posted by rfvv yesterday at 7:03am
1. If we don't go to school, we go to academies.
2. If we don't go to school, we go to an academy.
3. If we don't go to school, we go to academy.
4. If I don't go to school, I go to academies.
5. If I don't go to school, I go to an academy.
6. If I don't go to school, I go to academy.
[Which sentences are ungrammatical? Would you check articles and plural forms at the end of each sentence?]
• Reed yesterday at 7:13am
1 is fine
2 is fine
3 - no. If there is only one academy, we need to say "the academy". If there are more than one, we need to say "an academy." Only if the academy's proper name is Academy may we omit the article.
4 - no. Do you (singular) go to several academies, more than one?
5 - is fine
6 - see #3 comment above.
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Thank you for your help. You mean the following expressions are ungrammatical and we shouldn't use them, right? [When student write that way in his report, isn't it acceptable? When students write that way, when they are asked to make a sentence in a test, is it totally wrong?]
3. If we don't go to school, we go to academy.
6. If I don't go to school, I go to academy.
However, if I go to several academies after school, you mean, I can use the following.
4. If I don't go to school, I go to academies.
And when I go to one academy, #4 can't be used, okay?
The last question is: A native speaker from the States use 'go to academy' without 'an.'
Why does he use 'go to academy'? Do some native speakers there use 'go to academy' without the indefinite article? Is there no problem in using 'go to academy' like 'go to school'?
You mean the following expressions are ungrammatical and we shouldn't use them, right? [When student write that way in his report, isn't it acceptable? When students write that way, when they are asked to make a sentence in a test, is it totally wrong?] We shouldn't use grammatically incorrect expressions, yes. And yes, it students wrote those on tests, they'd be counted wrong.
3. If we don't go to school, we go to an academy.
6. If I don't go to school, I go to an academy.
However, if I go to several academies after school, you mean, I can use the following.
4. If I don't go to school, I go to [different, specialized] academies.
And when I go to one academy, #4 can't be used, okay? As you originally wrote #4, yes, it's incorrect. There needs to be some kind of modifier to clarify "academy" or "academies."
The last question is: A native speaker from the States use 'go to academy' without 'an.' No, not unless he or she is talking about going to the sporting goods store called Academy! But in the context of schools, no, a native speaker would not say "go to academy."
Why does he use 'go to academy'? He wouldn't.
Do some native speakers there use 'go to academy' without the indefinite article? No.
Is there no problem in using 'go to academy' like 'go to school'? As I wrote above, you need to indicate what kind of academy it is: a math and science academy? an arts academy? a martial arts academy? what kind?? Saying "go to school" is such a common expression, it can be used with or without a modifier.
WAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTT????????
Yes, that's correct. The expressions in sentences 3 and 6 are ungrammatical and should not be used. When writing a report or taking a test, it's important to use correct grammar, so these expressions would be considered incorrect.
In sentence 4, if you go to several academies after school, then it is grammatically correct to say "If I don't go to school, I go to academies." This indicates that you go to multiple academies.
However, if you only go to one academy, then sentence 4 cannot be used. In that case, you would say "If I don't go to school, I go to an academy." The indefinite article "an" is used because there is only one academy in this context.
As for the usage of "go to academy" without the indefinite article by some native speakers in the United States, it is not considered standard grammar. It may be a colloquial or regional variation. In standard English, the phrase would be "go to an academy" or "go to the academy" depending on the context.