C Write: Put in a/an or the. SUNRAYCER

I read recently in ¹the Times that the big American company, General Motors, has developed ²... vehicle that uses ³... power of⁴ ... sun instead of petrol.⁵... vehicle is called Sunraycer. Sunraycer has just taken part in ⁶... race against 25 solar-powered vehicles. ⁷... route of⁸ ... race was from Darwin to Adelaide,⁹… immense distance. Sunraycer covered ¹⁰... distance in 45 hours at¹¹... average speed of 41 miles ¹²... hour in temperatures as high as 48°C. It beat all other cars by two and '³... half days! Sunraycer ('ray of the sun' + 'racer') is certainly ^u... car of¹⁵... future^!

 

3.5 The zero article (1) 3.5A Basic uses of the zero article (0): 'Life is short' > LEG 3.24-26,3.27.1,3.27.3

We often use no article at all (zero) in English where some other languages use the:

1 In front of plural countable nouns used in general statements [> 3.1 A], e.g. for:

- people: 0 Women need better pay.

- places: 0 Museums are closed on Mondays.

- animals: 0 Cats don't like cold weather.

- plants: 0 Trees don't grow in the Antarctic.

- food: 0 Beans are good for you.

- products: 0 Watches aren't expensive.

(Not 'The beans are good for you." etc.) [compare > 5.3A]

2 In front of uncountable nouns (always singular) used in general statements, e.g. for:

- food: I like 0 butter.

- substances: 0 Oil is produced in Alaska.

- colours: 0 Red is my favourite colour.

- activities: 0 Swimming is good for you.

- abstract: 0 Life is short.

- languages: 0 English is a world language. (Not "The life is short.'etc.) [compare > 5.3A]

3 In front of most proper nouns (names spelt with a capital letter) [> 3.1 C, 3.GC]: Fritz Weber lives in Berlin. This was made by Jackson and Son. By comparison, we use the when the reference is specific, not in general statements:

1 In front of plural countable nouns: The beans I like best are kidney beans.

2 In front of uncountable nouns: I used all the butter that was in the butter dish.

3 In front of proper nouns: The Fritz Weber I know lives in Vienna.

Write: Supply the or ' -'.

A lot of people are giving up... meat. 2... meat we had for lunch last Sunday was very tough. 3 As someone said,... life is just one damned thing after another. 4 I don't know much about... life of... Napoleon. 5... running is supposed to be good for you. 6 I ought to be fit with all... running I do, but I don't feel fit. 7 Which is your favourite colour?... Red. 8 I think … red one will suit you best... Red is more your colour. 9 We learnt... English at school, but... English we learnt was useless. 10... London is a safe city today, but... London of the 18th century was pretty rough.11... watches have become very cheap and very attractive. 12 Most of... watches you see today work on... quartz. 13... indoor plants require a lot of effort and attention. 14... Bach gives me a great deal of pleasure.15... Bach recording you bought for my birthday is first class. 16 What has been the longest period of … peace in... history? 17 If you study... History, you've got to read a lot. 18... fasting during... Ramadan is more difficult in the summer months. 19... journeys to unknown places require a lot of preparation. 20... lives of... poets and... musicians have often been unbearably difficult. 21 I'm not interested in the price of... silver or the price of... gold. 22... time is... money. 23 I can never regret... time I've spent enjoying myself. 24 I often listen to... music and I like... jazz best.

 

3.5B The zero article with names and titles: 'Mr. Pym' [> LEG 213,3.27]

1 We do not normally use articles in front of proper nouns (like John, London, etc.).

2 We use a surname or first name + surname after Mr., Mrs., Miss and Ms. [miz,məz] Mr. Pym. We often write, but rarely say Ms., as in Ms. Joan Cartwright.

3 We abbreviate Doctor to Dr in writing and use a surname after it: I'm Dr Brown, but we can use Doctor on its own as a form of address (written in full): It's my liver, Doctor.

4 In British English Madam and Sir can be used as forms of address, e.g. by shop assistants: Yes, madam? Sir is also a title in front of first name (+ surname): Sir John (Falstaff), (Not 'Sir Falstaff"). Americans use Sir on its own to speak to strangers.

5 We can say Uncle and Auntie (but not 'Cousin' or 'Sister") to address our relations.

6 Major and Professor can be used with names or on their own.

7 Nurse and sometimes Sister can be used as forms of address for nurses.

Write: Mark with an X those sentences that are wrong or unacceptable and briefly say why: 1 Excuse me, Mr. - can you tell me the way to the station, please? X 2 Good morning, Doctor. 3 Don't ask me. Ask Mrs Elizabeth. 4 Can I introduce you to Mrs Elizabeth Jackson? 5 I have an appointment with Dr White. 6 I've just received a letter from cousin Frank. 7 Can I help you, Mrs? 8 Can I help you, Madam? 9 Sir Falstaff is a famous Shakespeare character. 10 May I have a word with you please, Professor? 11 I've addressed the letter to Professor John Williams. Is that right? 12 Nurse, could I speak to you for a moment, please?

 

3.5C Write: Put in a/an, the or nothing: FOOD FIT FOR A KING!

1...—... seeds dating from 1325 B.C. have been found at2... Kew Gardens in 3... London. 'It's4... exciting discovery,'5... Professor Arthur Bell,6... Director, said yesterday.7... seeds were found in 30 cardboard boxes by8... French student,9... Christian Tutundjian de Vartavan.10... seeds come from 11... tomb of12... King Tutankhamun. Inside 13... tomb were shawabtis, that is, model human beings who would serve 14... King after15... death. Inside 16... Tutankhamun's tomb, there was 17... wheat for making 18... bread,19... barley, perhaps for brewing20... beer, and spices like21... coriander,22... cumin and23... sesame, as well as24... grapes and 25... tropical fruits. 26... food had to be suitable for27... King's last journey, but it was very tasty, too!

 

3.6 The zero article (2)

3.6A Zero article for parts of the day ('at dawn') and for meals ('for lunch') [> LEG 3.28.1-2]

1 Parts of the day and night: We use no article when we refer to parts of the day and night: at dawn/daybreak, at sunrise/sunset/ noon/night, by day/night, at/by/before/after/till 4 o'clock: We left at dawn. But compare: I've never seen a dawn like it! I got up early to admire the dawn.

2 Meals: We use no article with words like: breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner, supper. Dinner is served. He's at lunch. Let's have breakfast. But compare: The breakfast I ordered still hasn't arrived. (a specific reference) That was a very nice dinner, (simple description [> 3.1C])

 

Write: Supply a / an, the or ' -'. 1 We're setting off at... sunrise. 2 We must be home before... midnight. 3 I'm often wide awake at... night. 4 We reached the village before... sunset. 5... lunch I ordered was burnt. 6 We're invited to the Smiths for... lunch 7 Let's have... breakfast on the terrace. 8 Do you always have... tea at four?... 9 We've come here to see... sunset. 10 I had... nice lunch at the Ritz.

 

3.6B Zero article for e.g. 'She's at school' and 'He's in hospital' [> LEG 3.28.3, Apps 21- 23]

1 We use no article in front of nouns like school and hospital in phrases like to school, at school, in hospital when we are referring to their normal purpose: Jane's gone to school. Jane's at school, (to learn); John's in hospital, (he's ill) (Not "Jane's gone to the school. * "Jane's at the school. " "John's in the hospital. *) Other nouns like this are: bed, church, class, college, prison, sea, town, university, work. For the use of to, at and in with these nouns [> 8.2A], For home [> 8.2A, 10.2C].

2 We use the or a / an with these nouns when we are not referring to their 'purpose': Jane's gone to the school for a meeting. There's a meeting at the school. Norton High is a very good school. I'm going to make the bed.

3 Nouns which are not part of this special group behave in the usual way. My wife's at the office, (perhaps to work); They are at the mosque, (perhaps to pray). John's in the kitchen, (perhaps to prepare a meal) [> 3.4A]. My wife's firm has an office in Edinburgh. (Not "My wife's firm has office" [> 3.1 C])

Write: Supply a / an, the or ' - '.

1 I'm really tired and I'm going to... bed. 2 Your shoes are under... bed. 3 Tim's been in.... bed for hours. 4 We've bought... lovely new bed. 5 We took some photos outside... church. 6 We always go to... church on Sunday. 7 Have you ever worked in... factory? 8 Susan's in... class at the moment. 9 My father went to... sea when he was 14. 10 When do you hope to go to... university 11 Martha's been taken to... hospital. 12 How long will she be in... hospital? 13 There's a strike at... hospital. 14 We've got... fine new hospital. 15 When do you get home from... office? 16 John's at... work at the moment.

 

3.6C Zero article or 'the' with place names [> LEG 3.31]

1 General rule: We use no article with proper nouns [> 3.5A], so this includes place names, but there is some variation. We use the with the words bay, canal, channel, gulf, kingdom, ocean, republic, river, sea, strait(s), union, united: the United States of America.

2 Zero for: countries (Turkey), states (Ohio), cities (Paris), streets (Oxford Street), parks (Hyde Park), addresses (24 North Street), buildings (Westminster Abbey), geographical areas (Africa), historical references (Ancient Rome), mountains (Everest), islands (Malta).

3 The for: some countries (the USA, the USSR), some geographical areas (the Arctic, the Balkans), some historical references (the Dark Ages), oceans and rivers (the Pacific, the (River) Nile), mountain ranges (the Alps, the Himalayas), deserts (the Sahara, the Gobi).

4 Zero or the: theatres (Her Majesty's/The Globe), hotels (Brown's/the Hilton), restaurants (Leoni's/the Cafe Royal), hospitals (Guy's/the London Hospital).

 

Write: Supply the or '-'. 1 I've always understood... Dark Ages to refer specifically to...—.... Medieval Europe. 2 Ferguson has travelled everywhere from... Central Asia to... Arctic. 3 I've been to... Brazil and... Argentina, but I've never been to... USA. 4 I'd love to do a tour of European capitals and visit... London,... Paris, and... Vienna. 5 What's your address? - I live in... Montague Road, number 27. 6 I could never afford to stay at hotels like... Brown's or... Hilton. 7 Karl was born in... Bavaria, but he now lives in... Ohio. 8 You can't visit... London without seeing... Buckingham Palace. 9 I've been climbing in... Alps, but I've never managed to get up... Mont Blanc. 10 A lot of people have tried to cross... Sahara without being properly prepared. 11 I’d love to travel down... Nile as far as … Luxor. 12 There's a splendid view of... Lake Geneva from this hotel. 13 We had an early dinner at... Leoni's and then went to a play at... Globe Theatre. 14 Go down... Oxford Street till you come to... Oxford Circus, then turn right. 15 Do you know the song about... London Bridge?CASIA