Articles

Using Articles : 

Using Articles What is an article? >>> Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns. English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns A/an is used to modify non-specific or non-particular nouns. We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article. For example, if I say, "Let's read the book," I mean a specific book. If I say, "Let's read a book," I mean any book rather than a specific book.

Slide 2: 

Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to a specific or particular member of a group. For example, "I saw the most popular movie of the year." There are many movies, but only one particular movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the. "A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the group. For example, "I would like to see a movie (film)." Here, we're not talking about a specific movie. We're talking about any movie. There are many movies, and I want to see any movie. I don't have a specific one in mind. Let's look at each kind of article a little more closely >>>>

Slide 3: 

Indefinite Articles: a and an "A" and "an" signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. For example: "My daughter really wants a dog for Christmas.“ This refers to any dog. We don't know which dog because we haven't found the dog yet. "Somebody call a policeman!" This refers to any policeman. We don't need a specific policeman; we need any policeman who is available. "When I was at the zoo, I saw an elephant!" Here, we're talking about a single, non-specific thing, in this case an elephant. There are probably several elephants at the zoo, but there's only one we're talking about here.

Slide 4: 

Remember, using a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word. So... a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy; a car; a bike; a zoo; a dog an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant; an egg; an apple; an idiot; an orphan a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like 'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'a' is used); a university In cases where "h" is pronounced, such as "historical," use a: A historical event is worth recording. We saw a hotel If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article: a broken egg an unusual problem

***Remember, too, that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group: : 

***Remember, too, that in English, the indefinite articles are used 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. (Brian is a member of the people known as Irish.) Seiko is a practicing Buddhist. (Seiko is a member of the group of people known as Buddhists.)

Definite Article: the : 

Definite Article: the the is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific or particular. The signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group. For example: "The dog that bit me ran away." Here, we're talking about a specific dog, the dog that bit me. "I was happy to see the policeman who saved my cat!" Here, we're talking about a particular policeman. Even if we don't know the policeman's name, it's still a particular policeman because it is the one who saved the cat. "I saw the elephant at the zoo." Here, we're talking about a specific noun. Probably there is only one elephant at the zoo.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns : 

Countable and Uncountable Nouns The can be used with uncountable nouns, or the article can be omitted entirely. "I love to sail over the water" (some specific body of water) or "I love to sail over water" (any water). "He spilled the milk all over the floor" (some specific milk, perhaps the milk you bought earlier that day) or "He spilled milk all over the floor" (any milk). "A/an" can be used only with count nouns. "I need a bottle of water." "I need a new glass of milk." You can't say, "She wants a water.”

Don’t use THE : 

Don’t use THE Before meals: What time is lunch? I have breakfast at work Before days of the week or months: On Monday IN July BUT On THE 1st of July/ THE 18th century Before some buildings (When considerd as institutions): at school, at university, at work. ALSO Go home, be at home…. Berofe most+noun: Most people like chocolate. Most children are ill. Before room (in a hotel): She’s staying in room 650 On TV Use THE Before superlatives: The most beautiful garden. The easiest language On the radio, in the computer but on TV

Geographical use of the : 

Geographical use of the There are some specific rules for using the with geographical nouns. Do not use the before: names of most countries/territories: Italy, Mexico, Bolivia; Australia *** however, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the United States names of cities, towns, or states: Seoul, Manitoba, Miami names of streets: Main St., Triana Street, Miami Road, Penny Lane 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, The Himalayas or unusual names like the Matterhorn names of continents (Asia, Europe) names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) ***except with island chains like the Azores , the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands

Finally… : 

Finally… USE the before: names of rivers, oceans and seas: the Nile, the Pacific, points on the globe: the Equator, the North Pole geographical areas: the Middle East, the West… also the earth, the moon, the sun deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas: the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula Omission of Articles Some common types of nouns that don't take an article are: Names of languages and nationalities: Chinese, English, Spanish, Russian Names of sports: volleyball, hockey, baseball Names of academic subjects: mathematics, biology, history, computer science