0

Is it okay to say "Teacher looked at the student angrily." instead of "The teacher looked at the student angrily.", or it is totally unacceptable in English?

EDIT: It is like as if a student were relating a story that happened to him in a lesson.

brilliant
  • 4,295
  • 10
  • 60
  • 112
  • 2
    Leaving out an article or pronoun here turns the word Teacher into a title or proper noun, which is not common in English. You could say "my teacher" or "the teacher" or "her teacher" or a name like "Ms. Smith." But mostly in English, students don't just refer to their teachers as "Teacher." – Friendly Racoon Jan 22 '24 at 02:08
  • Please edit to tell about what you're trying to say. Is this sentence put in the voice of a student who calls the teacher "Teacher"? – Andy Bonner Jan 22 '24 at 17:06
  • @AndyBonner - ""Is this sentence put in the voice of a student who calls the teacher "Teacher"?" - Yes. Your guess is right to the point here. That was exactly my intention. A student relating a story about what happened in one of the lessons that he attended. I wasn't sure, at the time of posting, if that would be okay to say that that way even if it was a student's line. – brilliant Jan 23 '24 at 10:49
  • Please use the “edit” button to add information to the question. Comments are not permanent or “official,” and the question needs this information to be answerable. – Andy Bonner Jan 23 '24 at 11:48
  • 1
    @AndyBonner - I am not sure I know how to word it properly. Just added some edit note to the main question. – brilliant Jan 23 '24 at 13:45

1 Answers1

-1

The word "teacher" is a normal word and needs an article. Would you write "Dog barked happily" or "The dog..."? "Teacher" is no different.

We don't greet teachers with "Hello teacher." English people say "Hello Mr Smith" or "Hello Sir".

So you could say "Mr Smith looked at the children" or, having established the context, perhaps "Sir looked at the children." (but only if you are a child).

Otherwise "teacher" is a normal singular noun and needs an determiner. "A teacher", "My teacher" or "The teacher" etc.

James K
  • 217,650
  • 16
  • 258
  • 452
  • "Hello, teacher" is quite a common greeting in some areas and there are various blogs, apps, etc, with that title. Pink Floyd sang "Hey, teacher, leave them kids alone". I think this depends on where in the world you are, and possibly on other factors e.g. social class or the type of teacher or type of school. – Stuart F Jan 23 '24 at 16:38
  • The use in the Pink Floyd song is deliberately rude The impression it gives is not polite respect for the teacher, but an angry, even hateful, shout against a teacher who has no respect for the children. It is not a good example! – James K Jan 23 '24 at 22:19
  • The OP isn't talking about a situation of polite respect, they're talking about a student recounting a story about an angry teacher. – Stuart F Feb 22 '24 at 14:18