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    The Articles Lesson

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    crazybono
    The document discusses the articles "a", "an", and "the" in English. It explains that "a" and "an" are indefinite articles used with nonspecific singular nouns, while "the" is the definite article used to refer to specific or unique nouns. It provides examples and rules for using each article type and discusses how the definite article is also used with nouns already mentioned, categories of things, services, groups of people, names with certain place names and features, organizations, and families.

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    The Articles Lesson

    Uploaded by

    crazybono
    43 views4 pages
    The document discusses the articles "a", "an", and "the" in English. It explains that "a" and "an" are indefinite articles used with nonspecific singular nouns, while "the" is the definite article used to refer to specific or unique nouns. It provides examples and rules for using each article type and discusses how the definite article is also used with nouns already mentioned, categories of things, services, groups of people, names with certain place names and features, organizations, and families.

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    The document discusses the articles "a", "an", and "the" in English. It explains that "a" and "an" are indefinite articles used with nonspecific singular nouns, while "the" is the definite article used to refer to specific or unique nouns. It provides examples and rules for using each article type and discusses how the definite article is also used with nouns already mentioned, categories of things, services, groups of people, names with certain place names and features, organizations, and families.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    43 views4 pages

    The Articles Lesson

    Uploaded by

    crazybono
    The document discusses the articles "a", "an", and "the" in English. It explains that "a" and "an" are indefinite articles used with nonspecific singular nouns, while "the" is the definite article used to refer to specific or unique nouns. It provides examples and rules for using each article type and discusses how the definite article is also used with nouns already mentioned, categories of things, services, groups of people, names with certain place names and features, organizations, and families.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 4

    The Articles

    The words a, an, and the are special adjectives called articles.
    Indefinite Articlesa, an
    anused before singular count nouns beginning with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or
    vowel sound:
    an apple, an elephant, an issue, an orange
    aused before singular count nouns beginning with consonants (other than
    a, e, i, o, u):
    a stamp, a desk, a TV, a cup, a book
    Definite Articlethe
    Can be used before singular and plural, count and non-count nouns

    1. Indefinite Article (a, an)


    Used before singular nouns that are unspecified:
    a pencil
    an orange
    Used before number collectives and some numbers:
    a dozen
    a gallon
    Used before a singular noun followed by a restrictive modifier:
    a girl who was wearing a yellow hat
    Used with nouns to form adverbial phrases of quantity, amount, or degree:
    I felt a bit depressed.

    2. Definite Article (the)


    Used to indicate a noun that is definite or has been previously specified in
    the context:
    Please close the door.
    I like the clothes you gave me.
    Used to indicate a noun that is unique:
    Praise the Lord!
    The Columbia River is near here.
    Used to designate a natural phenomenon:
    The nights get shorter in the summer.

    Used

    Used

    The wind is blowing so hard.


    to refer to a time period:
    I was very nave in the past.
    This song was very popular in the 1980s.
    to indicate all the members of a family:
    I invited the Bakers for dinner.
    This medicine was invented by the Smiths.

    The definite article the is the most frequent word in English.


    We use the definite article in front of a noun when we believe the
    hearer/reader knows exactly what we are referring to.
    because there is only one:
    The Pope is visiting Russia.
    The moon is very bright tonight.
    The Shah of Iran was deposed in 1979.
    This is why we use the definite article with a superlative adjective:
    He is the tallest boy in the class.
    It is the oldest building in the town.
    because there is only one in that place or in those surroundings:
    We live in a small village next
    to the church.

    (the church in our


    village)

    Dad, can I borrow the car?

    (the car that belongs


    to our family)

    When we stayed at my
    grandmothers house we went
    to the beach every day.

    (the beach near my


    grandmothers house)

    Look at the boy in the blue


    shirt over there.

    (the boy I am pointing


    at)

    because we have already mentioned it:


    A woman who fell 10 metres from High Peak was lifted to safety by a
    helicopter. The woman fell while climbing.
    The rescue is the latest in a series of incidents on High Peak. In
    January last year two men walking on the peak were killed in a fall.
    We also use the definite article:
    to say something about all the things referred to by a noun:
    The wolf is not really a dangerous animal (= Wolves are not really
    dangerous animals)

    The kangaroo is found only in Australia (= Kangaroos are found only in


    Australia)
    The heart pumps blood around the body. (= Hearts pump blood around
    bodies)
    We use the definite article in this way to talk about musical
    instruments:
    Joe plays the piano really well.(= George can play any piano)
    She is learning the guitar.(= She is learning to play any guitar)
    to refer to a system or service:
    How long does it take on the train.
    I heard it on the radio.
    You should tell the police.
    With adjectives like rich, poor, elderly, unemployed to talk about
    groups of people:
    Life can be very hard for the poor.
    I think the rich should pay more taxes.
    She works for a group to help the disabled.

    The definite article with names:


    We do not normally use the definite article with names:
    William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.
    Paris is the capital of France.
    Iran is in Asia.
    But we do use the definite article with:
    countries whose names include words like kingdom, states or
    republic:
    the United Kingdom; the kingdom of Nepal; the United States; the
    Peoples Republic of China.
    countries which have plural nouns as their names:
    the Netherlands; the Philippines
    geographical features, such as mountain ranges, groups of islands,
    rivers, seas, oceans and canals:
    the Himalayas; the Canaries; the Atlantic; the Atlantic Ocean; the
    Amazon; the Panama Canal.

    newspapers:
    The Times; The Washington Post
    well known buildings or works of art:
    the Empire State Building; the Taj Mahal; the Mona Lisa; the
    Sunflowers
    organisations:
    the United Nations; the Seamens Union
    hotels, pubs and restaurants*:
    the Ritz; the Ritz Hotel; the Kings Head; the Dj Vu
    *Note: We do not use the definite article if the name of the hotel or
    restaurant is the name of the owner, e.g.,Browns; Browns Hotel;
    Morels; Morels Restaurant, etc.
    families:
    the Obamas; the Jacksons

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