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ARTICLES

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10 views14 pages

ARTICLES

Uploaded by

nikhilsb2020
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Articles

• Articles are words that define a noun as specific


or unspecific

• After the long day, the cup of tea tasted


particularly good.
• By using the article the, we’ve shown that it was
What are one specific day that was long and one specific cup
of tea that tasted good.
Articles?
• After a long day, a cup of tea tastes particularly
good.
• By using the article a, we’ve created a general
statement, implying that any cup of tea would
taste good after any long day.
Articles
Definite Indefinite

the a

an
When to use ‘The’

• Use the before singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific.
• To refer to something known to both the writer/speaker and the
reader/listener.
• The teacher I spoke to at the school was very friendly.

• ‘The’ can be used with singular, plural, or uncountable nouns.


• Please give me the hammer.
• The girls in the class are taller than the boys.
• The air is polluted.
Uses of ‘the’
• When something is mentioned for the second time in the text:
I wrote a letter of complaint [first mention, indefinite].
I wrote a letter of complaint. The letter had an angry tone. [second mention, definite]
I drew a picture on the board and the picture is still there.

• With the superlatives, first, second, only (because it signals there is only one
possible referent):
The best, the tallest, the first prize, the second class, the only daughter

• When only one entity exists:


The Moon is a satellite.
• The Earth revolves around the sun.
Uses of ‘the’

• In phrases that have 2 proper noun names, use ‘the’ only if the form contains
‘of’:
• The University of California vs. California university
• The city of New Orleans vs. New Orleans
• The Department of English vs. English Department

• Before the names of certain well-known books


• The Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bible
Uses of ‘the’

• Before a singular noun used to represent a class of animals or thing


• The fox is a cunning animal.
• The tiger has burning eyes.
• But man used to represent the human race, has no article
• Man is a social animal.

• the + adjective – represents a class of persons


• The old, the poor, the rich, the bright
Do use ‘the’
• With some proper nouns: Rivers (the Nile, the Pacific, the Ganges)
• Mountains Ranges (the Rockies, the Alps)
• Oceans (the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean)
• Groups of Islands or Countries with Plural
• The Hawaiian Islands
• The Netherlands
• Points on the globe: the Equator, the North Pole
• Geographical areas: the Middle East, the West
• deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas: the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black
Forest, the Iberian Peninsula
Do not use the before:
• names of most countries/territories: Italy, Mexico, Bolivia;
however, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the United States
• names of cities, towns, or states: Seoul, Manitoba, Miami
• names of streets: Washington Blvd., Main St.
• names of lakes and bays: Lake Titicaca, Lake Erie except with a group of lakes
like the Great Lakes
• names of mountains: Mount Everest, Mount Fuji except with ranges of mountains
like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names like the Matterhorn
• names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) except with island chains
like the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands
When to use A/An

• When we are referring to any member of a group, we use a/an. It is not


important which one we are talking about.
• Indicates that a noun refers to a general idea rather than a particular thing.

• I want to buy a new car.


• I want to buy the car we looked at yesterday.

• ‘A’ is used only with countable nouns.


Uses of ‘A/An’

• With a noun as complement


• Sanjay is a surgeon.
• Madhuri is an actress.
• In expressions of price, speed etc.
• Rs 5 a kilo, 6kms an hour, twice a week

• In exclamations before singular, countable nouns


• What a serene place!
• Such a warm day!
Exceptions: Choosing A or An

• A- when it precedes a word that begins with a consonant sound


• An- when it precedes a word that begins with a vowel sound

• My mother is a honest woman. My mother is an honest woman.

• She is an United States senator. She is a United States senator.

• an LCD display (L- el see dee; el starts with a vowel sound)


• a UK-based company (UK- /ju: consonant sound)
• an HR department (H- aytch- starts with a vowel)
• a URL
• Pollution is a problem. - uncountable noun
• The pollution in my town is a problem. - a specific location
• There is some pollution in my town. - some tells the amount of pollution.
Exercise:
Fill in the blanks with suitable articles, if necessary.

1. Where's ___ knife I was just using?


2. How much ___ snow do you get in winter?
3. I had ___ fruit for lunch.
4. I'm thinking about taking __ holiday.
5. Can you lend me __ pen?
6. ___ roses in your garden are beautiful.
7. Let's eat out at ___ restaurant tonight. What type shall we go to?
8. I should buy ___ new pair of shoes soon.

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