Articles

Articles is a word that is placed before a noun and affects the meaning of the noun.
There are only three articles in English: a, an and the. There are two types of articles indefinite 'a' and 'an' or definite 'the'. You also need to know when not to use an article, which known as zero articles.


The indefinite Articles. ( A/ An )

1. "a" is used before a word beginning with a consonant, or a vowel with a consonant sound.
eg :     a hotel  
          a cat  
          a university
          a European



2. "An" is used before words beginning with a vowel sound (a,e,i,o,u) or words beginning with a silent "h".
eg : an orange
      an angel
      an hour
      an honour

3. We use "a"/ "an" in the following ways:

a) With a singular countable noun mentioned for the first time.
eg : My family live in a bungalow
      Pete fried an egg and two sausages for himself.

b) When it is one example of a class
eg : A car needs maintenance. (All cars need proper maintenance)

c) When we say what somebody or something is:
eg : Jennifer lopez is a singer and an actress.
      That was a shooting star.

d) In exclaimations.
eg : What a sunny day!
      What a great assignment!
      What an exciting movie!

e) In expressions of speed, price, time and measurement.
eg : The prawn cost twenty-five dollars a kilogram.
      He drove at eighty kilometers an hour.

f) In certain expressions of quantity.
eg : They will be here in a couple of days



4. "A" or "an" is not used before:
a) Plural nouns
eg : Tigers and lions are wild animals.

b) Uncountable nouns.
eg : Jack felt pity for the homeless old man.

c) Names of meals unless these follow an adjective or they are special meals.
eg : We have dinner at seven o'clock.
              BUT
       I was invited to a lunch given to congratulate the Managing Director.

LET'S PRACTICE!!

1) The children spent___ enjoyable hour playing in the pool.

2) There has been____ increase in the prices of sugar due to the festival season.

3) The pop group will be making____ appearance at the record store.


The Definite Articles ( The )

1. "The" is used with singular and plural nouns, whether it refers to people or things.
eg : The girl
      The girls
      The man
      The men

2. We use "the" in the following ways:
a) Before thing which are considered unique.
eg:   The earth
       The sun
       The stars

b) Before the names of certain rivers, oceans, islands, mountain ranges and countries.
eg : The Thames
       The Alps
       The Pacific Ocean


c) Before other proper names.
eg : Galleries = The National Gallery
       Museums = The National Museum
       Ships = The Titanic
       Plural family names = The Morgan ( Mr. and Mrs Morgan )

d)When we refer to a person or object a second time.
eg :  Peggy dropped her mug. The mug broke.

e) Before a noun which is defined by a phrase or clouse
eg : The lady in black
      The place where I found this.

f) To refer to the representative of a class of people or things.
eg : The lion is the king of the beasts.
       Society respect the honest person.

g) Before an adjective only, to mean a class of people.
eg : The sick ought to be cured. (meaning the sick people)

       The old ought not to be neglected. (meaning the old people)

h) Before comparison or superlatives.
eg : The shortest
      The most talented
      The better


The Zero Articles
We do not use any articles in the following cases:

a) Before abstract nouns except when they are used in a particular sense.
eg : Many people fear heights.
          BUT
       The height of the building is more than two hundred meters.


b) with meals unless a special meal is mentioned
eg : We had dinner just now.(an ordinary meal)
       We attended the dinner in his honour.(a special meal)

c) Before names of games.
eg : John plays tennis and badminton

d) Before parts of the body and articles of clothing as we usually use possessive adjective.
eg: Jerry injured his ankle
        He took off his blazer

e) Before places like 'schools, market, hospitals etc when visited for their primary purpose.
eg : to school to study
      to hospital as patient
      to bed to sleep

LET'S PRACTICE!!

1. I can see___bird soaring in ____sky. It is___eagle.____eagle is___strong bird of___prey with____powerful sight.

2.____announcement was made by the Principal this morning.

3. There was____storm this afternoon, so I took shelter at____bus-stop near____school.

4.____old women wearing____pair of sun-glasses asked me____way to____Centrepoint Shopping Centre yesterday.

































Lesson Plan