in US / in the US

[goodstudent]

A) Cost of living in the US

B) Cost of living in US

Which one is right?

 

[SlickVic9000]

It's "A", hands down.

 

[goodstudent]

Short form for United States is? Which is right

1) US
2) U.S.

Short form for United Kingdom is? Which is right

3) UK
4) U.K

 

[Amigos4]

A) Cost of living in the US

B) Cost of living in US

Which one is right?

'A' is the correct response. e.g. "The cost of living in the US is higher than the cost of living in Mexico."

 

[5jj]

What is the short form for the United States? Either U.S. or US is used. The style used may be dictated by an editor or a style guide you use.

It's the same for UK/U.K.

 

[TheParser]

Short form for United States is? Which is right

1) US
2) U.S.

NOT A TEACHER


(1) As the other posters have told you, it is a matter of style (personal choice).

I most respectfully suggest that you use U.S.

(2) Kindly remember that we always refer to the United States, just as you refer to

your neighbor, the Philippines.

 

[goodstudent]

So is it right to say "Cost of living in the U.K.?"

Is is a must to add the word "the" to all countries? Or only some countries need to have the word "the" in front of the country name? How to know when to add or when not to add the word "the"?

e.g.
Cost of living in the China.
Cost of living in the Mexico.
Cost of living in the Asia.
Cost of living in the Europe.
Cost of living in the Japan.
Cost of living in the Spain.

 

[White Hat]

So is it right to say "Cost of living in the U.K.?"

Is is a must to add the word "the" to all countries? Or only some countries need to have the word "the" in front of the country name? How to know when to add or when not to add the word "the"?

e.g.
Cost of living in the China.
Cost of living in the Mexico.
Cost of living in the Asia.
Cost of living in the Europe.
Cost of living in the Japan.
Cost of living in the Spain.

The definite article always goes in front of country names that contain words that are not proper names: the United States, the Soviet Union.

 

[TheParser]

How to know when to add or when not to add the word "the"?

NOT A TEACHER


(1) I think that the best way is to learn through your reading.

(2) Things change with the times.

(a) When I was younger, we referred to the Ukraine, the Lebanon, the Sudan.

In 2011, we no longer use "the" for those countries.

(3) We do not use "the" for any of the countries on your list.

(a) We do use "the" if you are comparing the country with itself:

The China of today is very different from the China of twenty years ago.

The Mexico of 2011 is not the same as the Mexico of 1911.

 

[hooshdar3]

(Not a teacher)
Also, I would add that the US is not a simple country, it's made up of 52 different states.So is the philippines

 

[Barb_D]

The US is made up of 50 states. Not 52.

 

[goodstudent]

My intention is to mention different US locations later. Is it ok to say:

1) "Cost of living in the US locations"

2) "Cost of living in the US different locations"

Thanks

 

[hooshdar3]

The US is made up of 50 states. Not 52.

Anyway, It is noot a single country.
So you say the U.S, the Netherlands, etc., but Iran, Iraq, etc(no the)

 

[5jj]

Anyway, It is no[STRIKE]o[/STRIKE]t a single country.
So you say the U.S, the Netherlands, etc., but Iran, Iraq, etc(no the)

The United States is a single, federal, country. Its official name tells us that it is made up of a union of 50 states. Canada is also a a federal union, but it happens to have a name that does not refer to this. The Netherlands is without doubt a single country; its name means 'the low-(lying) countries'.

As bennevis suggested, we use 'the' when the name of the country uses words that are a description of the structure of the country. Many countries have a less formal name that does not require the definite article.

The United States of America, but: [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] America.
The United Kingdom, but: [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] Great Britain, [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] England, t[STRIKE]he[/STRIKE] Scotland, etc.
The Federal Republic of Germany, but: [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] Germany.
The People's Republic of China, but: t[STRIKE]he[/STRIKE] China

 

[TheParser]

1) "Cost of living in the US locations"

2) "Cost of living in the US different locations"


NOT A TEACHER


(1) Do you wish to say something like:

I want to know about the cost of living in the various American states.

(2) For example, the cost of living here in Caifornia is very high ("through the roof,"

as we say) while the cost of living in some other states is much lower.

(3) Kindly remember that you may wish to use the adjective "American."

For example, we would say "American English," not "U.S. English." Sometimes,

though, they seem to be interchangeable: U.S. citizens/ American citizens. Maybe

another poster can explain to us the "rule."

 

[birdeen's call]

The US is made up of 50 states. Not 52.

Where does the confusion come from? This is not the first time I see a person making this mistake.

 

[5jj]

Where does the confusion come from? This is not the first time I see a person making this mistake.

I don't know.To my amazement, I actually had to correct a couple of American trainees on this point two years ago. I had assumed that Americans absorbed this information with their mother's milk, but it seems not so. Perhaps there is confusion about the status of Puerto Rico and Washington DC.

Mind you, many British people are not fully aware of the name of the nation-state of which we are citizens, so I can't mock the Americans.

 

[SoothingDave]

If we're to count Puerto Rico and DC, why not Guam or American Samoa?

 

[Barb_D]

I am shocked any native-born American would ever make that mistake. I mean, truly shocked.

 

[5jj]

I am shocked any native-born American would ever make that mistake. I mean, truly shocked.

I was, but it happened, I assure you.