Questions tagged [articles]
Use this tag for questions about the usage of articles (e.g. a, an, and the).
37
questions
1
vote
0
answers
67
views
Is "The Shining" a title with a gerund, or a regular -ing noun? [duplicate]
Does using "the" or "a" in front of a gerund alter it somehow? "A painting," for example, is not a gerund, and if a book were titled "The Painting" it would not ...
0
votes
1
answer
57
views
Using "the" before a profession and name
A column heading in a recent New Yorker magazine :
"The staff writer Sarah Larson on natural history marvels."
Why would "the" be used here?
Wouldn't the heading be correct without ...
0
votes
0
answers
6
views
When can we omit the article in front of a countable word in singular? [migrated]
In the sentence below, there is no "the" in front of former President. I am wondering what is the grammar rule for that?
Under Smith and his successor, Douglas, Canada sought closer trade ...
0
votes
1
answer
93
views
"I am at a/the library" - which article should I use? [duplicate]
If I am speaking to a tech recruiter overseas, why is the correct way to describe is
"Hi, Jane. This is Katie. I'm at the Library" ?
If the recruiter is someone that doesn't know the library,...
0
votes
0
answers
33
views
When a band is performing live at a venue, would you say "live at [venue]" or "live at the [venue]"?
Basically what the title says. I've seen both used before.
Ex.: "Live at Civic Arena" vs. "Live at the Civic Arena".
22
votes
6
answers
3k
views
Why is an article often used with (the) Rubik's cube, although other "name+'s" constructions usually don't use one?
As far as I know (being non-native and not having studied linguistics), you usually do not use an article before a name + genitive. For example, you would say "this is Harry's ball" or "...
2
votes
0
answers
65
views
"a shirt in (a) (size) small"
To me, these versions sound natural and idiomatic:
I'd like this/a shirt in a small.
I'd like this/a shirt in a size small.
I'd like this/a shirt in a size 7.
Do you have this dress in a 9?
She wears ...
2
votes
2
answers
398
views
A half or half - adjective or noun word
I was reading the meaning of the term "crescent" on internet, and I spotted a part in it that led me to confusion, the definition is the following one;
A curved shape that has two narrow ...
0
votes
0
answers
40
views
Should I use "A/an + adj. + Name" or "The + adj. + Name"?
As a native English speaker, I find myself perplexed by this situation. Here are some examples of what I mean.
1.1 The worried Link went to see Impa.
1.2 A worried Link went to see Impa.
2.1 The angry ...
2
votes
1
answer
50
views
What rule dictates the use of articles with nouns in names?
I've recently started working for an organization -- for the sake of argument, let's say it's an institute that studies lacrosse in the state of Utah. I've been told by various people in the senior ...
1
vote
1
answer
77
views
Is ‘the’ used before a number as determiner, when ‘all’ is used before them? [duplicate]
I want to write this sentence in a paper:
All the three characters also have their counterparts in ASCII,
where all the three characters refers to the aforementioned three characters out of a bigger ...
1
vote
1
answer
53
views
Is omitting the definite article in this case grammatically correct (and preferable)?
I had written the following sentence in a manuscript:
After each transaction, the balance of the sender account equals their balance immediately before the transaction minus the amount of funds ...
0
votes
0
answers
13
views
Which article should come here? [duplicate]
Had this in a test:
He went to _ prison to give a lecture to the prisoners.
Will there be an article here? If so which one?
My first intuition was "a", but I'm unsure.
4
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Are names of chemicals not proper nouns?
I notice that people often use "gold" and "diamond" in lower case. Yet as far as I see it these are all "proper names" of an abstract idea and really ought to be ...
1
vote
0
answers
26
views
Article 'The' when use with the name of an island [duplicate]
According standard English, we do not use 'the' with the name of a single island, for example, 'Tasmania' or 'Bermuda'. We just use 'the' when the name refers to a group of islands or is made up of ...