ARTICLES

Made by the Group № 1

LB1-11-40

Articles

THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE

THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

ZERO ARTICL

E

THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE (A /AN)We use a/an : We do not use a/an: 

• with singular countable nouns when we talk about them in general.

• with uncountable nouns or plural countable nouns. We use some instead of a/an.

• with the verbs to be and have (got).  

 

• before Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms when we refer to an unknown person.  

 

• to show price in relation to weight.

 

• to show distance in relation to time.  

 

• to show frequency. 

 

DRILLING EXERCISES

Need ____ new handbag.

Jane has (got) ______ cat. It's ____ Siamese.

____ Mr Wells is waiting for you

This ____ dress is well-made.

My car can go 250km ______ hour.

We bought ___some chocolate and ___some walnuts.

The tomatoes cost one pound twenty ______ kilo.

work at the library three days _____ week.

a

a a

a

a

a

an

CORRECT!

THE DEFINITE ARTICLEWe use the: • with nouns when talking about something specific. • with nouns which are unique (the sun, the Acropolis, etc.). 

• with names of 1.cinemas (the Odeon), 2.hotels (the Hilton), 3.theatres (the Plaza), 4.museums (the Louvre), 5.newspapers/magazines (the Guardian), 6.ships (the Titanic), 7.organisations (the United Nations), 8.galleries (the National Gallery). 

• with the names of rivers, seas, groups of islands, mountain ranges, deserts, oceans, canals, countries when they include words such as State, Kingdom, Republic, etc. and names or nouns with "of"  

• with the names of musical instruments and dances  • with the names of families and nationalities ending in -sh, -ch or -ese . Other plural nationalities are used with or without 'the' (Egyptians/the Egyptians). • with titles.  

• with adjectives/adverbs in the superlative form. • with the words morning, afternoon, evening and night. • with historical periods 

• with the words only, last, first (used as adjectives).  • with the words beach, station, cinema, theatre, coast, country(side), ground, jungle, seaside, weather, world, shop, library, city, sea, etc.  

DRILLING EXERCISES

Have got __ car and __ motorcycle. ____ car is

second-hand and ___motorcycle is brand new.

  He's ____ most successful businessman I know.

She was ___ only person who came on time.

I leave the house early in ____ morning

the

the

the

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a a

CORRECT!

ZERO ARTICLEWe don’t use zero article:In the technical literature, especially in instructions

even if they are stated informally.e.g. Supply the correct adaptor for the different

standard of telephone plug.

with uncountable and countable nouns in concrete sense.

e.g. For the first time, oil is reported on the shores of Seward, at the head of Resurrection Bay

In advertisements and signatures to photose.g. Very demanding but challenging role for articulate

secretary bursting with enthusiasm! Experienced, confident secretary needed by disorganized lawyer in well-established legal practice!  

In culinary recipes

DRILLING EXERCISES

1. I wrote to her but ... letter never arrived.

2. Britain is ... island.

3. What is ... name of this village?

4. Jane is ... very nice person. You must meet her.

5. Montreal is ... large city in ... Canada.

6. What is ... largest city in ... Canada?

7. "What time is it?" "I don't know. I haven't

got ... watch."

DRILLING EXERCISES

8. When I went to ... Rome, I stayed with ... Italian friend of mine.

9. You look very tired. You need ... holiday.

10. Don't sit on ... floor. It's very dirty.

11. "Let's go to ... restaurant this evening." "That's ... good idea.

Which restaurant shall we go?"

12. Can you turn on ... radio, please? I want to listen to some ...

music.

13. Tom is in ... bathroom. He's having ... bath.

14. This is ... nice room, but I don't like ... colour of ... carpet.

15. We live in ... old house near ... station. It's ... two miles from ...

center.

CORRECT!

RESOURCES:

Virginia Evans and Jenni Dooley

Enterprise 3, 4