GRAMMAR GRIND Articles

There are three articles in English Indefinite Articles: A / An Definite Article: The

Definite Articles Usage: When you’re talking/ writing about a specific person or thing. Examples: 1.Mr. Langan is the best teacher in the known and unknown universe. 1.Anthem is the book that we’re reading.

Definite Articles Do Not Use Before: 1.Names of most countries (exceptions the U.S.A, the Netherlands). 2.Names of cities or towns. 3.Names of streets 4.Names of lakes or bays (except groups of lakes like the Great Lakes). 5.Names of mountains (except ranges like the Green Mountains, the Rocky mountains). 6.Names of specific islands (except island chains such as the canary islands).

Indefinite Articles Usage: when describing a non specific thing or member of a group. Examples: 1.I want to have a teacher who knows how to Grammar Grind. 2.I hope we read a book about getting turnt up this year. 3.At the zoo I saw an elephant.

Indefinite Articles Using A vs. An depends on the sound that begins the next word in the sentence. Examples: A boy, a car, a zoo, a class, a student, a teacher, a school Use A when the next sound is a consonant. Use An when the next sound is a vowel. Examples: An elephant, an apple, an orphan, an owl, an octopus

Indefinite Articles It gets tricky when… A vowel makes a consonant sound. “U” can sometimes make a “Y” sound. Examples: A user - sounds like “yoo-zer” A university – sounds like “yoo-ni-ver-si-ty” A unicycle – sounds like “yoo-ni-cy-cle

Indefinite Articles It gets tricky when… A consonant can make a vowel sound. Examples: An honor – sounds like “on-er” An hour – sounds like “our”

Indefinite Articles REMEMBER If the noun you’re describing is described by an adjective, the article must agree with that adjective. ARTICLES AGREE WITH THE NEXT SOUND! An amazing teacher, an unusual problem, a broken egg Use indefinite articles when describing membership of a group! Mr. Langan is an English teacher (Mr. Langan is part of the larger group of English teachers). Mr. Langan is an Irishman (Mr. Langan is part of the larger Irish group).

Let’s Try It After graduating Yhamila wants to go to ___ university. a Nasiar plays on _______ offensive line at East Side. the Erica got _____ excellent grade on the quiz.an Dyheem is ______ outgoing young man.an Crystal is angry at Mr. Langan because it took her ______ hour to do the homework last night. an