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ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
What does "good-natured" mean? | Followed by something
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Until present time Tue May 13, 2008 16:28 pm  Until present time
 

I think Molly's examples can probably be explained this way:

It is quite common to say that something is 'on TV' and it is also quite common to say 'watch TV' and that is basically what Molly's examples mean.
.
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Amy
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Yankee
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Until present time Tue May 13, 2008 16:33 pm  Until present time
 

Yankee wrote:
I think Molly's examples can probably be explained this way:

It is quite common to say that something is 'on TV' and it is also quite common to say 'watch TV' and that is basically what Molly's examples mean.
.

Would you say there's an omitted "the" there?

e.g.

What's on the TV tonight?
Molly
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Until present time Tue May 13, 2008 16:58 pm  Until present time
 

Molly wrote:
Would you say there's an omitted "the" there?

e.g.

What's on the TV tonight?

No
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Until present time Tue May 13, 2008 22:50 pm  Until present time
 

Molly wrote:
51,500 English pages for "tonight on BBC".


i.e. "tonight on BBC One", "tonight on BBC Four", etc.

Those are the names of tv stations; thus you say "when I worked at the BBC" (the corporation); "when I worked at BBC One" (the tv station).

MrP
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Until present time Wed May 14, 2008 1:14 am  Until present time
 

Quote:
i.e. "tonight on BBC One", "tonight on BBC Four", etc.

So before BBC Two existed, folks would not say "what's on BBC tonight", right?
Molly
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Until present time Wed May 14, 2008 1:25 am  Until present time
 

Molly wrote:
Quote:
i.e. "tonight on BBC One", "tonight on BBC Four", etc.

So before BBC Two existed, folks would not say "what's on BBC tonight", right?

If you look through the "tonight on BBC" googles, you'll find that a) there are not quite as many as you seem to think b) most of them relate to BBC One, BBC Two, etc.

MrP
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Until present time Wed May 14, 2008 6:52 am  Until present time
 

Hi MrP,
I'm still a bit curious about the use of "the" in "the ABC Corporation". Is it really necessary for us to use "the" here?
For example:

I'd love to go to Oxford University
or:
I'd love to go the Oxford University

Ford is a famous American car brand name
or
The Ford is a famous American car brand name

Many thanks in advance
Nessie

Yes, you need "the" in "till the present time". You would usually use a "the" before "ABC Corporation" too, unless ABC itself had specified otherwise
nessie
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Until present time Wed May 14, 2008 7:09 am  Until present time
 

Hello Nessie,

The discussion actually relates to abbreviations: "As a rule of thumb, if the full name would require a definite article (e.g. if the last word is an ordinary noun), you would include "the". If the abbreviations stand for names, however, you wouldn't."

Oxford University and Ford are not generally abbreviated. "The Open University" is, however, to "the OU".

Best wishes,

MrP
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Until present time Wed May 14, 2008 7:49 am  Until present time
 

MrPedantic wrote:
If you look through the "tonight on BBC" googles, you'll find that a) there are not quite as many as you seem to think b) most of them relate to BBC One, BBC Two, etc.

MrP

So "what's on BBC TV tonight" would be an error, would it?

And are both these possible? If so, why?

The BBC's axing of 300 workers from...
BBC's axing of 300 workers from...
Molly
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Until present time Wed May 14, 2008 19:23 pm  Until present time
 

Hi MrP,
Thanks a lot for your clarification, and could you please post some more examples to compare the two usages?

Many thanks in advance
Nessie Smile
nessie
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Until present time Thu May 15, 2008 18:54 pm  Until present time
 

How about these:

1. It says in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary that "luck" is an uncountable noun
2. It says in OALD that "luck" is an uncountable noun

=> Are the two examples both correct?
I know OALD is a proper name, but I still find it very weird not to add "the" before it...
nessie
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Until present time Thu May 15, 2008 19:03 pm  Until present time
 

Is "it says in Esquire" or "it says in Playboy" correct? Yes. I guess the thinking is the same with "it says in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary".
Molly
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Until present time Thu May 15, 2008 19:34 pm  Until present time
 

This matter of using "the" before nouns makes me so confused. Could you please tell me anywhere I can find exercises of this kind?

Many thanks in advance.
Nessie.
nessie
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Until present time Thu May 15, 2008 23:25 pm  Until present time
 

Hello Nessie,

I would say "It says in the OALD"; though in fact, I would probably give the full name, except on a forum like this, since for most people it isn't a familiar work.

Much better known is "the OED" (The Oxford English Dictionary), e.g. "it says in the OED..."

Best wishes,

MrP
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Until present time Sat May 17, 2008 7:17 am  Until present time
 

Hi MrP,
"Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary" is a proper name, isn't it? Then why must we use "the" here?

Regards
Nessie
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