[Grammar] Definite Article

[vpriest]

Hi,

(A) The target score varies depending on the level.
(B) The target score varies depending on level.
(C) The target score varies depending on the class level.
(D) The target score varies depending on class level.

When do we use the article and when do we not and why?

Thanks.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hi,

(A) The target score varies depending on the level.
(B) The target score varies depending on level.
(C) The target score varies depending on the class level.
(D) The target score varies depending on class level.

When do we use the article and when do we not and why?

Thanks.

It's not always clearcut. All of the above are correct and mean the same thing.

B and D are good because they're concise.

In A and C, using the makes sense because they parallel The target score. You can Google parallelism.

There are general guides to using articles, but I doubt there are universal rules. It sometimes just depends on the speaker's habits.

But I'm not a teacher. Lets see what they say.

 

[jutfrank]

If this is a question about article usage in general, it is a very big question, to which I'll try to give a short but inevitably incomplete answer based on the context given.

In my view, as Charlie Bernstein hints at in his point about parallelism, the reference of the definite article in the level is to some extent primed by the use of a definite article in The target score. That is to say that where there's specific reference to the target score, then there is more likely to be specific reference to the level. This is, however, not to say that option B is not possible or natural. The difference between C and D is identical to that between A and B so we can discount those variations.

One way I think I can clarify my point here is by also removing the reference from the former noun phrase, to yield:

Target score varies depending on level.

To repeat my point again, it isn't that a speaker can't make one noun phrase indefinite and the other definite—it would not be unnatural to say:

Target score varies depending on the level.

However, I think that generally speaking it's more likely that a speaker would make both noun phrases indefinite or both definite.

 

[vpriest]

Target score varies depending on level.

To repeat my point again, it isn't that a speaker can't make one noun phrase indefinite and the other definite—it would not be unnatural to say:

Target score varies depending on the level.

However, I think that generally speaking it's more likely that a speaker would make both noun phrases indefinite or both definite.

Isn't target score a countable noun needing an article?

 

[jutfrank]

It isn't countable if you don't use an article, no.

 

[vpriest]

It isn't countable if you don't use an article, no.

I tried to search for it but failed. The ones I saw all say countable. What should I search for?

 

[vpriest]

I believe that target score is a countable noun in that sentence. The definite article has simply been omitted, as it has with level in two of your sentences.

What should I look for?
Having hard time even with "omission of articles"

 

[jutfrank]

I believe that target score is a countable noun in that sentence. The definite article has simply been omitted, as it has with level in two of your sentences.

I see it quite differently. I don't think 'countable/uncountable' is quite the right terminology to use, so I'll retract my implication that it is. I consider the variation of the utterance that lacks articles to be a more generalised statement than the one that uses them, in which sense there is a difference in meaning. The grammatical notion of countability aside, I believe this generalising effect of a zero article is common to how we conceive of those things we think about when we use uncountable nouns. In this respect, it isn't a simple omission.

I would add though that I think that there could be written contexts where the writer simply wishes to omit definite articles for the sake of saving time/space/energy, in the way that we do in note form.

 

[jutfrank]

What should I look for?
Having hard time even with "omission of articles"

I'm not surprised. I don't think you'll find much on this, not outside of dense academic literature, at least. I hope I'm wrong, of course, and if I am, please let us know!

 

[Tarheel]

There is quite a bit on the forum about article usage. The question has been asked and answered many times.

 

[vpriest]

I'm not surprised. I don't think you'll find much on this, not outside of dense academic literature, at least. I hope I'm wrong, of course, and if I am, please let us know!

so I would look for zero article (generalization)?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

So should I look for zero article (generalization)?

You should certainly try. But I'm sure it's obvious to you that this is a gray area. In your examples, articles are optional.

This is probably a question that requires several more years of just listening to how native English speakers talk.

 

[vpriest]

I am not here for speaking. I am here purely for grammar/formal/academic writing. So I am trying to find rules that explain different cases so I understand better and not forget.

 

[emsr2d2]

It doesn't matter that you don't want to improve your spoken English. Reading how native speakers write, and listening to how they speak, remain the best ways of getting to grips with it. However, as Charlie said, it's not a quick process. It can, and probably will, take years to really get to grips with it.

 

[jutfrank]

so I would look for zero article (generalization)?

Yes. You'll find plenty of practice resources on this topic, but not much explaining the semantics in depth.