Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Determiners  

94j

Articles considered obligatory in formal speech and especially in writing may be

unnecessary in informal speech when the referent is obvious:

[customer in a café]

Black coffee, please.

(understood: A black coffee, please.)

A: Where do you want this?

B: Bottom shelf, please.

(understood: (On) the bottom shelf, please.)

[doing a job; addressing the person helping] 

Right, 

hammer please.

(understood: Right, the hammer please.)

186 | From utterance to discourse

Cambridge Grammar of English

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[BBC radio news anchorman]

Time is twenty to nine.

(understood: The time is twenty to nine.)

Other determiners may also be similarly unnecessary:

A: Hi Brian. 

B: Hi.

A: How’s it going. Flat ready yet?

(understood: (Is) your flat ready yet?)

A: Ooh, what’s the matter?

B: Mm. Neck’s aching. I don’t know what I’ve done. Must have twisted it.

(understood: My neck’s aching.)

[talking about a dog]

Look at him. 

Tail’s wagging. He’s happy.

(understood: His tail’s wagging.)