Is deck used without an article? Context: Up on deck, my eyes adjusted to the evening darkness. It's just one example of the word deck using without an article. It's used without one throughout the

Roman Y

Is deck used without an article? Context: Up on deck, my eyes adjusted to the evening darkness. It's just one example of the word deck using without an article. It's used without one throughout the whole freaking book. Could you kindly tell me, is there some kind of damn exception that the word 'deck' doesn't need an article? More examples: 1. Up on deck is a cockpit. 2. Alexander stood on deck, waiting for us. 3. The mermaid flopped violently on deck. And so on and so forth.

Nov 26, 2015 8:24 AM

Answers · 12

"Freaking"? "Damn"? :) Are you OK, mate? It's only two words. :) There is a fairly simple reason - it's a set adverbial phrase, and answers the question "where"? There are quite a few of these in English ("at war" also comes to mind). In cases like this, you definitely don't add an article - no need to fiddle with adverbs; specifically, don't treat them like nouns.

November 26, 2015

'On deck' is a fixed adverbial phrase. It's not an exception at all. There are many phrases like this. It's like 'at home' or 'at work', or even 'on foot' or 'by car'. Don't look at the grammar of the individual words - think of it as a single phrase with one overall meaning.

November 26, 2015

Think of it as an expression which has been used for hundreds of years in naval and maritime contexts to describe not only physical presence on the deck of a ship but also the state of being ready and able to sail a ship and in the naval context, to defend it from attack.

November 26, 2015

If you use "deck" in the meaning "the top outside floor of a ship or boat", you must write it without an article. http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/deck_1?q=deck

November 26, 2015

If you use "deck" in the meaning "he top outside floor of a ship or boat", you must write it without an article. http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/deck_1?q=deck

November 26, 2015

Still haven’t found your answers?

Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!