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Believer Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
two questions out of the can
1. I found these two sentences which are in the same grammatical format from a Korean web site and have been wondering why their subjects are without articles.
Petticoat (why not a petticoat) is a kind of women's undergarment.
Cobra (why not a Cobra) is a kind of poisonous snake.
2. For the phrases or words in parentheses like the ones below, are they suppose to have articles in front of them or are they optional? Can you give me some clear guidelines regarding this area?
My father calls me (a ???) "Soccer Ball" because he thinks I am playful.
... known as (a ????) "product" in academic circles .
Are these words or parentheses are not within the bounds of articles rules?
Also, can you rephrase the underlined part to better convey the intended meaning?
Petticoat (why not a petticoat) is a kind of women's undergarment.
Cobra (why not a Cobra) is a kind of poisonous snake.
2. For the phrases or words in parentheses like the ones below, are they suppose to have articles in front of them or are they optional? Can you give me some clear guidelines regarding this area?
My father calls me (a ???) "Soccer Ball" because he thinks I am playful.
... known as (a ????) "product" in academic circles .
Are these words or parentheses are not within the bounds of articles rules?
Also, can you rephrase the underlined part to better convey the intended meaning?
Top answer
1 - They should both have articles. Sometimes, in things like a glossary, the articles will be omitted and you don't need complete sentences, but when they are written out as sentences, they should have an article. 2 - If the father literally calls her "Soccer Ball" as though it were a name, there is no article.
- 1 - They should both have articles.
- Sometimes, in things like a glossary, the articles will be omitted and you don't need complete sentences, but when they are written out as sentences, they should have an article.
- 2 - If the father literally calls her "Soccer Ball" as though it were a name, there is no article.
- "Hey a Barb, time for dinner" - that doesn't work.
- But if it were "He says I'm LIKE a soccer ball" you would have an article.
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4 Answers
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1 - They should both have articles. Sometimes, in things like a glossary, the articles will be omitted and you don't need complete sentences, but when they are written out as sentences, they should have an article.
2 - If the father literally calls her "Soccer Ball" as though it were a name, there is no article. "Hey a Barb, time for dinner" - that doesn't work. But if it were "He says
2 - If the father literally calls her "Soccer Ball" as though it were a name, there is no article. "Hey a Barb, time for dinner" - that doesn't work. But if it were "He says
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Thank you so much.
In your answer, you wrote, "If the father literally calls her "Soccer Ball" as though it were a name, there is no article. I know that in the "if I/he/she/they + were" format, those clauses would be followed with the modal verb "would," but why did you use "were" in the underlined part? Thank you.
In your answer, you wrote, "If the father literally calls her "Soccer Ball" as though it were a name, there is no article. I know that in the "if I/he/she/they + were" format, those clauses would be followed with the modal verb "would," but why did you use "were" in the underlined part? Thank you.
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I probably overuse the subjunctive.
Soccer Ball isn't really a name, it's a nickname. No one except Hollywood celebrities would pick such an odd name. And even they have done that yet - I hope. Anyway, I wrote "as though it were" to show that it's in contrast to actual fact.
I spend money as though I were rich - I'm not rich, so I use were to show that it's not th
Soccer Ball isn't really a name, it's a nickname. No one except Hollywood celebrities would pick such an odd name. And even they have done that yet - I hope. Anyway, I wrote "as though it were" to show that it's in contrast to actual fact.
I spend money as though I were rich - I'm not rich, so I use were to show that it's not th
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Thank you very much again for an informative explanation.
I might be beating this area of grammar too many times but for the sake of a need to know, let me ask you whether the use of a verb "were" to contrast an actual fact, without being preceded by or followed with a clause in the form of the phrase "I/he/she/they + would," is acceptable and common in the world of the English la
I might be beating this area of grammar too many times but for the sake of a need to know, let me ask you whether the use of a verb "were" to contrast an actual fact, without being preceded by or followed with a clause in the form of the phrase "I/he/she/they + would," is acceptable and common in the world of the English la
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