When can an article be omitted? [duplicate]

Question

I am aware that articles are the modifiers, which introduce a noun/noun_phrase in a sentence, and by the rules of English grammar we should use an article before referring to a noun in a sentence.

However, I see that the above rule is not strictly followed. I have seen sentences where though a noun/noun_phrase is used in a sentence but an introductory article is not used.

Eg : Login to desktop and start the paint application [ Desktop is a noun, hence I expect either "Login to a desktop and ...." or "Login to the desktop at the corner and ....."]

So please help me understand, when can an article be omitted ?

Answer 1

There are various special cases, but in general:

• You include an article in English whenever you have a singular common noun (which usually refers to a class of entities (city, planet, person, corporation)).

• You omit an article with a proper noun (which usually refers to a unique entity, such as London, Jupiter, Sarah, or Microsoft).

Articles are optional with plurals -- not in the sense that you can include them or not on a whim, but that they change the meaning.

You should also not use an article when you use a possessive, like "my", or the adjective "one". (I'm sure I've seen other adjectives that take the place of an article, but I can't think of any right now.)

Maybe that's not entirely clear, so here are some examples:

You can start the application. "Application" is singular, so an article is required.

You can start applications. "Applications" is plural, so you don't need an article.

You can start Microsoft Word. "Microsoft Word" is a proper noun, the name of one particular application, so no article is used.

You can start one application. "One" takes the place of an article.

You can start his application. "His" is a possessive that makes an article unneeded.

If you use "the" before a plural, it indicates that you are talking about some particular set. Like if you said, "You can start applications", that would mean any applications, but if you said, "You can start the applications", that would indicate that you are talking about some specific set of applications, not any applications in the world.

In your example, I would have written "You can log in to THE desktop". "Desktop" is common noun and so requires an article. Or perhaps in this case the writer is referring to some specific product called "Desktop" and so he is thinking of it as a proper noun. If that's the case, it should be capitalized.

Answer 2

The examples given by the original poster are written instructions, where a kind of "telegraph-ese" style is employed for the sake of brevity. That style does not reflect natural spoken idiom.

Place wax paper on countertop.
Place sandwich on wax paper.
Fold wax paper around sandwich.
Place sandwich in paper bag.
Roll bag shut.
Go to work.