Problems with Articles

a/an, the

Usually there is no article before the name of a place name,

BUT use “the” before the name of a place that is plural.

I lived in Japan.

BUT

He lived in the United States.

The hurricane formed over Jamaica,

BUT

Katrina formed over the Bahamas.

But none of the “rules” work completely!

Katrina hit New Orleans.

(English speakers don’t follow the rule because they don’t even know

that New Orleans is plural—it is from French.)

However, usually a plural place name has “the.”

Recently, a terrible storm hit the Philippines.

He is from the Netherlands = He is from Holland.

We live in the United States.

Tatiana is from Russia.

She is from the former Soviet Union.

At first, Katrina was a Category 1 hurricane.

No article with Katrina because is is a singular name. We give

hurricanes the names of people.

This is the first time I’ve mentioned the storm category, so I use “a.”

Katrina was one of the largest disasters in U.S. history because of the failure of the levee systems.

I’m not talking about failure in general. I’m talking about a specific event –the fact that the levees broke and caused

flooding.

We often use “the” for a specific noun that you are picturing in your head when you say it.

There was great criticism of the way the government handled the crisis.

I’m talking about a specific way and a specific crisis.

DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI

O n the afternoon of Jan. 12, 2010,

I’m talking about a specific afternoon. HOWEVER, don’t an article with an

actual date:On Jan. 12, 2010,

The country of Haiti was struck

“The” is for a specific country, BUTDon’t use it with the country name:

Haiti was struck

by a devastating earthquake.

I use “a” because it’s the first time I have mentioned it.

that measured 7.0 on the Richter Scale.

I am describing a specific kind of scale.

The epicenter of the quake

Now I am continuing to talk about an earthquake that I have

already mentioned, so I use “the.”

was near Leogane, a town approximately 16 miles west of

Port-au-Prince, the country’s capital.

We use “a” when we define things or explain the location of things:

Leogan is a town in Haiti.Laney is a community college in Oakland.

A hurricane is a very powerful wind storm.

According to the Haitian government

I am telling you which government

at least 230,000 were killed, 300,000 injured, and 1,000,000 left homeless. There was extremely

severe damage.

NO ARTICLENever use “a/an” with a non-noun noun because

a = one.

Would you like a cup of tea?

Would you like (some/any) tea?

However, you can use “the” with a non-count noun:

The meat we had for dinner was spoiled, so we all go sick.

Permafrost

2. into the atmosphere (= the atmosphere that is

around the Earth)

3. A research team– it’s the first time I have mentioned this

research team, and we don’t know anything about them yet.

4. A research team led by the GeoBiosphere Science Center

(The name identifies the specific center I am talking about.)

5. Research shows that part of the soil

No article with expressions like some of, most of, part of

But we say a few of, a lot of

BE CAREFUL! “few” and “a few” have different

meanings. “Quite a few” is a third meaning!

BE CAREFUL! “few” and “a few” have

different opposite connotations.

“a few” is positive—

I have read a few books about the subject. This emphasizes that I have read something.

“few” is negative—

I have read few books about the subject. This emphasizes

that I have not read very many.

The same thing happens with “little” and “a little.”

He has little money = He doesn’t have much money. He is poor

He has a little money = He has some money. He can buy

something.

“quite a few” = a lot

They have quite a few children = a lot of children. (In the U.S.,

that means four or more.)

connotation = a feeling about a word

She’s fat.She’s heavy. (more positive connotation)

OR

5. Research shows that the part of the soil

Later in the sentence, you see what part of the soil you are talking point.

6. part of the soil The soil that we have been talking about.

Soil is non-count, so never use “a.”

7. the team announced (the team that we previously

mentioned)

8. is more damaging to the atmosphere

9. than carbon dioxide (usually no article with non-count

substances like air, gas, water, etc.

10. in discussion(In this sentence, discussion is non-count,

so you cannot use a.)

Plastic Pollution: Answer Key

10. The 11. a 12. no article 13. an 14. the 15. the 16.

The 17. the18. no article

19. the 20. the 21. no article22. the 23. the

Plastic Pollution: Answer Key

13. an environmental hazard

Problem with using an instead of a.

The rule is that a changes to and before a vowel SOUND—it goes by the letter and

not by the sound.

an umbrellaan unhappy face

an interesting storyan awful time

BUT

a useful tool

an honest man

Use an before a vowel SOUND.