Questions tagged [zero-article]
For questions about noun phrases that contain no articles, definite or indefinite.
383
questions
1
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Should it be "without scarf" or "without a scarf"?
Is one of these right and one wrong, and if so, which is which and why?
Sandra is the woman without scarf.
Sandra is the woman without a scarf.
Would it work the same if we said she was without ...
- 31
7
votes
2
answers
2k
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When to use an article before "reason"
Please help me to understand when should I use an article before reason and when I should not use any article before reason.
Examples:
(A) I have reason to do this.
(B) I have a good reason ...
- 3,987
0
votes
3
answers
254
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I think an article (a/the) has been missing here
I was reading this news on yahoo and I think there should be an article. If you say there should not be then please give me some valid reasons.
On yahoo:
Question- Importance of body language in ...
- 3,987
1
vote
3
answers
127
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Why "facility i" but "the edge j"
I was reading an academic paper and I encountered the following sentence:
"By the assumption, facility i is fully paid before time t. For any city k, the edge j must be tight before time t."
As I ...
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3
votes
1
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no *the* in "from beginning to end"
We listened to the old man tell his story from beginning to end.
How come that it is not from the beginning to the end? It is the beginning and the end of the particular story. The only explanation I ...
- 7,206
4
votes
4
answers
612
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There should be an article (A or The)
I was reading a novel and I think, there is a mistake, they missed an article as per me but I am not sure yet, so putting this here.
In the book, it has been written:
Destiny, it is way over the ...
- 3,987
4
votes
2
answers
2k
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"The English grammar" or "English grammar"
Should we use definite article (the) before "English grammar".
Please tell me which sentence is perfect:
Tenses in the English grammar.
Tenses in English grammar.
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3
votes
1
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6k
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Watching Cartoons vs Watching Cartoon
In a comment I said:
Yeah, I was looking for this (about "you just wait and see!"); I hear it a lot while watching cartoons
with the kids!
I wasn't confident of (on?) which one sounds natural, ...
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3
votes
2
answers
414
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Do you need help (or _a_ help) in Biology or Chemistry? Join our Tutoring Club! (article use)
Am I right to think the following announcement wrong in its use of the indefinite article?
Do you need a help in Biology or Chemistry? Consider joining our
Friday Chemistry and Biology Tutoring ...
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4
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Why is the word *the* necessary?
Why do I have to use the in following phrase?
What are the problems ....
For example
What are the problems John is facing while riding a bike?
What are the problems Smith is facing while solving a ...
- 113
4
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should there be a definite article before "eye level"? (a quote from Salinger)
From Salinger's Zooey:
There were scars much nearer to eye level, too, from a rather awesome
variety of airborne objects—beanbags, baseballs, marbles, skate
keys, soap erasers, and ...
- 36.5k
3
votes
4
answers
185
views
Which article to use in "I demand [a/the/] video of this birthday"
I want to ask a friend for a video of her daughter's birthday, so what should I put after demand below?
I demand the video of this birthday.
I demand video of this birthday.
I demand a video ...
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Where can I find the list of nouns that are used with zero-article?
Where can I find a list of nouns that are used with a zero-article—that is, words which do not need an article.
For example
Milk is good.
They spoke about corruption.
Is there some list of these ...
- 1,321
3
votes
3
answers
169
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"X is no longer a (?) speculation" - choosing the article
Which of these two sentences is better article-wise? Maybe they are equivalent?
The Taliban's spreading influence in the North is no longer a speculation.
The Taliban's spreading influence in the ...
- 36.5k
0
votes
1
answer
3k
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Enumerating singulars mixed with plurals
Suppose we have a picture with several objects that we have to enumerate them. First, is this enumeration correct?
There is a little girl, two boys, an old man and a pen.
Second, how would we ...
- 5,918
1
vote
1
answer
789
views
Specific zero article question
"during the working hours" OR "during working hours"
"during the working days" OR "during working days"
Which is correct? If both are correct, which one is ...
user3040
5
votes
2
answers
1k
views
usage of THE with the plural subject (or noun)
I have following construction.
Table 4 shows the parameters used by the filtering approach. The
parameters are determined by the knowledge about the data and landscape.
I want to clarify, ...
- 1,907
5
votes
3
answers
277
views
"Verge of shutdown" or "Verge of a shutdown"?
Which one of the following is grammatically correct?
Abc Country might be on the verge of a shutdown.
or,
Abc Country might be on the verge of shutdown?.
I think the second one is right.
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2
votes
2
answers
835
views
What article should I use for "air conditioning"?
Which sentences are correct?
We didn't have air conditioning.
We didn't have the air conditioning.
We had no air conditioning.
- 325
11
votes
5
answers
480
views
psychologist John Hayes (THE, zero article before false titles)
An example (from The New Yorker) of a phrase with a false title (psychologist John Hayes):
After Simon and Chase’s paper, for example, the psychologist John
Hayes looked at seventy-six famous ...
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4
votes
2
answers
71
views
(the, Ø) merger of two airlines
A quote from the NYT:
The Justice Department argues that the merger with American would
prompt US Airways to shift more travelers to higher-priced flights at
American’s larger hubs.
Could we ...
- 36.5k
1
vote
1
answer
123
views
Can the indefinite article be omitted in "watch solar eclipse"?
I have read the following passage, and I wonder whether watch solar eclipse is correct.
On July 22, 2009, there was solar eclipse in the sky. In the morning, we got up early. After we had breakfast,...
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2
votes
1
answer
182
views
(the, Ø) rates: article usage
A quote from The Guardian:
The Bank of England, under its new governor Mark Carney, has promised
that interest rates will stay at their record low level of 0.5% until
the unemployment rate ...
- 36.5k
0
votes
1
answer
49
views
companies that mapped (the, 0) shale reserves
A quote from the Economist ("The Father of Fracking")
His company counted on support from various government agencies,
including those that mapped the shale reserves (demonstrating that
they ...
- 36.5k
3
votes
2
answers
409
views
why no article before G.D.P.?
A quote from NY Times:
For the first quarter, the bureau now says G.D.P. grew at a 1.1
percent rate — after a series of reductions from its initial estimate
of 2.5 percent.
Why is there no ...
- 36.5k
3
votes
1
answer
92
views
Exxon and (∅, the) other oil majors
A quote from The Economist:
Yet Exxon and the other oil supermajors are more vulnerable than they look.
What if we insert a zero article in THE's position before the "other":
Yet Exxon and ...
- 36.5k
0
votes
1
answer
232
views
Indefinite interviewers and mostly definite children
An excerpt from The Economist's article on bedtime regime's correlation with IQ scores.
Here I've committed two kinds of mismatches, putting THE before the second mention of "interviewers" ...
- 36.5k
0
votes
2
answers
87
views
years of service and _ final salary
From The Economist's article on the US's economic troubles:
American states and cities typically offer their employees
defined-benefit pensions based on years of service and final salary.
The ...
- 36.5k
1
vote
1
answer
111
views
rules written by (the) existing players: article usage
A quote from The Economist (Higher education: The attack of the MOOCs):
“Anyone who thinks the rules of engagement have already been written
by the existing players is massively underestimating ...
- 36.5k
11
votes
2
answers
75k
views
Do you have a / the time?
I am trying to cope with the ever increasing trend of new phrases in English language and found something.
I have heard many a times people use "Do you have a/the time?" In reply, either we say "Yes/...
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4
votes
1
answer
220
views
Why isn't there an article in "if you're not family"? [duplicate]
[Fred] “Merry Christmans!” [George] "Hey, look –– Harry's got
a Weasley sweater, too!" Fred and George were wearing blue
sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G. "Harry'...
- 24k
2
votes
1
answer
934
views
Indefinite article before "increased emphasis"?
The question is whether the indefinite article an before "increased emphasis" is needed.
During system design, there is increased emphasis on interface-based design.
During system design, ...
- 1,925
0
votes
2
answers
1k
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"Make easy" vs. "Make it easy"
I need to know which of these options is the correct one and why:
The Spanish cooking makes it easy to have a nice meal.
The Spanish cooking makes easy to have a nice meal.
I don't know if I need ...
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