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JKBelieve Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
This time I have a question about general grammar
when can I eliminate articles such as 'the', 'a', etc. in front of a noun in a sentence?
Please explain it as easily as you can, I'm not the best at understanding grammar.
Thank you for giving up your time for this.
Please explain it as easily as you can, I'm not the best at understanding grammar.
Thank you for giving up your time for this.
Top answer
These cover most instances: (1) When the noun is plural and is referring to all like items generally: ' Lions are big cats'. (2) When the noun is uncountable and is referring to all like substances generally: ' Sugar is sweet'. (3) When the noun is preceded by another determiner-- a possessive or a demonstrative adjective: ' My elephant is pregnant'; ' This banana is overripe'.
- These cover most instances: (1) When the noun is plural and is referring to all like items generally: ' Lions are big cats'.
- (2) When the noun is uncountable and is referring to all like substances generally: ' Sugar is sweet'.
- (3) When the noun is preceded by another determiner-- a possessive or a demonstrative adjective: ' My elephant is pregnant'; ' This banana is overripe'.
- (4) There are a number of idiomatic cases of omitted articles: 'on foot', 'at school', 'by airmail', 'in bed', 'after midnight', etc.
- There are some other minor instances, but these four will cover 95% of the zero-articles, I think.
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4 Answers
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These cover most instances:
(1) When the noun is plural and is referring to all like items generally: 'Lions are big cats'.
(2) When the noun is uncountable and is referring to all like substances generally: 'Sugar is sweet'.
(3) When the noun is preceded by another determiner-- a possessive or a demonstrative adjective: 'My elephant is pregna
(1) When the noun is plural and is referring to all like items generally: 'Lions are big cats'.
(2) When the noun is uncountable and is referring to all like substances generally: 'Sugar is sweet'.
(3) When the noun is preceded by another determiner-- a possessive or a demonstrative adjective: 'My elephant is pregna
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'This side to road'
which one of the four covers this one?
Thanks
which one of the four covers this one?
Thanks
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None-- the phrase is unintelligible.
Headline/roadsign telegraphic style permits the omission of articles and other 'unimportant' words-- 'Man bites dog'; 'left turn only'.
Headline/roadsign telegraphic style permits the omission of articles and other 'unimportant' words-- 'Man bites dog'; 'left turn only'.
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