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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Help needed in grammar- Definite aricle    

Help needed in grammar- Definite aricle



mfraczek
France

Help needed in grammar- Definite aricle
 
Hello to all of you,
I need your precious help as regards the use of the article THE with DEATH PENALTY.
I believed you couldn �t use THE because the noun was abstract and uncountable. However I came across this sentence which surprised me:  That doesn �t mean that I �m for the death peanlty.
I wouldn �t have used the article THE before Death Penalty in that sentnce
Can anybody tell me if I �m right or wrong and why.
Thanks in advance to the grammar geniuses.
Muriellle
 

2 May 2016      





redcamarocruiser
United States

You have to use �the � before death penalty because it refers to a particular type of penalty. (You could have a monetary penalty instead).

2 May 2016     



yanogator
United States

Also, your reasoning is off. "Death" is being used as an adjective, modifying "penalty", so it is OK to use "the" with "penalty".
 
Bruce 

2 May 2016     



mfraczek
France

Thank you very much Bruce and Mary for your answers! I �m not a native speaker so you really helped me!
Murielle 

2 May 2016