Articles a, An, The
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Definite and indefinite articles A, an and the
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Transcript of Articles a, An, The
Definite and indefinite articles
A, an and the
THEY COME AT THE BEGINNING OF A NOUN PHRASE
THEY SHOW IF THE INFORMATION IS NEW OR
KNOWN ALREADY
What do they do?
What do they look like?
Indefinite article ‘a’ and ‘an’ a house a job an appointment an exampleDefinite article ‘the’ the hospital the station
Where do they come in sentences?
At the beginning of a noun phrase: I saw a house.Immediately before a noun or an adjective
(a) or before an adverb + adjective + noun (b):
(a) I saw an ugly house. (b) I saw a really ugly house last night.
How do we choose articles?
The noun that follows the article tells uswhich article to choose.
There are NO articles before Plural nounsUncountable nouns
How do we choose articles?
You can only leave out an article before a single noun if another determiner is used:
Possessive adjective - her brotherDemonstrative adjective - that bookMany quantifiers - each day/
any occasion
Rules for using a/an
A/an is used with singular nouns to introduce something new that the listener or reader does not know about.
I saw an accident. I have a new bag. I have an older sister.A/an is used in expressions of time and
quantity. Forty times an hour Thirty pence a kilo.
Rules for using theThe is used when the listener or reader knows or will soon know what we are talking about.
It tells the listener or reader to think about things they have already or seen.The is used with a noun to show:
1.The noun refers to something that has been said or written.
2.Or is going to be said or
written.
1.When I was shopping I bought a new jumper,
it was the warmest one I could find.
2. I will collect him from the
airport on Friday.
Rules for using the continued:
3. It is also used to refer to
shared experience.
4. Or general knowledge.
3. We could go to the library tomorrow.
4. There are twenty-six letters in the alphabet.
The is also used with some topic groups:
Entertainment: I went to the cinema. I went to the pub. I went to the shops.
Transport I arrived at the airport. I arrived at the bus stop.
Musical instruments I play the piano. I play the guitar.
The is also used with names of things in the following groups:
1. Rivers, mountain ranges, oceans and seas, deserts, groups of islands. The Thames, the Andes, the Atlantic, the Sahara, the West Indies.
2. Hotels, cinemas, political bodies, newspapers.
The Hilton, the Odeon, the Labour Party, the Sun.
3. Countries whose names include political terms or plural nouns. The United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, the Phillipines, the Congo.
No articles
Leave out articles before plural and uncountable nouns when talking about something general.
I usually have the sandwiches for lunch.Do not use articles before the name of
institutions (hospital, church, school, prison, college, university).
He works at the Mayday Hospital. She is studying at the Croydon College.
No articles
No articles used with the names of meals. She came to the lunch.
No articles with expressions of time. Next the week last the year on the Sunday
No articles
No articles in the names of people.
No articles in the names of places such as towns, villages, cities, parks, streets, woods and forests.
Taken from Grammar for English Language Teachers by Martin Parrott
