orientation camp

As far as I can see, it seems so, WB. However, certain words like 'lecture' don't seem to be used as much/at all in that manner.

"Bring your stuff to lecture."

We do do that for 'class' - "Bring your protractor to class".

Now you know the rule or perhaps, better, the nuance. It doesn't then follow that 'the' is impossible in every situation.

Example: Two students are discussing their class/tutorial. Just as they leave each other, one of them remarks,

A: Oh, remember to bring your protractor to the class/tutorial.

A's mind could be/could have been focused on "the class/tutorial that we have been discussing". It's become specific in A's mind because it is made specific by the relative clause, "that we have been discussing".

Or A might say,

A: Oh, remember to bring your protractor to class/tutorial.

The take away message here is that you will always find examples that appear to contradict certain "rules", but the problem is we don't know the nuance, we don't know what is going on in the speaker's mind. It all boils down to CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT and then CONTEXT.

Thank you, JTT.

I know in UK English we can say this:

-This area is famous for the Notting Hill Carnival, a colourful street festival held there every year on Summer Bank Holiday.

1. Does this sentence mean a Carnival, even held every year, must take THE, like COMPETITION?

2. Is THE also used in US English like this?

The annual Sports Day has been held.

A: Did you go to (the) Sports Day?/What did you think about (the) Sports Day (this year)?

Should A use THE? JTT says no THE is used for regular events, THE for specific; but the above is rather specific, yet it is a regular event.

Thank you, JTT.

Now assume I am the teacher. Can I tell students this?:

-Please come to (no the) lecture/totorial.

(I've read your post twice, but, um... I am still unclear...)

Which post and what info, WB?



CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT and CONTEXT, WB. For example, if the teacher is focusing on a single special lecture/tutorial given by a guest speaker, then 'the'. We have to know the context and the speaker's focus.

Thank you, JTT.

Assume there's no context, or the speaker is not referring to any specific lecture or tutorial; in any case, of course excluding slips, can we say that without THE?

That would be a grammar book example, WB, not real life. Language exists in real life.