Friday, January 6

Grammar tips

Today we will continue to explore the use of “the” with acronyms and possessives, now with practical use of the article.

First grammar tip: you must invert the acronym + “the” rule when using possessives. See the examples:

• “The UNSC” (basic rule) / “UNSC reform” (without “the”) / “The UNSC’s reform” (with “the”).
• “NATO” (basic rule) / “The NATO reform” (with “the”) / “NATO’s reform” (without “the”).
• “The UN” (basic rule) / “UN measures” (without “the”) / “The UN’s measures” (with “the”).
• “Mercosur” (basic rule) / “The Mercosur member states” (with “the”) / “Mercosur’s member states” (without “the”).

Another important rule about the use of “the” is the following: when two terms create one single concept, you DO NOT USE “the”:

• Global warming (adjective + noun): “Global warming is changing our economy.”
• US interventionism (noun + noun): “US interventionism drives Latin American countries towards China’s influence.”

Stay tuned for more grammar tips in our CACD Newsletter!