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#2 (permalink) Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:41 am Use of word Fire: If there is fire/(a fire), ring this bell |
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| IMHO, fire is the flames, light and heat that are produced when smth burns and flames that destroy houses and so on :a fire burning of wood and etc for cooking or heating. |
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Pamela I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1239 Location: Rf
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#3 (permalink) Wed Aug 30, 2006 5:48 am Fire |
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Hi Pamela,
Thanks a lot but please answer on my concret question.
Thanks Quoc |
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Tung Quoc I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 372
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#4 (permalink) Wed Aug 30, 2006 6:27 am Use of word Fire: If there is fire/(a fire), ring this bell |
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| In your sentence I'd use fire because ring the bell assumes an alarm. |
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Pamela I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1239 Location: Rf
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#5 (permalink) Wed Aug 30, 2006 7:20 am Use of word Fire: If there is fire/(a fire), ring this bell |
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. I think it's sometimes a question of "typical" collocation, Quoc:
- If there is a fire, ring this bell. (This is what someone might actually say to you.)
- In case of fire, ring bell. (This is something you might see on a sign next to some sort of fire alarm bell)
There is a fire in the kitchen/livingroom/bedroom/stairwell. There was a fire on Main Street yesterday. There was a fire in the field, so we called the fire department. We lit a fire. This material withstands fire better than that material. The house is on fire. Where there's smoke, there's fire. The boss is under fire because sales have fallen 50% (figurative)
Using an article with the noun fire usually refers to a particular thing/area that is or was burning. Without an article, it's either a more general concept or idiomatic.
Amy |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
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#6 (permalink) Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:48 am Use of word Fire: If there is fire/(a fire), ring this bell |
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Dear teacher,
If I write:
If there is fire, ring this bell. (a)
(a) is correct in grammar and have the meaning?
Quoc |
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Tung Quoc I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 372
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#7 (permalink) Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:06 pm Use of word Fire: If there is fire/(a fire), ring this bell |
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| Quote: |
| If there is fire, ring this bell. (a) |
Quoc, I think I've already explained things in quite a bit of detail.
Now, it's your turn to put on your thinkng cap: - What does "fire" mean in your sentence? - Does it refer to something burning in a specific place/area or does it refer to a general concept? - What kind of a bell are you referring to? Is it a specific bell in a specific place for a specific use?
Do you still think that "If there is a fire..." might be the same as "If there is fire..."? |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
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#8 (permalink) Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:24 pm Use of word Fire: If there is fire/(a fire), ring this bell |
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Dear teacher,
"Fire" in: If there is fire (1) is as in:
Have you insured your house against fire? "Fire" in (1) refers to a general concept.
"Fire" in: If there is a fire (1) is as in:
It was a fire in the warehouse.
You wrote:
- What kind of a bell are you referring to? Is it a specific bell in a specific place for a specific use?
Why did you mention the bell? "The bell" is unrelated here.
So I think:
If there is fire, ring the bell is correct.
How about your opinion?
Quoc |
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Tung Quoc I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 372
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#9 (permalink) Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:38 pm Use of word Fire: If there is fire/(a fire), ring this bell |
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Hi Quoc
If there is a specific bell designed specifically for use when something in/near the bell's location is burning, then I'd say "There is a fire". Basically I'd look at that as a specific event.
Amy |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
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#10 (permalink) Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:57 pm Use of word Fire: If there is fire/(a fire), ring this bell |
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Dear teacher,
Please read:
The man will take my place if I am absent.
has the same meaning with:
The man will take my place in case of my absence.
So,
How do you change the sentence:
In case of fire, ring the bell. (1)
by using "If there is.."
In this case, you say:
If there is a fire or if there is fire.....?
If you say "if there is a fire" (2)is correct, how do you explain the difference btw "fire" in (1) and "a fire" in (2)?
Quoc |
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Tung Quoc I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 372
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#11 (permalink) Wed Aug 30, 2006 14:43 pm Use of word Fire: If there is fire/(a fire), ring this bell |
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Can I deviate a bit from the topic, please? :(
I think same is the case with noise!
1- There was a strange noise in the room.(some particular situation) 2- I hate noise. (general)
Tom |
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Tom I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 2070
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| Prefix "re" | True vs real |