1. Noun Phrase Articles: a, an, the, O
Noun Phrase, Part 2
Noun Phrase
Articles: a, an, the, O

2. With all countable and uncountable nouns
Proper Nouns
Pronouns
Countable Nouns
Uncountable Nouns    
think about determiners.

3. + Noun Phrases, Part 2 determiners Noun (head word) = a noun phrase
a, an, the
my, his, theirs, etc
this, that, these, those
some, any
other, another
such +
Noun
(head
word)
= a noun phrase

4. Noun phrases noun phrase Noun (head word) my dog dog a sister sister
this friend
some dictionaries
Noun (head word)
dog
sister
friend
dictionaries

5. Longer noun phrases my sweet little dog an older sister
this really, old friend of mine
some very old, electronic dictionaries

6. What’s a noun phrase? Tell your partner now!
A noun phrase is a group of words with a noun as the ‘head-word’.

7. The most common determiners are…
articles

8. What are articles? a an
the
Ø (= Nothing at all!)

9. So which article should I use?
Ask yourself these three questions:
a. Is my noun countable or uncountable?
b. Is my noun singular or plural?
c. Does the listener know this noun?

10. Use a or an when… Ex: I bought a new CD yesterday.
Q1: countable
Q2: singular
Q3: The listener DOESN’T KNOW.
Ex: I bought a new CD yesterday.
Are we going to a movie or a restaurant?
You didn’t know this…

11. Use a or an when… Here’s a tip… have a determiner
A singular, countable noun
must always, always, always
have a determiner
in front of it…

12. determiner + singular countable noun
Find the singular, countable noun and put a determiner in front of it.
She has dog.
I told joke.
Friend lives in Seattle.
There is coffee shop on corner.

13. determiner + singular, countable noun
Find the singular, countable noun and put a determiner in front of it.
She has a dog.
I told a joke.
My friend lives in Seattle.
There is a coffee shop on the corner.

14. Use the when the noun is …
Q1: countable or uncountable
Q2: singular or plural
Q3: The listener KNOWS.

15. How do you know if the listener knows?
The sun is bright today.
The prime minister of Japan is speaking.
There’s only one, so the listener knows which one.
He is the cutest guy in the class.

16. How do you know if the listener knows?
There’s only one that we go to, so we both know which one.
I have to go to the grocery store.
The doctor called.
Let’s go to the park.

17. How do you know if the listener knows?
There’s only one pen on the table, so they know which one.
The pen on the table is purple.
There’s only one guy I met last night, so they know which one.
The guy I met last night is going to call me.

18. After I tell them, they know…
How do they know?
After I tell them, they know…
They don’t know which one.
Now they know which one.
I have a dog.
The dog is called ‘Guapo.’

19. How do you know? After I tell you, you know…
This is the first time…
You don’t know which one.
This is the second time…
Now you know which one.
There’s a new movie I want to see.
The movie is supposed to be really good.

20. There’s only one in the world.
Why should we use the?
The Eiffel Tower
There’s only one in the world.

21. There’s only one in the area that we go to.
Why should we use the?
the zoo
There’s only one in the area that we go to.

22. Why should we use the? the beach the yellow hat the towel the umbrella
There’s only one that we can see right now.

23. There is only one dog (that I told you about before).
Why should we use the?
the dog
There is only one dog (that I told you about before).

24. What three questions should you ask when choosing an article?
Tell your partner now!

25. Three questions 1. countable or uncountable? 2. singular or plural?
3. Does the listener know this noun?

26. ? a/an the Ø Countable = singular countable = singular or plural
I ate a banana.
THE LISTENER DOESN’T KNOW.
countable = singular or plural
uncountable
I ate the banana.
I ate the bananas.
I ate the fruit.
THE LISTENER KNOWS.

27. Use Ø when … Q1: countable plural Q2: uncountable
Q3: The speaker means in general.

28. Ø + plural, countable noun Ø + uncountable noun
Find the plural, countable noun or uncountable noun. Underline it then change the sentence to make it correct.
Banana is delicious.
His father and grandfather were a lawyer.
I like a fresh airs.
The pop music is my favorite.

29. Ø + plural, countable noun Ø + uncountable noun
Find the plural, countable noun or uncountable noun. Underline it then change the sentence to make it correct.
Bananas are delicious.
His father and grandfather were a lawyers.
I like a fresh airs.
The pop music is my favorite.

30. a/an the Ø countable plural uncountable countable singular
Bananas are yellow.
Fruit is good for you.
‘IN GENERAL’
countable
singular
I ate a banana.
THE LISTENER DOESN’T KNOW.
countable = singular / plural
uncountable
I ate the banana.
I ate the bananas.
I ate the fruit.
THE LISTENER KNOWS.

31. Now you try… Use a/an or Ø
_____ bird has wings.
_____ birds have wings.
_____ student is a person who studies.
_____ basketball is round.
_____ basketball is a sport.
_____ homework is important.
_____ dog is a good pet.
_____ my dog’s name is Guapo.

32. Answers A bird has wings. Birds have wings. (Ø)
A student is a person who studies.
A basketball is round.
Basketball is a sport. (Ø)
Homework is important. (Ø)
A dog is a good pet.
My dog’s name is Guapo. (Ø)

33. Now you try… Use a/an or the
I have _____ idea! Let’s go on _____ picnic tomorrow.
Did you have fun at _____ picnic yesterday?
_____ front wheel of my bicycle is flat.
Your blue shirt is in _____ washing machine.
We need to get _____ new phone.
Yuki, could you answer _____ phone, please?
Chieko wants to be _____ flight attendant.
Keiko was _____ flight attendant who helped me.

34. Now you try… Use a/an or the
I have an idea! Let’s go on a picnic tomorrow.
Did you have fun at the picnic yesterday?
The front wheel of my bicycle is flat.
Your blue shirt is in the washing machine.
We need to get a new phone.
Yuki, could you answer the phone, please?
Chieko wants to be a flight attendant.
Keiko was the flight attendant who helped me.

35. ARTICLES
How are you doing so far?
GREAT!

36. Okay, that was Determiners 101. Now for Determiners 201…
The Sequel

37. How do you know which article to use?
AGAIN…
How do you know which article to use?
Have a look….

38. Let’s think about…
countable nouns
AND

39. singular, countable nouns use a or an
When you mean ‘dogs in general’…

40. plural, countable nouns can use ø
When you mean ‘dogs in general’…

41. But wait…. A dog makes a good pet. Dogs make good pets.
What’s the difference?
Nothing.

42. singular, countable nouns use a or an
When the listener doesn’t know…

43. singular, countable nouns use the
When the listener knows…

44. plural, countable nouns use the
When the listener knows…
plural, countable nouns use the

45. Now let’s think about…
uncountable nouns
AND

46. uncountable nouns use ø
When you mean ‘fruit in general’…
uncountable nouns use ø

47. uncountable nouns use the
When the listener knows…

48. What about…
quantifiers?

49. Quantifiers many countable uncountable every all most a lot of some
How many…?
How much…?
every
all
most
a lot of
many
some
every
all
most
a lot of
much
some
all
several
not many
a few
few
(not) any
no; none
not much
a little
little
(not) any
no; none
none

50. Tricky Quantifiers How many…? How much…?
much / many are used with questions and negatives.
Question: How many books do you have? How much money do you have?
Negative: I don’t have many. I don’t have much.
There aren’t many books. There isn’t much water.
For everything else, use a lot of or lots of.
I have a lot of books. I have lots of money.

51. BUT… Many can also be used in positive sentences and much ______.
Example: Many people came to the party.
(correct)
Example: Much snow fell last night.
(NOT correct.)

52. GUESS WHAT?
We’re Finished!
YAHOO

53. Homework It’s the same as usual . . .
Grammar Card(s): KEY WORDS ~ Noun Phrases, Determiners, Quantifiers
Homework Pages . . .
Don’t wait until the last minute to check your homework!
If you have homework mistakes, ask yourself, “What is my mistake? Do I understand how to fix it?”