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The document provides guidelines on the use of articles 'a', 'an', and 'the' in English grammar. It explains their application with singular countable nouns, uncountable nouns, and specific instances where they are used or omitted. Additionally, it includes exercises for practice and examples to clarify the rules.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
8 views5 pages

Article

The document provides guidelines on the use of articles 'a', 'an', and 'the' in English grammar. It explains their application with singular countable nouns, uncountable nouns, and specific instances where they are used or omitted. Additionally, it includes exercises for practice and examples to clarify the rules.
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Articles

l|37|l Listen and repeat. Th e n act out.

Johnny, do you know where the Pyramids are?

No, miss, they must be lost. There


was a teacher here yesterday
^ asking me the same question.

a + consonant sound (/b/, /d/, / g/, /f/, /I/, /p/, etc.) a pen
an + vowel sound (/ae/, /e/, /i/, Id/, /&/, etc.) an apple

• A / An is used with singular countable nouns when we talk about things in general.
An aeroplane is faster than a train. A greengrocer sells vegetables.
(Which aeroplane? Aeroplanes in general.) (Which greengrocer? Greengrocers in general.)

• We often use a / a n after the verbs ‘to be’ and ‘have / have got’.
He is a photographer. He has got a camera.

• We do not use a I a n with u n c o u n ta b le or p lu ra l nouns. We can use s o m e instead.


some tea? Yes, please! And I’d like some biscuits. (NOT W ould you like a-tea?)
Would you like

• A / An is not used before an adjective if it is not followed by a noun. However, if the


adjective is followed by a noun, we use a if the adjective begins with a consonant
noun and a n if the adjective begins with a vowel sound.
It’s a ring. It’s expensive. It's an expensive ring.

• The is used before s in g u la r and p lu ra l nouns, both c o u n ta b le and u n c o u n ta b le ,


when we talk about something specific or when the noun is mentioned for a
second time.
The boy who has just left is my cousin. (Which boy? Not any boy. A specific boy, the boy who
has just left.)
There is a cat on the sofa. The cat is sleeping. (‘The cat' is m entioned for a second time.)

• We use th e with the words c in e m a , th e a tr e , r a d io , c o u n tr y ( s id e ) , s e a s id e , b e a c h ,


w o r ld , w e e k e n d , etc.
We go to the beach every Sunday.

• We use either a I a n or th e before a singular countable noun to represent a class


of people, animals or things.
A I The dolphin is more intelligent than a / the shark. (We mean dolphins and sharks in general.)
ALSO: Dolphins are more intelligent than sharks.

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Fill in with a, an or some.

___ a n ____apple 2 .................... bananas

cheese 5 .................... diary

egg 8 .................. lemons 9 camel

(2 ^ ) Fill in: a, an, the or som e.

1 A: Can I help you? 5 A: What do you want to be when you grow


B: Yes. I’m looking for .a . book up?
about whales.
2 A: When do you usually go to 6 A: Where are boys, Bob?
cinema? B: They are playing in
B: At weekend. i 7 A: Did you buy anything at
3 A: Do you have any plans for tonight, Mandy? Betty?
B: Yes, I’m going out with friends. B: Yes, Mum. 1bought
4 A: Did you have fun at zoo? 8 A: What’s this?
B: Yes! We saw penguins and
elephant.

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The is also used before: The is om itted before:


• nouns which are unique. • proper nouns. Paula comes from Canada.
Haven’t you been to the Acropolis yet? • names of sports, activities, colours,
• names of cinemas (the Odeon), substances and meals.
hotels (the Hilton), theatres (the Rex), He plays tennis well. She likes blue.
museums (the Prado), newspapers Soda isn’t expensive. Lunch is ready.
(the Times), ships (the Queen Mary). • names of countries (Italy), cities
• names of rivers (the Thames), seas (the (London), streets (Bond Street), parks
Black Sea), groups of islands / states (Hyde Park), mountains (Everest),
(the Bahamas, the USA), mountain islands (Cyprus), lakes (Lake
ranges (the Alps), deserts (the Gobi Michigan), continents (Europe).
Desert), oceans (the Pacific) and names • the possessive case or possessive
with ... of (The Tower of London). adjectives. This isn’t your coat, it’s Kate’s.
• musical instruments. • the words home’ and Father /
Can you play the guitar? Mother’ when we talk about our own
• names of people / families / home / parents.
nationality words. Father isn’t at home.
the Smiths, the English, the Italians, etc. • titles with proper names.
• titles without proper names. Queen Elizabeth, President Kennedy
the Queen, the President • bed, school, church, hospital, prison,
• the superlative degree of adjectives / when they are used for the reason they
adverbs (the best). exist. John was taken to hospital. BUT: His
He's the most intelligent student of all. mother went to the hospital to see him.

Fill in the where necessary. Then circle the correct answer.

— QUIZ TIME
6 What i s ........ capital of Italy?
1 |S p . Lisbon .%b& capital o f .. f..•
A Rome B Milan
Portugal?
7 is Arctic Ocean bigger than
A Yes B No
Indian Ocean?
2 is . . . . Malta in ........ Caspian Sea?
A Yes ® No
A Yes B No
8 is Everest highest mountain in
3 Is .. Lake Baikal i n ..........Russian
.......... world?
Federation.......... world's deepest lake?
A Yes B No
A Yes B No
9 Where are . . . . Sardinia and Corsica?
4 Where is Sahara Desert?
A In the Black Sea
A In Asia B 'n Africa
B In the Mediterranean Sea
5 What is biggest island i n ....
10 Where is — Mississippi River?
Greece?
A In the USA B Inth eU K
A Corfu B Crete
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Fill in the where necessary.

Did you know?


1 Rafflesia arnoldii is . . .. largest flower i n .................. world. It
weighs 7kg and grows only in Sumatra, Indonesia.
2 Johann Vaaler invented................... paperclip in 1899.
3 Badminton became an Olympic sport in 1992.
4 It took .................. Egyptians 20 years to b u ild .................. Great Pyramids.
5 most important river entering Black Sea i s .................... Danube.
^ 6 ......................bass i s .................... largest of .................. string instruments.

5 ) Fill in a or the where necessary.

John: Do you want to come to 1) Ph<? theatre with me tonight?


Ann: Sorry, I can’t. I’m going to 2) restaurant with my cousin from 3) America.
John: What part of 4) USA does he come from?
Ann: He lives in 5) Colorado, near 6) Rocky Mountains. He’s quite 7)
famous musician. He plays 8) guitar in 9) rock band. In fact he’s giving a
concert at 10) Odeon in 11) Regent Street tomorrow evening.

6 ) Fi<l in a, an or the where necessary.

1 A: Can you tell me the way to th e . 5 A: What shall we do tonight?


nearest bank, please? B: Let’s go to Odeon. There’s a
B: Sure. Turn left here and you’ll find it in comedy on with Jim Carrey.
Green Street.
6 A: I’m going to make pie for tonight.
2 A: Is this Ahmed’s motorbike? B: Great!
B: No, blue motorbike over there is
7 A: I saw amazing film last night.
his.
B: Really? What was it about?
3 A: Where are Wilsons going on
8 A: Brad is going to London on
holiday?
business trip.
B: They’re going to Bahamas.
B: Is he going to stay at Mandeville
4 A: What do you know about Hotel again?
Bermuda Islands?
9 A: Would you like some ice cream?
B: They’re in North Atlantic Ocean.
B: No, thanks. I’d prefer sandwich.
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Lisa recently went on holiday to Spain. While she was there, she visited
7
three different places, tried the local food and bought some souvenirs.
Look at the pictures and the words given and say what Lisa did using a,
an, some or the, where necessary.

go I Barcelona
........ lm . mvP. Pp. [Link].n#...........

eat I paella

buy I Spanish fan for herself

visit I Prado Museum

take photos of / Lake Sanabria

buy / flamenco dolls for her friends

( J ) Complete the questions with a, an or the, where necessary, using the


w ords in the list. Ask your partner to answer the questions.

• Mont Blanc • breakfast • UK • African safari


• violin • restaurant • aeroplane • basketball

1 A: Can you play . . PtVe v M n .. ?


B: .N a. I c a tit .hut. I .can pM y [Link] -.............................................................
2 What do you usually have fo r............................................................................................................?
3 Have you ever been t o ...................................................................................................................... ?
4 Would you like to climb ................................................................................................................ ?
5 Do you like ...................................................................................................................................... ?
6 Would you ever go o n ...................................................................................................................... ?
7 Are you going to eat a t ........................................................................................................ tonight?
8 Have you ever flown in .................................................................................................................... ?

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