Zero article before single count noun
Why isn't there a determiner before "prayer group" in the following passage from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/24/dining/family-meals-around-the-world.html?
(I suppose "prayer group is a countable noun,which in general needs a determiner excpet certain expressions like by bus,at dawn,have breakfast,to hospital,in summer,etc.)
The Garzas get weeknight dinner on their table in Laredo with help from an Instant Pot. On this evening, they ate spaghetti with meat sauce, along with a green salad and garlic bread. They eat at home six nights a week; they’ll sometimes order takeout if they have "prayer group" or baseball practice for Grayson, 4, in foreground.
Top answer
The fact that "prayer group" is in quotation marks gives us the reason that there is no article. It signals that "prayer group" is not a reference to the people in that group but to the scheduled activity. In fact, it's clear from the combination they have "prayer group" or baseball practice that have "prayer group" is being treated just as have baseball practice is.
- The fact that "prayer group" is in quotation marks gives us the reason that there is no article.
- It signals that "prayer group" is not a reference to the people in that group but to the scheduled activity.
- In fact, it's clear from the combination they have "prayer group" or baseball practice that have "prayer group" is being treated just as have baseball practice is.
- None of these activity based idioms ( to have X ) take a determiner.
- have choir practice next Wednesday, have German class every afternoon, have management training all next week, have dinner early tonight, ...
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The fact that "prayer group" is in quotation marks gives us the reason that there is no article. It signals that "prayer group" is not a reference to the people in that group but to the scheduled activity. In fact, it's clear from the combination they have "prayer group" or baseball practice that have "prayer group" is being treated just as have baseball practi
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