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a friend of mine, Chinese English teacher @ a public Middle School in Shandong, just asked me a grammar question and I can't answer it. Maybe I could if I strained the brain, but I'm not feeling like it, so I thought I would ask here.
She asks why do we use the article 'the' for the word combination 'a map of the USA; a map of the world; etc. etc.,,, but we don't use 'the' for china, canada, australia, germany, etc. etc.,,,,
Any easy way to explain this crazy Anglais to our second-language learner friends?
6 years 13 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
One is tempted to be a jerk and just say "No why!" Seriously though, icnif77's link to the British Council is probably the way to go.
icnif77:
I am sitting in strange country's (Bulgaria) motel room, waiting for new Invitation letter. Today is day 5 since it was submitted to cops .... some 15 more days to go.
I am also broke ... I mean, not really broke, but it's Sunday and all banks are closed, so I don't have any paper money of local currency ... with lite snow outside ....
ambivalentmace:
beautiful ladies in Bulgaria, your making me jealous, had some great times there in the 80's when everything including the women were very cheap. one of the best drives in the world was crazy trip by car from Amsterdam to Bulgaria. If you want a girlfriend there, check out the bars near the medical school in Sofia, women from all over the world , damn we can swap places.
ambivalentmace:
If you get some money, check out the ancient city of Nesebar and drink some local (brandy wine) Rakia while your there.
icnif77:
Since, I am hanging online all the time, I have problems with 'days of the week' ... I never know which 'day is today' ... unless puter's Calendar alerts me to some duties at particular day.
I missed 'Friday' and 'Saturday' and last night I realised 'tomorrow is Sunday' and no local money in my pocket.
It's cold (some -2*C or more), so I am in my bed since 2 AM.
Ladies are beautiful anywhere you go.... I spoke to my boss about Anatolia as possibility of new visa pick-up. I had a look online and Anatolians are lassies, too. All brunettes.
Even in Istanbul, I saw some 'movie stars' without masks on the faces ...
Rakia is fruit schnapps (40 vol. alch., sometimes more ..), very heavy feelings next day ...
Show this A:
''In complete sentence definite article '' ..... the USA ...'' must be used, and in your example could be 'map of USA' or ''map of 'insert name of any other country."
https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/8169/the-usa-versus-usa
Also show this one on "usage of definite article 'the'':
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/determiners-a...
Same in example 'a map of the world': " In complete sentence definite article must be used and in your example I'd say 'world map', instead ...."
One is tempted to be a jerk and just say "No why!" Seriously though, icnif77's link to the British Council is probably the way to go.
icnif77:
I am sitting in strange country's (Bulgaria) motel room, waiting for new Invitation letter. Today is day 5 since it was submitted to cops .... some 15 more days to go.
I am also broke ... I mean, not really broke, but it's Sunday and all banks are closed, so I don't have any paper money of local currency ... with lite snow outside ....
ambivalentmace:
beautiful ladies in Bulgaria, your making me jealous, had some great times there in the 80's when everything including the women were very cheap. one of the best drives in the world was crazy trip by car from Amsterdam to Bulgaria. If you want a girlfriend there, check out the bars near the medical school in Sofia, women from all over the world , damn we can swap places.
ambivalentmace:
If you get some money, check out the ancient city of Nesebar and drink some local (brandy wine) Rakia while your there.
icnif77:
Since, I am hanging online all the time, I have problems with 'days of the week' ... I never know which 'day is today' ... unless puter's Calendar alerts me to some duties at particular day.
I missed 'Friday' and 'Saturday' and last night I realised 'tomorrow is Sunday' and no local money in my pocket.
It's cold (some -2*C or more), so I am in my bed since 2 AM.
Ladies are beautiful anywhere you go.... I spoke to my boss about Anatolia as possibility of new visa pick-up. I had a look online and Anatolians are lassies, too. All brunettes.
Even in Istanbul, I saw some 'movie stars' without masks on the faces ...
Rakia is fruit schnapps (40 vol. alch., sometimes more ..), very heavy feelings next day ...
yep,,,, looks like 77 saved the day again! damn good article explaining 'The'.
Благодаря
icnif77:
I recognise some of the Russian letters, buTT .... it doesn't help if you don't know all, i.e if you don't know Russian 'B' is actually 'V' ...
I can find most answers on English grammar on web. Just stick any Q you have in 'search' and you'll get many answers.
I can't remember Q I got in China considering two English words 'hero' and 'EUR'. It was some pronunciation mimic ....
... Chinese Qs on English Grammar were always peculiar.
map of america ,
map of the United States of America, formal name is the article "The United States of America"
map of China
map of the Republic of China formal name is "The Republic of China".
ambivalentmace:
Canada official name is just "Canada", no article in the formal name.
ambivalentmace:
I did not read your link, sorry, I just got the official names from wikipedia, why would I ever take advice from a website in Britain, I don't speak the queen's English.
icnif77:
I am kidding! Your explanation is the same/similar as at BC web link.
You must be 'Orange joo's' supporter ... LOLOLOL
ambivalentmace:
yes, i want to buy my wife a "Trump Chi" car but they dont come in orange, , the world so unfair sometimesbut I think I can get some good acrylic enamel auto paint from Japan and a paint sprayer from Gemany and repaint the car myself.
icnif77:
Ambi, do you know how to edit your comment and add some text to the same comment?
You are keep 'commenting' but you could all post under one comment.
1. Click 'edit' at your comment.
2. Add '<p>' to the ending of comment '</p>'.
3. Write addition to the old comment and finish it with '</p>' at the end of addition. Voila!
ambivalentmace:
I am just lazy but if someone reads a comment and then you edit it, they may not go back and read the re-edit and get the point.
icnif77:
I am keep editing my writings and sometimes mark it as 'add-it' ...
icnif77:
I missed flight with Pegasus at my first attempt to reach Istanbul ...
Plane With 162 On Board Skids Off Turkish Runway, Nearly Falls Into Black Sea
Click on link to see plane's pic ...
diverdude1:
yeah, just reading that story. close call! haha,,, so, that's why they bug you about wearing seatbelts?
Who needs a Map of The Middle Kingdom?
Or the Islands of Hawaii?
icnif77:
ras-Putin said, Pot-Belly Jr. is the winner ... in chatting with Orange joo ...