Welcome to
ESL Printables, the website where English Language teachers exchange resources: worksheets, lesson plans,  activities, etc.
Our collection is growing every day with the help of many teachers. If you want to download you have to send your own contributions.

 


 

 

 

ESL Forum:

Techniques and methods in Language Teaching

Games, activities and teaching ideas

Grammar and Linguistics

Teaching material

Concerning worksheets

Concerning powerpoints

Concerning online exercises

Make suggestions, report errors

Ask for help

Message board

 

ESL forum > Ask for help > moonlight is light from the moon    

moonlight is light from the moon



class centre
Belarus

moonlight is light from the moon
 
Dear teachers, I desperately need you help. In one american textbook I have found - Moonlight is light from the moon. Just there I read - Sunlight is THE light of the sun. Is there  explanation for that? Thanks  in advance.

13 Nov 2018      





yanogator
United States

Both moonlight and sunlight can be called "light" or "the light", but that isn �t quite what is going on here.
 
Notice the difference in the preposition - "from the moon" and "of the sun". Since the moon �s light is reflected, we can �t really say "the light of the moon", but we can say "the light of the sun", and "the" is necessary in that expression.
 
I hope this clears it up for you.
 
Bruce 

13 Nov 2018     



yanogator
United States

I just re-read my reply and have to add something.
 
We can say "by the light of the moon" (because there is an old American song By the Light of the Silvery Moon) because here it means the light from the moon. We can also sit in the moonlight, or in the light of the moon (for the same reason).
 
Prepositions are complicated!
 
Bruce 

13 Nov 2018     



class centre
Belarus

Thank you very much, Bruce. I presumed that it depends on the prepositions. Now I �m certain. The point is that now I can show my sts your answer and they will be glad their teacher was right. :)))

14 Nov 2018