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noncountable nouns, proper nouns, use of articles!!

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Anonymous  #372892  Thu, 31 May 07 07:13 AM

Hi,

Have had mixed responses to these questions so am hoping someone can help clarify:

Yesterday I went to math class.  or Yesterday I went to the math class. 

Most people have said the second one is grammatically correct, but would it not be Yesterday I went to the math class if it was talking about actually going to the math classroom.

How about

Yesterday I went to a math class?

Would the math in math class be capitalised as it is a name of a class which would mean that it doesn't need an article?

In general use are subject classes i.e math, science, history - capitalised or not??????????????

  
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Mister Micawber  #372942  Thu, 31 May 07 10:31 AM

Yes, your ideas are somewhat jumbled.

Yesterday I went to math class. -- Much like 'I went to school/church'.  It is idiomatic usage for certain familiar (to schoolchildren) facilities.  This is certainly the most common way to express your idea.

Yesterday I went to the math class. -- The context must somehow mention this class before or otherwise indicate that it is a unique or specific one, e.g.:  I went to the math class [that I just enrolled in].  I signed up for a math class and a science class, but I only went to the math class.

Yesterday I went to a math class.-- As I exemplied above, use 'a' when it is one of many and previously unmentioned.

Yesterday I went to Math class. -- This is possible if the class has such a very simple name, but capitalization (and loss of article) normally occurs with more specific or definitive names:  Yesterday I went to Differential Calculus 201.


In general use are subject classes i.e math, science, history - capitalised or not? -- No; such names usually just serve to indicate the general subject.  Yesterday I went to a history class, Early Renaissance.


  
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