caucuses vs primaries

abc   Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:15 am GMT
What's the difference between caucuses and primaries?
xyz   Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:24 pm GMT
I also read about GOP. What does GOP mean?

I think the previous question has to do with general election in the US. I am also reading about US General election. There are so many terms I don't undersand.

---please rate my English level---

Thank you very much.
Lazar   Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:40 pm GMT
<<What's the difference between caucuses and primaries?>>

They're two different ways in which states choose their delegates to the party convention. In a caucus (which I believe is more common in the Democratic Party), party members attend hundreds of small precinct-level meetings called caucuses, in which they try to persuade their neighbors before casting their votes openly. Each caucus elects delegates to a county convention, which in turn elects national delegates.

In a primary, all the party members - and in some states, independents can choose to participate in a party primary - simply cast votes at the voting booth, and the state's delegates are assigned either proportionally to the vote (as in most Democratic primaries) or entirely to the winner (as in most Republican primaries). The primary is simpler and has higher participation.

<<I also read about GOP. What does GOP mean?>>

It's a common nickname (or shorthand name) for the Republican Party, standing for "Grand Old Party".
GAEian   Wed Feb 06, 2008 4:38 pm GMT
<<---please rate my English level--->>

Looks pretty good to me -- just a couple of trivial things I'd write differently (such as adding a few "the"s and a "'ve" here and there).
xyz   Sat Feb 09, 2008 4:57 am GMT
Once again, I still have a problem with the use of 'the'. I hope that I can find an article about how to use 'the'.

Thank you.
Damian in Sunny Alba   Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:44 am GMT
It's quite simple really - the word "the" is known as the definite article and it comes immediately before any noun (this being a word which refers to any object or thing or type of person etc) in a sentence, also called a determiner It's probably one of the most used of words and one which we skip over so quickly when speaking that you hardly notice its existence, but if you omit "the" in speech it sounds as if you are speaking pidgin English.

It's pronunciation can also vary depending on whether the noun it refers to begins with a vowel or not. "Thuh" book but "thee elephant".
xyz   Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:40 am GMT
The main problem is that not all noun must be started with the word "the". But, I think unless it's stated otherwise (such as the name of a river), I will use "the" in every noun I use. I think it is the safest way to use English more properly.

But, could you give me a hint where I can find an article about the word "the"? I am trying to improve my English level so that I can reach the "advanced" level. According to an English teacher here in my country --Indonesia-- I have reached the "upper intermediate" level.

I am thinking what part of my English that is needed to improve. Among other things, it is about "the".
xyz   Thu Feb 14, 2008 9:41 am GMT
For those who want to learn more about how to use definite/non definite article, I think the following article will be helpful:

http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/writecenter/web/esl.html

or

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/articles.html
xyz   Fri Feb 15, 2008 3:44 am GMT
I have opened a new thread about the definite article and indefinite article.