From: joseph barnett [mailto:jophrabo@xxxxxxxxx] Sent: Friday, July 18, 2008 1:21 PM To: Joe Subject: Fw: Re: [etni] definite artice with practice --- On Thu, 7/17/08, allan hirshey <rigoletto8@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: From: allan hirshey <rigoletto8@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: Re: [etni] definite artice with practice To: jophrabo@xxxxxxxxx Date: Thursday, July 17, 2008, 4:04 AM Joe, Thanks for your educated response. Yes, you can share my response with the ETNI networkers. Allan --- On Wed, 7/16/08, joseph barnett <jophrabo@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: From: joseph barnett <jophrabo@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: Re: [etni] definite artice with practice To: rigoletto8@xxxxxxxxx Date: Wednesday, July 16, 2008, 9:49 AM Hi Allen, Of course the rule doesn't work if you change the usage. In the sentences first quoted on the etni site 'practice' meant something like exercise, drill or rehearsal, and the issue was whether it was a Count Noun. Now you are also using 'practice/practise as a Count Noun meaning office or clinic. You ask which of your three sentences is correct - which is a loaded question. They can all be correct in certain contexts. " He started a dental practice in Haifa" might mean He opened an office/clinic in Haifa. "He started dental practice in Haifa" might mean He started practising dentistry (his profession) in Haifa. "He opened three dental practices last week in the Tel Aviv area" is like the first sentence and might mean He opened three dental clinics in the Tel Aviv Area. I hope this answers your question. May I have your permission to forward this brief exchange to etnifreelists in the hope that other English language teachers and grammar freaks might share it with us? Regards, Joe Barnett --- On Wed, 7/16/08, allan hirshey <rigoletto8@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: From: allan hirshey <rigoletto8@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: Re: [etni] definite artice with practice To: jophrabo@xxxxxxxxx Date: Wednesday, July 16, 2008, 9:11 AM Hi Joe, Which Is the correct sentence - " He started a dental practice in Haifa", or "He started dental practice in Haifa"? How about "He opened three dental practices last week in the Tel Aviv area"? In the first sentence "practice" is a countable noun. Isn't it? Also, I'm curious what your grammar checker has to say about the last sentence above. I think it all depends on the usage. All the best, Allan Hirshey --- On Sun, 7/13/08, joseph barnett <jophrabo@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: From: joseph barnett <jophrabo@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: [etni] definite artice with practice To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Sunday, July 13, 2008, 12:09 AM For the record I sent this email to you on the 10th in reply to Amy but it was "undeliverable." My remarks also relate to David G's email. I hope it reaches you this time. Joe Barnett Dear Amy, In answer to your last question: if you qualifed it it would be OK, e.g. "I'm going to the basketball practice which we have in the gym tonight." As for "I'm going to the basketball practice" out of context - I agree with you - it is unacceptable. I don't think "practice" is a fully-fledged count noun, not in formal English at least. I think it's like "homework". You might teach your pupils not to say "I did three homeworks" but you may still hear teachers in the staff room saying this. [My grammar checker didn't like it either!] "We had three basketball practices this term" - not the best formal English. Regards, Joe