Kenneth Joe Galloway CEO - Knowledge, Growth & Support, Ltd. 1

2 What is an article? Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns. English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns; a/an is used to modify non-specific or non-particular nouns. We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article. the = definite article a/an = indefinite article For example, if I say, "Let's read the book," I mean a specific book. If I say, "Let's read a book," I mean any book rather than a specific book. Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to a specific or particular member of a group. For example, "I just saw the most popular movie of the year." There are many movies, but only one particular movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the. "A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the group. For example, "I would like to go see a movie." Here, we're not talking about a specific movie. We're talking about any movie. There are many movies, and I want to see any movie. I don't have a specific one in mind. Let's look at each kind of article a little more closely. Article Usage

3 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. "When I was at the zoo, I saw an elephant!" Here, we're talking about a single, non-specific thing, in this case an elephant. There are probably several elephants at the zoo, but there's only one we're talking about here. Article Usage

4 Ok, here is where it gets confusing Using a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word. So... a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy; a car; a bike; a zoo; a dog an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant; an egg; an apple; an idiot; an orphan a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like 'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'a' is used); a university; a unicycle

5 an + nouns starting with silent "h": an hour a + nouns starting with a pronounced "h": a horse In some cases where "h" is pronounced, such as "historical," you can use an. However, a is more commonly used and preferred. A historical event is worth recording. Remember that these rules also apply when you use acronyms: Introductory Composition at Purdue (ICaP) handles first-year writing at the University. Therefore, an ICaP memo generally discusses issues concerning English 106 instructors.

6 If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article: a broken egg an unusual problem a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e. begins with consonant 'y' sound) Remember, too, that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group: I am a teacher. (I am a member of a large group known as teachers.) Brian is an Irishman. (Brian is a member of the people known as Irish.) Seiko is a practicing Buddhist. Article Usage

7 Complete the sentences with a or an, the or no article (nothing). 1. How much are the apples? They are 2 dollars a pound. 2. I went to a wonderful concert by the London Symphony Orchestra. 3. The local school is soon to be closed. 4. I usually go to work by train. 5. Is the meat in the oven? 6. Is this the first time you have been to the Great Wall of China. 7. She is an art teacher and she is an electrician 8. A lot of people give money to charity at this time of year. 9. What a beautiful face that child has!! 10. The British usually have butter on their bread. 1. How much are _____ apples? They are 2 dollars ____ pound. 2. I went to ___ wonderful concert by ____ London Symphony Orchestra. 3. ___ local school is soon to be closed. 4. I usually go to ____ work by _____ train. 5. Is ____ meat in ____ oven? 6. Is this ____ first time you have been to ____ Great Wall of China. 7. She is ____ art teacher and she is ____ electrician. 8. A lot of people give ___ money to ___ charity at this time of year. 9. What ___ beautiful face that child has!! 10. ____ British usually have ___ butter on their bread. 11. Life is very difficult for the unemployed these days. 11. ____ life is very difficult for ____ unemployed these days. 12. The Leader of the Opposition is in danger of losing his position. 12. ____ Leader of ___ Opposition is in danger of losing his position. Article Usage

Complete the sentences with a or an, the or no article (nothing). 1. I like to have a cup of tea when I wake up in the morning. 2. I saw a fox this morning. I think it must have been the one I saw before. 3. Can I have an apple? 4. Have you ever seen the Acropolis in Athens? 5. The police have had a lot of support from the general public. 6. Today I saw a movie. Yesterday I saw the most popular movie of the year. 7. The shirts on the washing-line should be nearly dry now. 8. People don’t like him because of his selfish attitude. 9. I bought my sister a book and a a bottle of perfume for her birthday but I don’t think she liked the perfume. 1. I like to have ___ cup of ___ tea when I wake up in ___ morning. 2. I saw ___ fox this morning. I think it must have been ___ one I saw before. 3. Can I have ___ apple? 4. Have you ever seen ___ Acropolis in ___ Athens? 5. ___ police have had a lot of support from ___ general public. 6. Today I saw ___ movie. Yesterday I saw ___ most popular movie of the year. 7. ___ shirts on ___ washing-line should be nearly dry now. 8. ___ people don’t like him because of his selfish attitude 9. I bought my sister ___ book and ___ a bottle of ___ perfume for her birthday but I don’t think she liked ___ perfume. Article Usage

9 Complete the sentences with a or an, the or no article (nothing). 1.Do you have a bigger room in the hotel? In fact, I'd like the biggest room you have available. How much would that cost a night? 2. Honestly, this the is last time I am going to tell you to clean up your room. You are the messiest kid on the planet. 3. He's a much fitter person than I am; he jogs at least five times a week. 4. Fred always says dogs make the best pets. But between his cat and his dog, his cat is the more loyal of the two. 5. I think this is the worst idea ever. We need to find a better way to do this. 6. Tomorrow, we will take the train to Shanghai, and the following day, we will fly to Beijing. 7. That coffee costs $85 a pound! That's the most outrageous price I've ever seen. I think I need to look for a cheaper brand. 8. The instructor thought Jack was a gifted programmer. She told me he was the most gifted programmer she had taught in many years. 9. I bought the lightest tent ever. It's made of a much stronger material. 10. Last week was the first time that I had ever played golf, and I really felt like I was the worst player ever. 1.Do you have ____ bigger room in the hotel? In fact, I'd like ___ biggest room you have available. How much would that cost ____ night? 2. Honestly, this ___ is last time I am going to tell you to clean up your room. You are ___ messiest kid on the planet. 3. He's ___ much fitter person than I am; he jogs at least five times ___ week. 4. Fred always says dogs make ___ best pets. But between his cat and his dog, his cat is ___ more loyal of the two. 5. I think this is ___ worst idea ever. We need to find ___ better way to do this. 6. Tomorrow, we will take ___ train to Shanghai, and ___ following day, we will fly to Beijing. 7. That coffee costs $85 __ pound! That's __ most outrageous price I've ever seen. I think I need to look for ___ cheaper brand.. 8. The instructor thought Jack was ___ gifted programmer. She told me he was ___ most gifted programmer she had taught in many years. 9. I bought ___ lightest tent ever. It's made of ___ much stronger material. 10. Last week was ___ first time that I had ever played golf, and I really felt like I was ___ worst player ever. 11. I played golf with my boss and he's an even worse player than I am. It may be shocking, I think I am actually a/the better player. 11. I played golf with my boss and he's ___ even worse player than I am. It may be shocking, I think I am actually ___ better player. 12. Their car does 150 miles an hour. 12. Their car does 150 miles ___ hour. Article Usage

10 Complete the sentences with a or an, the or no article (nothing). 1.I arrived in the USA last Monday. We left Rome, flew over the Alps and made a quick stop in London. 2. There we went shopping at Harrods, visited the Tower and enjoyed a sunny afternoon in Hyde Park. 3. On the following day we left for New York. The time on board wasn't boring as there were two films to watch on the monitor. 4. The people on the plane were all Italian. Before we landed at JFK airport, we saw the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Empire State Building. 5. The hotel I stayed in was on the corner of 42nd Street and 5th Avenue. 6. I don't like hotels very much, but I didn't have time to rent an apartment. 7. Ben has an old bike. Emily needs a new desk in her room. 8. She has an exercise book in her school bag and a book in her hand. 9. They finished a unit. Why 'a unit' not 'an unit'? B ecause it's pronounced as yewnit. The use of 'a' and 'an' depends on pronunciation, not spelling. Compare words like 'a uniform', 'an hour', Do you need a degree in economics to be a better manager? 1.I arrived in ___ USA last Monday. We left ___ Rome, flew over ___ Alps and made a quick stop in ___ London. 2. There we went shopping at ___ Harrods, visited ___ Tower and enjoyed ___ sunny afternoon in ___ Hyde Park. 3. On ___ following day we left for ___ New York. __ time on board wasn't boring as there were two films to watch on ___ monitor. 4. __ people on __ plane were all __ Italian. Before we landed at __ JFK airport, we saw ___ Statue of Liberty, ___ Ellis Island and ___ Empire State Building. 5. ___ hotel I stayed in was on ___ corner of ___ 42nd Street and ___ 5th Avenue. 6. I don't like __ hotels very much, but I didn't have __ time to rent __ apartment. 7. Ben has ___ old bike. Emily needs ___ new desk in her room. 8. She has ___ exercise book in her school bag and ___ book in her hand. 9. They finished ___ unit. 10. Do you need ___ degree in ___ economics to be ___ better manager? 11. An attempt has been made to collect funds to start a public library in the town where I live. 11. ___ attempt has been made to collect ___ funds to start ___ public library in ___ town where I live. 12. Life can be very hard for the poor. 12. ___ life can be very hard for ___ poor. Article Usage