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I know the definite article is frequently used before word Internet in most of cases like

Free use of the Internet.

However, I found when it is used with other nouns, lets just say Wifi, it will drop off the definite article.

Free use of Internet and Wifi

Kris
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MAT
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  • The definite article was needed (mandatory) in the early years. Now the Internet is so pervasive, people use it so often, it's a pain to have the before it every time. Internet by itself is considered enough and acceptable now, just take care to capitalize. – Kris Dec 27 '17 at 07:11
  • @Kris If so, why do we still continue to use "the" before "sun", "moon", "earth" even "U.S."? – JK2 Dec 27 '17 at 07:44
  • "The Internet" is used because there is only one. "Free use of Internet" is short for "Free use of Internet access" or something similar. The point being that Internet is a noun in one context and an adjective in the other. We would say "Free use of the Internet" to indicate the concrete internet. – ShpielMeister Dec 27 '17 at 07:48
  • That has been answered on this site. Just search though older posts. Good Luck. – Kris Dec 27 '17 at 07:50
  • @ShpielMeister If indeed "Free use of Internet" is short for "Free use of Internet access", wouldn't using both "use" and "access" be redundant? I'd say, either "Free Internet use" or "Free Internet access". – JK2 Dec 27 '17 at 08:12
  • @Kris If your last comment is directed to me, my question in the earlier comment was a rhetorical question. – JK2 Dec 27 '17 at 08:13
  • @JK2. The word access is just one of several possibilities. My point is that Internet is used as an adjective. How about "Free Internet"? It is clearly different from "Free the Internet". Another possibility is to consider Internet in the category of mass nouns such as food. "Free food" vs "Take the food" – ShpielMeister Dec 27 '17 at 08:30
  • Thank you so much! All of your comments were really helpful! – MAT Dec 27 '17 at 09:06
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    It's headlinese. 'Customers have free use of the car park.' will be shortened to 'Free use of car park' or similar. – Edwin Ashworth Dec 27 '17 at 09:47

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