Scribd
Upload
33 views22 pages

Articles

The document discusses the usage of the definite ("the") and indefinite ("a"/"an") articles in English. It provides examples of when to use each article, including with singular and plural nouns, nouns modified by descriptors, unique nouns, proper nouns of places and groups, and nouns without an article. It also covers exceptions like countries with "the" in their names and uncountable nouns.

Uploaded by

T ivko
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
33 views22 pages

Articles

The document discusses the usage of the definite ("the") and indefinite ("a"/"an") articles in English. It provides examples of when to use each article, including with singular and plural nouns, nouns modified by descriptors, unique nouns, proper nouns of places and groups, and nouns without an article. It also covers exceptions like countries with "the" in their names and uncountable nouns.

Uploaded by

T ivko
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 22

Definite and

indefinite articles
(a, an, the)
• In English there
are three
articles: a, an,
and the.
The indefinite article
• The indefinite article (a, an) is used before a countable
noun that is general or when its identity is not known.

• a (before a singular noun beginning with a consonant


sound)
• an (before a singular noun beginning with a vowel
sound)
We …
…use the article a or an to indicate any non-
specified member of a group or category:

• We are looking for an apartment.

• …to indicate membership in a group:

• I am a teacher (I am a member of a large


group known as teachers)
Brian is an Irishman (member of the people known as Irish)

Use it in the sense ˝one of many˝:

I met a friend (one of certain friends)

Use the article a or an to indicate one in number (as opposed to


more than one):
I own a cat and two dogs.
• …is used before a word
beginning with a consonant
letter but a vowel sound:
AN • an honest man
• an hour
• an heir
A
• is used before a word
beginning with a vowel
letter but a consonant
sound:
• a university
• a European
• a union
• a one way ticket..
The definite article
(THE)
• We
use the definite article the with
any noun (whether singular or
plural, count or noncount) when
the specific identity of the noun is
known to the reader:

• I ate an apple
yesterday. The apple was juicy
and delicious.
we
• Use the
article the when an
adjective, phrase, or
clause describing the
noun clarifies or
restricts its identity.

• The boy sitting next


to me raised his hand.
The
• Use the article the when
the noun refers to

something or someone
that is unique.
the Moon
• the theory of relativity
the Sun
The
• We use the before the names of
• points on the globe (the Equator, the North Pole)
• mountain ranges (the Smoky Mountains, the
Andes)
• island chains (the Florida Keys, the Pacific
Islands)
• geographical areas (the East, the Midwest)
• rivers, seas, and oceans (the Mississippi River,
the Atlantic Ocean, the Nile River)
• deserts and peninsulas (the Mojave Desert, the
Balkan Peninsula, the Gobi Desert
• groups of lakes (the Great Lakes)
The
• Use the with: united countries,
large regions, gulfs, canals, groups
of islands

the United Arab Emirates


The

• Is used before the


names of the
musical instruments

the violin, the flute


The
• Is used before the
names of families
and nationalities
•
The Jacksons, The
British
The

• Is used before an
adjective to
denote a whole
class

• the old, the rich,


the poor
Rivers: The River Nile flows through Egypt.

Mountain ranges: We ski in the Alps every year.

The Deserts: She travelled across the Sahara.

Oceans and seas: We sailed around the


Mediterranean.

Groups of islands: They went to the Canary


Islands.
The
• The is also used with countries
whose names include the
words states,
kingdom, or republic:
• My sister lives in United
States .
• My sister lives in the United
States .
• My brother lives in United
Kingdom .
• My brother lives in the United
Kingdom .
0 article
• Use no article with plural count
nouns or any noncount nouns used
to mean all or in general.

-Trees are beautiful in the fall. (All


trees are beautiful in the fall.)

-He was asking for advice. (He was


asking for advice in general.)

-I do not like coffee. (I do not like all


coffee in general.)
0 article
• Uncountable nouns are those which usually
cannot be counted:
• Most abstract nouns: advice, anger, beauty
• substances: air, cement, soap, rain
• Areas of study: history, math, biology, etc.
• ◊ Sports: soccer, football, baseball, hockey, etc.
• ◊ Languages: Chinese, Spanish, Russian,
English, etc.
• ◊ Other: clothing, equipment, furniture,
homework,luggage
0 article

• Do not use the with:


streets, parks, cities,
states, counties, most
countries, continents,
bays, single lakes, single
mountains, islands
• Japan
Chico
Mt. Everest
• Lakes: We visited Lake Geneva.
• Mountains: I saw Mount Fuji from the
aeroplane.
• Continents: She loves living in Asia.
• Most countries: She travelled to Chile last
year. (But: The USA / the United States,
the Netherlands, the Philippines, the
United Kingdom / the UK.)
• Counties, states, provinces, regions:
They live in California.
• Cities, towns, villages: He stayed in Paris
for a week last year.
• Islands: Bali is popular with Australian
tourists.

You might also like