Can articles be omitted in front of the second and third nouns?
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According to one article reference book, it says we can omit articles (a, an, the) in front of the second, third,… nouns. Is it really acceptable from native English speakers' point of view? Is it really grammatically correct and allowed in writing? The book says it is so clear that each item (noun) is a different item, so we do not need to repeat the article.
Example 1:
I bought a lemon, melon, and pineapple.
Example 2:
I asked her to pass me the pen, eraser, and pencil sharpener.
I understand we can definitely place "a" in front of each noun, but could placing the articles (a, the) be redundant?
grammar articles
edited Sep 1 '15 at 9:37
Tlacenka
349112
asked Sep 1 '15 at 8:34
RON
673
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
According to one article reference book, it says we can omit articles (a, an, the) in front of the second, third,… nouns. Is it really acceptable from native English speakers' point of view? Is it really grammatically correct and allowed in writing? The book says it is so clear that each item (noun) is a different item, so we do not need to repeat the article.
Example 1:
I bought a lemon, melon, and pineapple.
Example 2:
I asked her to pass me the pen, eraser, and pencil sharpener.
I understand we can definitely place "a" in front of each noun, but could placing the articles (a, the) be redundant?
grammar articles
edited Sep 1 '15 at 9:37
Tlacenka
349112
asked Sep 1 '15 at 8:34
RON
673
Bottom line: this 'rule' is, as is usually the case, a rule of thumb. In many cases, omitting subsequent a's would lead to an unnatural-sounding variant.
– Edwin Ashworth
Sep 1 '15 at 11:09
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
According to one article reference book, it says we can omit articles (a, an, the) in front of the second, third,… nouns. Is it really acceptable from native English speakers' point of view? Is it really grammatically correct and allowed in writing? The book says it is so clear that each item (noun) is a different item, so we do not need to repeat the article.
Example 1:
I bought a lemon, melon, and pineapple.
Example 2:
I asked her to pass me the pen, eraser, and pencil sharpener.
I understand we can definitely place "a" in front of each noun, but could placing the articles (a, the) be redundant?
grammar articles
edited Sep 1 '15 at 9:37
Tlacenka
349112
asked Sep 1 '15 at 8:34
RON
673
According to one article reference book, it says we can omit articles (a, an, the) in front of the second, third,… nouns. Is it really acceptable from native English speakers' point of view? Is it really grammatically correct and allowed in writing? The book says it is so clear that each item (noun) is a different item, so we do not need to repeat the article.
Example 1:
I bought a lemon, melon, and pineapple.
Example 2:
I asked her to pass me the pen, eraser, and pencil sharpener.
I understand we can definitely place "a" in front of each noun, but could placing the articles (a, the) be redundant?
grammar articles
grammar articles
edited Sep 1 '15 at 9:37
Tlacenka
349112
asked Sep 1 '15 at 8:34
RON
673
edited Sep 1 '15 at 9:37
Tlacenka
349112
asked Sep 1 '15 at 8:34
RON
673
edited Sep 1 '15 at 9:37
Tlacenka
349112
edited Sep 1 '15 at 9:37
Tlacenka
349112
edited Sep 1 '15 at 9:37
Tlacenka
349112
349112
asked Sep 1 '15 at 8:34
RON
673
asked Sep 1 '15 at 8:34
RON
673
asked Sep 1 '15 at 8:34
RON
673
673
Bottom line: this 'rule' is, as is usually the case, a rule of thumb. In many cases, omitting subsequent a's would lead to an unnatural-sounding variant.
– Edwin Ashworth
Sep 1 '15 at 11:09
add a comment |
Bottom line: this 'rule' is, as is usually the case, a rule of thumb. In many cases, omitting subsequent a's would lead to an unnatural-sounding variant.
– Edwin Ashworth
Sep 1 '15 at 11:09
Bottom line: this 'rule' is, as is usually the case, a rule of thumb. In many cases, omitting subsequent a's would lead to an unnatural-sounding variant.
– Edwin Ashworth
Sep 1 '15 at 11:09
Bottom line: this 'rule' is, as is usually the case, a rule of thumb. In many cases, omitting subsequent a's would lead to an unnatural-sounding variant.
– Edwin Ashworth
Sep 1 '15 at 11:09
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
Leaving out the articles is grammatical. But we're more likely to leave out repeated definite articles than indefinite ones. See Ngram. And we're much more likely to leave out the article when the items are connected. For example, Ngram shows "a car and trailer" is more common than "a car and a trailer"; but "a car and house" is less common than "a car and a house" (although both forms are used in both cases).
And while "he gave me a box of chocolates and bouquet of roses" sounds fine to me, I think you really should put two articles in "he gave me an octopus and bouquet of roses".
answered Sep 1 '15 at 12:19
Peter Shor
61k5116218
2
Good answer, just one little quibble -- with the chocolates and the roses, I don't think this is a place to skimp on articles. We need the full flavor and aroma here.
– aparente001
Sep 2 '15 at 20:23
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
The answer is different for the two sentences.
In the first, you were buying items from among (presumably) many. Many melons, many lemons, many pineapples. So, for each kind of fruit, you picked one, previously unspecified. You need the indefinite article "a" for each fruit:
- I bought a melon, a lemon and a pineapple.
In the second, it might be that there was only one each of pen, eraser, and pencil sharpener (or only one that she had, or had access to.) In that case, "the" can distribute across all three items, exactly as you wrote the sentence.
- I asked her to pass me the pen, eraser and pencil sharpener.
However, if you knew, for instance, that there was only one pencil sharpener, but several pens and erasers she might hand you:
- I asked her to pass me a pen, an eraser and the pencil sharpener.
answered Sep 1 '15 at 8:47
Brian Hitchcock
12.6k11636
1
You've made this up!
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:14
Are you saying it's not true?
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:18
Yes, the first sentence is awkward but not ungrammatical. There are lots of examples of co-ordinated nouns with a single indefinite article. See, for example, "a knife, fork and spoon". :)
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:21
1
Or, for example, these well known joke intros
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:23
Not only is it awkward, it's ambiguous. He might have bought three cans of pineapple for all we know.
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:30
|
show 6 more comments
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
Leaving out the articles is grammatical. But we're more likely to leave out repeated definite articles than indefinite ones. See Ngram. And we're much more likely to leave out the article when the items are connected. For example, Ngram shows "a car and trailer" is more common than "a car and a trailer"; but "a car and house" is less common than "a car and a house" (although both forms are used in both cases).
And while "he gave me a box of chocolates and bouquet of roses" sounds fine to me, I think you really should put two articles in "he gave me an octopus and bouquet of roses".
answered Sep 1 '15 at 12:19
Peter Shor
61k5116218
2
Good answer, just one little quibble -- with the chocolates and the roses, I don't think this is a place to skimp on articles. We need the full flavor and aroma here.
– aparente001
Sep 2 '15 at 20:23
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
Leaving out the articles is grammatical. But we're more likely to leave out repeated definite articles than indefinite ones. See Ngram. And we're much more likely to leave out the article when the items are connected. For example, Ngram shows "a car and trailer" is more common than "a car and a trailer"; but "a car and house" is less common than "a car and a house" (although both forms are used in both cases).
And while "he gave me a box of chocolates and bouquet of roses" sounds fine to me, I think you really should put two articles in "he gave me an octopus and bouquet of roses".
answered Sep 1 '15 at 12:19
Peter Shor
61k5116218
2
Good answer, just one little quibble -- with the chocolates and the roses, I don't think this is a place to skimp on articles. We need the full flavor and aroma here.
– aparente001
Sep 2 '15 at 20:23
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
Leaving out the articles is grammatical. But we're more likely to leave out repeated definite articles than indefinite ones. See Ngram. And we're much more likely to leave out the article when the items are connected. For example, Ngram shows "a car and trailer" is more common than "a car and a trailer"; but "a car and house" is less common than "a car and a house" (although both forms are used in both cases).
And while "he gave me a box of chocolates and bouquet of roses" sounds fine to me, I think you really should put two articles in "he gave me an octopus and bouquet of roses".
answered Sep 1 '15 at 12:19
Peter Shor
61k5116218
Leaving out the articles is grammatical. But we're more likely to leave out repeated definite articles than indefinite ones. See Ngram. And we're much more likely to leave out the article when the items are connected. For example, Ngram shows "a car and trailer" is more common than "a car and a trailer"; but "a car and house" is less common than "a car and a house" (although both forms are used in both cases).
And while "he gave me a box of chocolates and bouquet of roses" sounds fine to me, I think you really should put two articles in "he gave me an octopus and bouquet of roses".
answered Sep 1 '15 at 12:19
Peter Shor
61k5116218
edited Jul 13 '17 at 15:03
answered Sep 1 '15 at 12:19
Peter Shor
61k5116218
answered Sep 1 '15 at 12:19
Peter Shor
61k5116218
answered Sep 1 '15 at 12:19
Peter Shor
61k5116218
61k5116218
2
Good answer, just one little quibble -- with the chocolates and the roses, I don't think this is a place to skimp on articles. We need the full flavor and aroma here.
– aparente001
Sep 2 '15 at 20:23
add a comment |
2
Good answer, just one little quibble -- with the chocolates and the roses, I don't think this is a place to skimp on articles. We need the full flavor and aroma here.
– aparente001
Sep 2 '15 at 20:23
2
2
Good answer, just one little quibble -- with the chocolates and the roses, I don't think this is a place to skimp on articles. We need the full flavor and aroma here.
– aparente001
Sep 2 '15 at 20:23
Good answer, just one little quibble -- with the chocolates and the roses, I don't think this is a place to skimp on articles. We need the full flavor and aroma here.
– aparente001
Sep 2 '15 at 20:23
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
The answer is different for the two sentences.
In the first, you were buying items from among (presumably) many. Many melons, many lemons, many pineapples. So, for each kind of fruit, you picked one, previously unspecified. You need the indefinite article "a" for each fruit:
- I bought a melon, a lemon and a pineapple.
In the second, it might be that there was only one each of pen, eraser, and pencil sharpener (or only one that she had, or had access to.) In that case, "the" can distribute across all three items, exactly as you wrote the sentence.
- I asked her to pass me the pen, eraser and pencil sharpener.
However, if you knew, for instance, that there was only one pencil sharpener, but several pens and erasers she might hand you:
- I asked her to pass me a pen, an eraser and the pencil sharpener.
answered Sep 1 '15 at 8:47
Brian Hitchcock
12.6k11636
1
You've made this up!
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:14
Are you saying it's not true?
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:18
Yes, the first sentence is awkward but not ungrammatical. There are lots of examples of co-ordinated nouns with a single indefinite article. See, for example, "a knife, fork and spoon". :)
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:21
1
Or, for example, these well known joke intros
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:23
Not only is it awkward, it's ambiguous. He might have bought three cans of pineapple for all we know.
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:30
|
show 6 more comments
up vote
0
down vote
The answer is different for the two sentences.
In the first, you were buying items from among (presumably) many. Many melons, many lemons, many pineapples. So, for each kind of fruit, you picked one, previously unspecified. You need the indefinite article "a" for each fruit:
- I bought a melon, a lemon and a pineapple.
In the second, it might be that there was only one each of pen, eraser, and pencil sharpener (or only one that she had, or had access to.) In that case, "the" can distribute across all three items, exactly as you wrote the sentence.
- I asked her to pass me the pen, eraser and pencil sharpener.
However, if you knew, for instance, that there was only one pencil sharpener, but several pens and erasers she might hand you:
- I asked her to pass me a pen, an eraser and the pencil sharpener.
answered Sep 1 '15 at 8:47
Brian Hitchcock
12.6k11636
1
You've made this up!
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:14
Are you saying it's not true?
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:18
Yes, the first sentence is awkward but not ungrammatical. There are lots of examples of co-ordinated nouns with a single indefinite article. See, for example, "a knife, fork and spoon". :)
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:21
1
Or, for example, these well known joke intros
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:23
Not only is it awkward, it's ambiguous. He might have bought three cans of pineapple for all we know.
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:30
|
show 6 more comments
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
The answer is different for the two sentences.
In the first, you were buying items from among (presumably) many. Many melons, many lemons, many pineapples. So, for each kind of fruit, you picked one, previously unspecified. You need the indefinite article "a" for each fruit:
- I bought a melon, a lemon and a pineapple.
In the second, it might be that there was only one each of pen, eraser, and pencil sharpener (or only one that she had, or had access to.) In that case, "the" can distribute across all three items, exactly as you wrote the sentence.
- I asked her to pass me the pen, eraser and pencil sharpener.
However, if you knew, for instance, that there was only one pencil sharpener, but several pens and erasers she might hand you:
- I asked her to pass me a pen, an eraser and the pencil sharpener.
answered Sep 1 '15 at 8:47
Brian Hitchcock
12.6k11636
The answer is different for the two sentences.
In the first, you were buying items from among (presumably) many. Many melons, many lemons, many pineapples. So, for each kind of fruit, you picked one, previously unspecified. You need the indefinite article "a" for each fruit:
- I bought a melon, a lemon and a pineapple.
In the second, it might be that there was only one each of pen, eraser, and pencil sharpener (or only one that she had, or had access to.) In that case, "the" can distribute across all three items, exactly as you wrote the sentence.
- I asked her to pass me the pen, eraser and pencil sharpener.
However, if you knew, for instance, that there was only one pencil sharpener, but several pens and erasers she might hand you:
- I asked her to pass me a pen, an eraser and the pencil sharpener.
answered Sep 1 '15 at 8:47
Brian Hitchcock
12.6k11636
answered Sep 1 '15 at 8:47
Brian Hitchcock
12.6k11636
answered Sep 1 '15 at 8:47
Brian Hitchcock
12.6k11636
answered Sep 1 '15 at 8:47
Brian Hitchcock
12.6k11636
12.6k11636
1
You've made this up!
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:14
Are you saying it's not true?
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:18
Yes, the first sentence is awkward but not ungrammatical. There are lots of examples of co-ordinated nouns with a single indefinite article. See, for example, "a knife, fork and spoon". :)
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:21
1
Or, for example, these well known joke intros
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:23
Not only is it awkward, it's ambiguous. He might have bought three cans of pineapple for all we know.
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:30
|
show 6 more comments
1
You've made this up!
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:14
Are you saying it's not true?
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:18
Yes, the first sentence is awkward but not ungrammatical. There are lots of examples of co-ordinated nouns with a single indefinite article. See, for example, "a knife, fork and spoon". :)
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:21
1
Or, for example, these well known joke intros
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:23
Not only is it awkward, it's ambiguous. He might have bought three cans of pineapple for all we know.
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:30
1
1
You've made this up!
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:14
You've made this up!
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:14
Are you saying it's not true?
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:18
Are you saying it's not true?
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:18
Yes, the first sentence is awkward but not ungrammatical. There are lots of examples of co-ordinated nouns with a single indefinite article. See, for example, "a knife, fork and spoon". :)
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:21
Yes, the first sentence is awkward but not ungrammatical. There are lots of examples of co-ordinated nouns with a single indefinite article. See, for example, "a knife, fork and spoon". :)
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:21
1
1
Or, for example, these well known joke intros
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:23
Or, for example, these well known joke intros
– Araucaria
Sep 1 '15 at 10:23
Not only is it awkward, it's ambiguous. He might have bought three cans of pineapple for all we know.
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:30
Not only is it awkward, it's ambiguous. He might have bought three cans of pineapple for all we know.
– Brian Hitchcock
Sep 1 '15 at 10:30
|
show 6 more comments
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Bottom line: this 'rule' is, as is usually the case, a rule of thumb. In many cases, omitting subsequent a's would lead to an unnatural-sounding variant.
– Edwin Ashworth
Sep 1 '15 at 11:09