Zero article a/an or the

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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Zero article a/an or the

Zero article a/an or the

olchik23

Zero article a/an or the

Dear colleagues,

I need help with these sentences! Could you make some explanations, please?

1. There �s _ amazing scenery all around the hotel!

Scenery is an uncountable noun, we can �t use "an," but why "the" is impossible? I know this scenery, it is a certain scenery around the hotel.

2. Could you book _accommodation for a group of twenty coming to the Conference?

Accommodation is also uncountable noun. What about it?

3.I believe that the surviving of the planet is worth fighting for.

4. Building a road here will destroy an area of great natural beauty.

This is a certain road here, why "а"? There is a description of this area with a preposition of. I think it �s a certain place.

Thanks in advance for your answers! I �m waiting .....

16 Apr 2013

douglas

1. You wouldn �t say: there is the amazing trees near the hotel. (actually, I could imagine a few situations where one could say: "There is the amazing scenery...."

2. accomodation can also be countable: I have an accomodation for you. --but generally "accommodations" refers to lodgings and "accommodation" refers to an adjustment.

3. the survival

4. using "a" puts the conversation in more general terms--not just the one road, but any road at all would destroy the beauty

17 Apr 2013

Peter Hardy

I agree with Douglas� answer, but one could say �an amazing scenery�. This particular scenery, this one, makes it countable. Next I �d like to add that any language is a living thing. They change. So some �old � rules are not applicable each and every time. By the way, you realise you �ve put the same thread up twice? That makes it countable but unnecessary :-) Cheers

17 Apr 2013

yanogator

I don �t think we would say "an amazing scenery" in the US. Maybe it is said in Australia.

Bruce

17 Apr 2013

olchik23

Thank you for your answers!

17 Apr 2013