[Grammar] second place/absence of corruption

[arjitsharma]

I would like to know why the definite article is omitted in the following sentence: Norway has been ranked as the world's happiest nation in the UN sponsored survey. It pushed last year's leader, Denmark, into second place.The rankings are based on factors including social support, freedom and absence of corruption.what my question is, why the definite article "the" is omitted before "second place and "absence of corruption.I watched the sentences on BBC learning English.Thanks inadvance.

 

[andrewg927]

Re: The definite article.

Because it is not needed in those places.

 

[arjitsharma]

Re: The definite article.

How to know where it is needed and where not ?

 

[Rover_KE]

Please note that I have changed your thread title.

Extract from the Posting Guidelines:
'Thread titles should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.'

 

[Rover_KE]

Re: The definite article.

I would like to know why the definite article is omitted in the following sentence:

"Norway has been ranked as the world's happiest nation in the UN sponsored survey. It pushed last year's leader, Denmark, into second place.[spaceThe rankings are based on factors including social support, freedom and absence of corruption".

[STRIKE]what[/STRIKE] My question is why the definite article "the" is omitted before "second place" and "absence of corruption".[space]I watched the sentences on BBC Learning English.[space][STRIKE]Thanks in[space]advance.[/STRIKE] Unnecessary - just click 'Thank' when you get a useful answer.

Note how your post should have been set out.

How [STRIKE]to[/STRIKE] can I know where it is needed and where not[no space]?

Leave a space after every full stop (period).

 

[andrewg927]

Re: The definite article.

Here is some information on articles.

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/540/01/

 

[Tdol]

Re: The definite article.

It is a good question, and a tricky one. We could say that the second place was taken by Denmark, but in plenty of contexts we would skip the article and with place, I think we generally omit the article.

 

[jutfrank]

Re: The definite article.

The answer is simple. The pattern is

in first place
in second place
in third place

We simply don't use the in these phrases. (Note that you can also use into instead of in.)

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: The definite article.

Bear in mind that, in some contexts, "In the first place" is used.

 

[arjitsharma]

Re: The definite article.

Would you like to explain that, in which kind of contexts, "in the first place" is used and " in first place" is not used. I am confused.