq:1]What is the motive for "the"? Is it because there is only one Congress? I saw many Congresses in David ... have been involved in other congresses too, e.g. the Continental Congress. although British English would probably be more likely to[/nq]
[nq:2]use "the"; "Carnegie Hall" without
[nq:1]What is the motive for "the"? Is it because there is only one Congress? I saw many Congresses in David ... have been involved in other congresses too, e.g. the Continental Congress. although British English would probably be more likely to[/nq]
[nq:2]use "the"; "Carnegie Hall" without
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A certain Einde O'Callaghan, of misc.education.language.english, writes:
[nq:2] Excuse me, but I think your "it's" is supposed to be "its"?[/nq]
[nq:1]You're right. I shouldn't try to deal with these questions late at night.[/nq]
Couldn't you notice "it is" inappropriate use?
[nq:2] Excuse me, but I think your "it's" is supposed to be "its"?[/nq]
[nq:1]You're right. I shouldn't try to deal with these questions late at night.[/nq]
Couldn't you notice "it is" inappropriate use?
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[nq:1]A certain Einde O'Callaghan, of misc.education.language.english, writes:[/nq]
[nq:2] You're right. I shouldn't try to deal with these questions late at night.[/nq]
[nq:1]Couldn't you notice "it is" inappropriate use?
[nq:2] You're right. I shouldn't try to deal with these questions late at night.[/nq]
[nq:1]Couldn't you notice "it is" inappropriate use?
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A certain Einde O'Callaghan, of misc.education.language.english, writes:
[nq:1]I see what you mean - but in fact it is incorrect -[/nq]
For the missing "an"? "...it's an inappropriate use..."
-- Enrico C
Do Something Amazing Today Save a Life, Give Blood
[nq:1]I see what you mean - but in fact it is incorrect -[/nq]
For the missing "an"? "...it's an inappropriate use..."
-- Enrico C
Do Something Amazing Today Save a Life, Give Blood
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