From: "alexander koryagin"    
      
   Hello, All!   
      
   I was presented with the book "Harry Potter and the half-blood Prince"   
   by Rowling and I've found some interesting things about using articles:   
      
   Chapter Two   
   ===============   
   You see, in the unlikely event that Draco succeeds, I shall be able   
   to remain at Hogwarts a little longer, fulfilling my useful role as spy."   
      
   No "a" before "spy". Any idea why? It was said by a powerful magician.   
   ===============   
      
   Chapter Three   
   ==========   
   Though Ministry spokeswizards have hitherto refused even to confirm the   
   existence of such a place, a growing number of the Wizarding community   
   believe that the Death Eaters now serving sentences in Azkaban for   
   trespass and attempted theft were attempting to steal a prophecy.   
      
   look: A GROWING NUMBER ... believe that...   
      
   What the hell is this? It must be "believes" if you put "a" before   
   "number"   
      
   ==========   
      
   ==========   
   ...Beside it, held in place by Harry's relaxed hand, was a piece of   
   parchment covered in thin, slanting writing.   
      
   It's everything OK here, but I'm just thinking over the fact that there   
   is no anticle before "place". Well, I'd like to formulate a rule on this   
   case.   
   Pobably if we speak of place that is not cannot be found... ;-))   
   ==========   
      
   ==========   
   ...There in the doorway stood a tall, thin man with waist-length silver   
   hair and beard.   
      
   Ah! If you use in pair an uncontable noun and countabe, you need not use   
   "a" before a countabe one. ;)   
      
   hair and beard!   
   ==========   
      
      
   Bye All!   
   Alexander (yAlexKo[]yandex.ru) + 2:5020/2140.91   
   fido7.english-tutor 2012    
      
      
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