23.

USING ARTICLES

GENERAL STATEMENTS
a/an
„ A bill doesn’t become law
until the president approves it.
„ An appeal is a request made
SINGULAR COUNT to a higher court to review the
NOUNS
decision of a lower court.
the
„ Who invented the telephone?
PARTICULAR STATEMENTS
Not specific Specific
a/an the
„ The representatives drafted a bill. „ The bill to raise federal income
„ The guests visited a memorial. taxes was signed into law.
„ The trouble maker was escorted out „ The memorial visited by the
of the hall by an officer. guests was built in 1945.
„ The officer who escorted the
troublemaker had to use force.

0 (no article) 0/some the

„ Bills don’t become law until „ Congress proposes some bills „ The Senate approved the bills
the president approves them. whenever it is in session. to ban school prayers and to
„ Appeals are heard by higher „ Congress proposes bills whenever it raise the federal income tax.
PLURAL COUNT courts.
NOUNS is in session. „ The memorials that the guests
„ Some bills become law, but others visited were built to honor war
are rejected. heroes.

0 (no article) 0/some the

„ Water is made up of two „ Scientists believe that there is some „ Most of the pollution in big
atoms of hydrogen and one water trapped beneath the arid cities is caused by automobiles.
atom of oxygen. surface of Mars. „ The water in the Dead Sea has
NONCOUNT NOUNS
„ Pollution is a major „ Explorers have found oil in Alaska. extremely high salt content.
contributing factor to climate .
change.

Adapted from Azar, Fundamentals of English Grammar, 2nd ed. (Prentice-Hall, 1992).
Created in 2007 at the Center for English Language Support, John Jay College, on a U.S. Department of Education Page 1 of 1
(Title V Collaborative) Grant awarded to John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Queensborough Community College.