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Ирина
articles with brand names What article should we use before nouns in different constructuons containing brand names Please, correct the following sentences if they are wrong. There was laptop Samsung S47 in the packet. I want to buy Nokia 33 mobile phone. I would also like to know if we need any article before names of such places as cafes, shops, cinemas and so on. Let's go to the "Karo" cinema, We went to the "Liza" cafe. We went to cafe "Liza"
Jan 6, 2015 7:35 AM
Answers · 2
Ed has given you answers about product names, so I'll tell you about cafes and cinemas and so on. In general, you use either an article or a name - not both. For example. Let's go to the cinema. Let's go to the cinema on the corner. (one specific cinema) Let's go to a cinema in town. (unspecified i.e. one of several cinemas) Let's go to Cinemax. (a name - no article) Similarly Let's go to a cafe. (unspecified - any cafe) Let's go to the cafe (specified - both speakers know which one you mean) Let's go to Lisa's Cafe (a name - no article) Sometimes, especially with cinemas, theatres, and hotels, the word 'The' appears in the name, for example 'The Odeon' 'The Palace Theatre' 'The Grand Hotel'. Obviously, you would say 'The' in these cases (and write 'The' with a capital letter), but the article has no grammatical function if it's part of the name. The only exception to this rule is when you have well-known chains with many outlets. In these case you use the name almost as a generic term, and you would use both an article and a name. For example: I don't want to go to a McDonalds. (There are many McDonalds around and I don't want to go to any of them) Shall we go to the Starbucks near the station? (There are several Starbucks in this city, and I'm specifying which one I mean). I hope that helps.
January 6, 2015
The brand name acts as an adjective, so if you would use an article if the brand name wasn't there, you use it when the brand name is. I bought shoes. I bought Nike shoes. I bought a pen. I bought a Papermate pen. So, There was a Samsung S47 laptop in the packet. (Notice the adjectives go before the noun.) I want to buy a Nokia 33 phone.
January 6, 2015
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