[Grammar] article

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tyrp

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Hello everyone,
I was reading up for an English test the other day and found the following info in a quite old school Grammar book. Are the examples below correct? Could you possibly explain them to me?
1. The student Mary was absent from the lesson yesterday (not 'student Mary', though we say 'Doctor Smith', 'Queen Elizabeth' and 'the poet Longfellow', the latter taking the as thee apposition 'poet' refers to a famous personality).
2. I prefer a dry wine (not 'dry wine'; will the correct continuation be: 'I prefer a dry wine to sweet', without any article before sweet as it has no headword?)
3. 'He asked for permission to come late' (AFAIK we cannot drop 'for', can we? The uncountable noun 'permission' never takes any article, does it?)
4. It'sreal spring (not 'a real spring'. Is it so as the use of 'real' here is close to the adverb 'really' or why?)
5. No article is required with the names of magazines (Cosmopolitan, not 'the Cosmopolitan'; 'Vogue', not 'the Vogue', though 'the' is a must with newspapers) - this was a complete novelty for me, who ranked magazines and papers together.
6. The word 'Parliament' never takes 'the', as well as 'Congress' (I knew of the latter, but am not sure of the word 'Parliament').
7. Ann studies literature of the 18th century and Nick is interested in Soviet literature (not 'the Soviet literature').
8. Mary isdaughter of a hunter (her social status - what's meant by that?) / the daughter of a hunter (even if she has sisters and no more info is given about her; this is given as the most popular use) / a daughter of a hunter (to stress that she has sisters).
I know that these questions sound silly, but they set me thinking and got perplexed, though I do know the better part of the rules about articles (or simply hope so).
Could you possibly tell me if this info is correct and up to date? Thanks in advance, I pin all my hopes on you as always.
 

probus

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Mary is the daughter of a hunter. Otherwise they are all correct and still in use.
 

5jj

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1. The student Mary was absent from the lesson yesterday
That sounds most unnatural to me, with or without 'the'.

2. I prefer a dry wine
I prefer dry wine to sweet (wine)
I prefer a dry wine to a sweet (one).


3. 'He asked (for) permission to come late'

7. Ann studies the literature of the 18th century and Nick is interested in Soviet literature.
or: Ann studies 18th century Literature ...

8. Mary is the daughter of a hunter.
 

MikeNewYork

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In my opinion, I prefer dry wine and a dry wine carry the same meaning. Both denote dry wine in general. If it were "the" dry wine it would refer to a specific wine, perhaps one the person just tasted.
 

tyrp

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Dear probus, 5jj and MikeNewYork, thank you so much. The only question that remains is with mags. Do they require the definite article like newspapers or do they never take it? Can it depend on the magazine? I'll be most grateful for some examples to cl;ear it up for me.
 

Rover_KE

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If 'the' is part of the magazine's title — such as 'The Week', 'The Lady' and others listed here — it must be included (and capitalised), otherwise it depends on the context.

"Every week I get 'Cosmopolitan', 'Vogue' and 'Women's Health and Beauty'."

[If out of reach and within somebody else's] "Pass the 'Simple Suppers' and the 'Reader's Digest', please."

Rover
 

tyrp

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Thanks a million, dear Rover. Now I got it (at last=))).
 

MikeNewYork

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Just to add to Rover's comments, an indefinite article (a, an) can also be used.

Does anyone have a NewYork Times?
There is a Reader's Digest in the bathroom.
 
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