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Defnite and Indefinite Article

The document discusses the use of definite and indefinite articles (a, an, the) in English. It provides examples of when to use indefinite articles to refer to non-specific nouns and definite articles to refer to specific nouns. It also discusses the omission of articles with certain types of nouns like names of languages, sports, and academic subjects. The document includes exercises for readers to practice using articles correctly.

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437 views13 pages

Defnite and Indefinite Article

The document discusses the use of definite and indefinite articles (a, an, the) in English. It provides examples of when to use indefinite articles to refer to non-specific nouns and definite articles to refer to specific nouns. It also discusses the omission of articles with certain types of nouns like names of languages, sports, and academic subjects. The document includes exercises for readers to practice using articles correctly.

Uploaded by

sonia shine
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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INDEFINITE AND

DEFINITE ARTICLES
Articles
◦the = definite article
◦a/an = indefinite article
◦"Let's read the book," I mean a specific book
◦"Let's read a book," I mean any book rather than a
specific book.
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.
Definite Article: the
◦ The definite article 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.
Countable and Noncountable Nouns
◦ "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."
◦ Most of the time, you can't say, "She wants a water," unless you're
implying, say, a bottle of water.
Geographical use of the
Do not use the before:
◦ names of most countries/territories: Italy, Mexico, Bolivia; however, the Netherlands, the
Dominican Republic, 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 continents (Asia, Europe)
◦ names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) except with island chains like the Aleutians,
the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands
Do 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 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 (unless you are referring to the population
of the nation: "The Spanish are known for their warm
hospitality.")
◦ Names of sports: volleyball, hockey, baseball
◦ Names of academic subjects: mathematics, biology, history,
computer science
Exercise
Exercises (A1) Fill in the gaps with the correct article (a, an, the, 0) when necessary. (15
blanks)

1.Robert and Jessica went to ____ party last night. 2.Can you tell me how to get to ____
cinema from here? 3.____ college is closed today. 4.Gregory is one of ____ strangest people
I know. 5.I recommend you try ____ tomato soup at this restaurant. 6.____ beer is not good
for you. 7.Would you like to see ____ film? 8.____ apple a day keeps ____ doctor away. 9. I
can't believe I failed ____ yesterday's test! 10.Do you have ____ dictionary that I can
borrow? 11.There were many dogs in the park. One dog was ____ Dalmatian. 12.Pandas
and ____ tigers are both endangered animals. 13.Magda is wearing ____ blue dress with
red shoes 14.Bornholm is ___ island in the Baltic Sea. 15.Christmas comes once ___ year.
Answers
Answer Key Exercise A1

1.Robert and Jessica went to _a__ party last night. 2.Can you tell me how to get to _the__ cinema from
here? 3.__The_ college is closed today. 4.Gregory is one of _the__ strangest people I know. 5.I recommend
you try _the__ tomato soup at this restaurant. 6.__0_ beer is not good for you. 7.Would you like to see _a__
film? 8._An__ apple a day keeps _the__ doctor away. 9.I can't believe I failed _the__ yesterday's test! 10.Do
you have _a__ dictionary that I can borrow? 11.There were many dogs in the park. One dog was __a_
12.Dalmatian.12.Pandas and _0__ tigers are both endangered animals. 13.Magda is wearing _a__ blue dress
with red shoes 14.Bornholm is _an__ island in the Baltic Sea. 15.Christmas comes once __a_ year.
Exercise
Exercises (A2) Fill in the gaps with the correct article (a, an, the, 0) when necessary.
( 24 blanks)

I am from Winchester, Hampshire. Winchester is______ city in ____ United Kingdom. I


live in ____ town called _____ Taunton which is on ______ River Tone. I live in ___ house in
______ quiet street in _____ countryside. ____ street is called “Hudson Street” and _____
house is more than 100 years old! I am ___ English lecturer at _____ college near _____center
of _____town. I like _____ books, music and taking _____ photographs. I usually have _____
lunch at college. I usually go --___home by___ car. We have all kinds of food in _____
England. I like ______ Polish food very much. Sometimes, I go to _____ Polish restaurant in
Bath. ____ restaurant is called “Magda’s”. _____ Polish food is delicious.
Answers
Answer Key Exercise A2

I am from Winchester, Hampshire. Winchester is____a__ city in ___the United Kingdom. I live in
__a__ town called __0___ Taunton which is on __the____ River Tone. I live in _a__ house in ____a__
quiet street in ___the__ countryside. ___The_ street is called “Hudson Street” and ___the__ house is
more than 100 years old! I am _an__ English lecturer at ___a__ college near ___the__ center of
__the___town. I like ___0__ books, music and taking ___0__ photographs. I usually have __0___ lunch
at college. I usually go _0__home by_0__ car. We have all kinds of food in ___0__ England. I like
___0___ Polish food very much. Sometimes, I go to __a___ Polish restaurant in Bath. __The__
restaurant is called “Magda’s”. __The___ Polish food is delicious.
References
◦Homero: pp 262-263
◦Daniel G. and Rashid: pp 265-266
◦Daniel F. and Abdulawart: pp. 271-272
◦www.slideshare.com

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