Using "a" with exam

[Odessa Dawn]

I firmly believe we can do it.

John was tired. He had been working in the garden since 12 (pm). He finally decided to take a break.

Is the indefinite article a obligatory or not? Does the below sentence make sense to you?


We will have an exam immediately after break.

​

 

[SoothingDave]

Re: since

Is the indefinite article a obligatory or not? Does the below sentence make sense to you?


We will have an exam immediately after break.

​

You either have "an exam" or "the exam." You can't just "have exam."

 

[White Hat]

Re: since

Is the indefinite article a obligatory or not? Does the below sentence make sense to you?


We will have an exam immediately after break.

​

I'd put it like this:

We will have an exam immediately after the break. (there are several exams we're going to take that day; we feel we know which break we're talking about)

or

We will have the exam immediately after the break. (we know which exam; we know which break)

or

We will have an exam immediately after a break. (there are several exams; there are several breaks)

 

[Odessa Dawn]

Re: since

Thank you so much, Dave. I do mean the word break, should I always use an article before the word break? Again, thank you.

​

 

[bhaisahab]

Re: since

I'd put it like this:

We will have an exam immediately after the break. (there are several exams we're going to take that day; we feel we know which break we're talking about)

or

We will have the exam immediately after the break. (we know which exam; we know which break)

or

We will have an exam immediately after a break. (there are several exams; there are several breaks)

We will have an exam immediately after the break. (there are several exams we're going to take that day; we feel we know which break we're talking about)
We will have the exam immediately after the break. (we know which exam; we know which break)
In both of the examples above the article before "break" is unnecessary.

 

[White Hat]

Re: since

bhaisahab, are you suggesting the word "break" may take no article at all? Sounds like a set expression (after break, before break).

 

[White Hat]

Re: since

In the morning P1-3 class did Maths until break. After break they made Croft houses out of clay and they looked really good.

Nice to know we can drop the article before the word "break". Live and learn!

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: since

I have opened a new thread for this query by Odessa Dawn. I could see no connection with the thread the question was attached to.