Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Shinae]

Hi there,

Can you help me with these sentences or words?
First, which one is correct and why?
1) There is no statutory restraints against advertising notarial services.
2) There is no statutory restraints against advertising the notarial services.

Second, why do you need a "a" here? If a "a" is needed, then the words "five weeks" need not be modified? Why?
The two older children have spent a scant five weeks in two different schools.

Third, which one is correct? the one with "the" or the one without "the"
1) the Los Angeles inter-city bus terminal
2) Los Angeles bus terminal
If I want to pursue further on this area, where can I go or what can I purchase?

Fourth, p/s give me some examples of the usages of these words - Saturday and on Saturday.

[lotus]

Hi Shinae,

QUOTE:
1) There is no statutory restraints against advertising notarial services.
2) There is no statutory restraints against advertising the notarial services.

I would've written it like so:
There are no statutory restraints against advertising notarial services.

QUOTE:
The two older children have spent a scant five weeks in two different schools.

You need an "a" here because you're taking five weeks and turning it into a small time frame. You could replace "a scant" with "just" in the following revised sentence.

The two older children spent just five weeks in two different schools.


QUOTE:
1) the Los Angeles inter-city bus terminal
2) Los Angeles bus terminal

Both are correct. You do not have to use "inter-city" if you do not want to. We usually describe bus terminals by destination. We place "the" in front because it is a specific place.

The Los Angeles downtown bus terminal was very crowded.


SATURDAY:

We went to the Nutcracker Ballet on Saturday.
Last Saturday, we went to the Nutcracker Ballet.

Saturday, we went to the Nutcracker Ballet.
We went to the ballet Saturday.


--lotus

[Shinae]

Hi lotus,

Thank you for your response, but I am still not clear on the 4th question.
You gave these two examples in regard to the usage of the word "Saturday" and they are:

1) We went to the ballet Saturday.
2) We went to the Nutcracker Ballet on Saturday.

Did you use different words for the above two cases intentionally?
If so, why?

[lotus]

Hi Shinae,

The Nutcracker Ballet is a popular holiday Ballet adapted from music by Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite.

It is about a girl (Clara) who gets a toy from her uncle for Christmas (a nutcracker) which comes to life in her dreams. The room shrinks and the Nutcracker battles with mice (the Mouse King) and Clara (the girl) helps him. The Nutcracker is then transformed into a Prince (by the uncle) and they both go through a magical Winter Wonderland with the Snow King and Queen. After the Winter Wonderland sequence, Clara meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and she and other exotic dancers dance for Clara and the Prince. As her dream ends, Clara gets to dance with the Prince in the grand pas de deux (a dance for two).

It is a magical ballet for children. The ballet and its music are now an annual Christmas tradition.

Here is link with more information.

http://www.sfballet.org/performances/nutcracker/index.aspx


--lotus