Why is there no article "the" in front of the word "new"?
*news

'Messengers brought news that the battle had been lost.'
Source: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/news?q=news

There is the adjective clause following the word "news" giving detail for identifing the news. We should add "the" in front of the "news" since the news is specific, not a general statement, shouldn't we?

Thanks.

Question

Why is there no article "the" in front of the word "new"?
*news

'Messengers brought news that the battle had been lost.'
Source: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/news?q=news

There is the adjective clause following the word "news" giving detail for identifing the news. We should add "the" in front of the "news" since the news is specific, not a general statement, shouldn't we?

Thanks.

Answer

Messengers brought news that the battle had been lost.
这个句子的意思是: 通信员带来消息: 这场战斗失败了。这句话本身语境是非常容易理解的，说话者和听话者甚至阅读者都理解"很多通信员(注意messengers 也是复数，但是这个名词前面也没有加冠词the)，当双方都明白的事情时，名词不加定冠词，但单数加a , →不可数名翻翻书无论单复数显然不加冠词了，复数不加冠词英语中经常出现。
可数名词例子:
This was 
★a ★  story that had been circulating around the Internet for some time. 
(a story that…).
(显然语境中是:这个故事大家都知道了，所以，尽管后面有定语从句(relative clause) 但先行词前用a ,而不是the).
又如:
But that is a minor criticism for a book that will become a California classic. 
(a book that…)
不可数名词记例子:
Mr.Miliband says local leaders will then be able to distribute money that would create jobs and rebuild Afghanistan's infrastructure.
(money that…)(这些钱(拨款)能创建就业，重建阿富汗基础设施)
money 这个名词后有关系从句(即定语从句)但这个名词前没有定冠词the)

Answer

Even a hedgehog knows the difference)))

Answer

In this example according to the dictionary, "news" is uncountable meaning new "information" about sth that has happened recently.

That's news to me. Thanks, Duncan.

Answer

This is quite common. It's a tricky one, but essentially the sentence has omitted the word "some".
- The messengers bought (some) news.
- I have (some) news for you.
- That's news to me.

It can be uncountable when it's a report about recent events.

Answer

Looks like a mistake

Answers · 5

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