Welcome to your class

DEFINITE AND
INDEFINITE ARTICLES
 DO YOU KNOW WHAT
ARTICLES ARE?
An article is a word that goes before a noun, giving some basic
information about it, such as if it is singular or plural, or if the
object is specific or general. They help defining the noun
ARTICLES
The English articles are a, an, and the. And they're categorized as Definite and
Indefinite.It's not possible to establish conversations in English without articles, in
a simple example we will realize how much we use them:

Ms Smith is a businesswoman. She is in a hotel room.

There is a bed, a carpet and a bedside table in the room.
On the bedside table there is a bedside lamp.
Ms Smith has got two pieces of luggage: a suitcase and a
handbag. The suitcase is very heavy.
 INDEFINITE ARTICLES
- A /AN
Indefinite articles refer to non-specific nouns.

You might say “I need a watermelon” or “I want an avocado.”

In both cases, you aren’t referring to a specific watermelon or
avocado.
The indefinite articles communicate the fact that you’d
accept any watermelon or avocado.
INDEFINITE ARTICLES
- A /AN
They take two forms:
It’s the word "A" when it precedes a word that begins with a consonant sound.
It’s the word "An" when it precedes a word that begins with a vowel sound.

BE CAREFUL! How the word sounds in its first

syllable is important!
 A AN

Before a singular noun beginning with Before a singular noun beginning with a
a consonant sound vowel sound

An envelope, an airplane, an accountant,

A car, a big truck, a wheel, a grey day.
an apple, an egg, an insect.

A house, a uniform, a university.

An hour, an uncle, an honest person.

She is an United States senator. My mother is a honest woman.

She is a United States senator. My mother is an honest woman.
WHEN TO USE INDEFINITE ARTICLES
When we mention something in a text/conversation for the first
time (introductory)
A man and a woman were walking on Oxford Street
In Job Titles
Ms. Rodriguez is a chef
Remember we can't use "A/An" directly with uncountable nouns
A water
A sand
A Air
WHEN TO USE INDEFINITE ARTICLES
Uncountable nouns can be modified by words like adjectives or
adverbs
Can I have an ice.?
Can I have an ice cube?
Please give me a water
Please give me some water
Please give me a bottle of water
This was an easy lesson
Today has been a very cold day
For Example:
I was born in a town.
John had an omelet for lunch.
Please give me a bottle of water.
James Bond ordered a drink.
We want to buy an umbrella.
Have you got a pen?
I need a bowl of rice.
Eliza will bring a small gift to Sophie’s party.
Publishing a book is the lifetime goal of my father.
An external influence includes unavoidable factors a business may encounter.
DEFINITE ARTICLES
- THE
The word "The" limits the meaning of a noun to a particular thing.
For example, your friend might ask:
“Are you going to the party this weekend?”

The definite article tells you that your friend is referring to a

specific party that both of you know about. As you see, in
this case, the speaker and the hearer share knowledge of the
noun in question.
WHEN TO USE DEFINITE ARTICLES
We have already identified the noun we are referring to in a previous phrase.
There is a lamp in my bedroom. (We mention the lamp for the first time)
The lamp is next to the desk.
Talking about Musical instruments
She plays the piano.
Something that is unique or there is only one.
The Sun
The Moon
The internet
WHEN TO USE DEFINITE ARTICLES
Names of rivers, seas, oceans, mountain ranges, and deserts
The Mississippi River, The Black Sea, The Andes, The Sahara Desert
Countries (United and Plural)
The United States, The Philippines, The United Kingdom
Directions (cardinal points).
The west
The southeast
The north west
For Example:

The capital of France is Paris.

I have found the book that I lost.
Have you cleaned the car?
There are six eggs in the fridge.
Please switch off the TV when you finish
The woman saw a dress that she liked in a shop
She asked the man if he could buy the dress for her.
Please give me the red hammer; the blue one is too small.
GENERAL NOTES....
"A" and "An" only work with singular nouns because they only refer to one item.
So don't use them for plurals.

"The" works with both singular and plural nouns. If you want a specific orange
or specific oranges, you could say, “I want the orange” or “I want the oranges.”

You can also use "the" before uncountable nouns when they refer to a specific
example.
The weather was awful last summer.
The rice we bought in the shop was good.
GENERAL NOTES....
Of course, often we can use a/an or the for the same word. It depends on the
situation, not the word. Look at these examples:
We want to buy an umbrella. (Any umbrella, not a particular umbrella.)
It's raining! Where is the umbrella? (We already have an umbrella. We are
looking for our umbrella, a particular umbrella.)
 PHRASE MEANING

The speaker is not asking about any one specific ice rink but
Have you been to an ice rink? is asking whether they have been to any ice rink (an doesn’t
refer to a specific ice rink)

The speaker and listener know the ice rink which is being
Have you been to the ice rink? referred to (e.g. the one in their town/the local one). The use
of "the" makes the noun ice rink specific.
 A / AN THE ZERO

Singular A dog The dog -

COUNTABLE
Plural - The dogs Dogs

UNCOUNTABLE - The music Music

NO ARTICLE CASES
Articles are not always necessary. A noun can be correctly used in a sentence without a
definite article or indefinite article preceding it.

This happens in situations where the article is implied and it does not need to be
explicitly written.
 WHEN TO USE NO ARTICLE
When we refer to general ideas, plurals, or uncountable nouns we do not use "The"
Religion is an important issue. - NOT The religion is an important issue
Mexican food is spicy. - NOT The Mexican food is spicy
Names of people, books, and plays (unless it is part of the title).
I have read Romeo and Juliet - NOT I have read The Romeo and Juliet
Towns, cities, states, and countries. (Take into consideration the exceptions seen
before)
Montana, Vietnam, Cape Town
 WHEN TO USE NO ARTICLE
When referring to Meals
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper
Let’s go out for dinner tonight. - NOT Let’s go out for a dinner tonight.
When you're using a noun + number structure
He is in room 45 - NOT He is in the room 45
Please turn to page 67 - NOT Please turn to the page 67
Before languages and nationalities
I studied Korean for 2 years - NOT I studied the Korean for 2 years
 WHEN TO USE NO ARTICLE

Referring to some abstract ideas

One of my weaknesses is that I lack humor. - NOT One of my weaknesses is
that I lack the humor.
Calmness is my strength - NOT The calmness is my strength.
Referring to academic subjects
I studied Engineering at university. - NOT I studied the Engineering in the
university
MIXED EXAMPLES OF ARTICLES
A - I do not want a gun in my house (any gun).
The - The gun is in his closet (implies there is a specific gun).
Zero Article - I am afraid of guns (all guns in general).

A - She sent me a postcard from Italy (an unspecific postcard)

The - It's the postcard that I have in my office (one specific postcard).
Zero Article - Getting postcards makes me want to travel (general subject).

A - I have a dog (one dog)

The - The dog is very friendly (a dog that I've already mentioned)
Zero Article - Dogs make great pets (dogs in general).
 Let's Practice!
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate articles (a - an - the
- no article) in the following sentences:
1. Have you watched ______ new movie?
2. I have never used ______ computer.
3. Do you know _____ multiplication tables?
4. Sandra brought ______ apple.
5. Madhu has ____ teddy bear.
 Let's Practice!
6. ______ chairs are all broken.
7. The janitor asked ______ students to walk carefully as ______
floor was wet.
8. I have finished reading _____ book you lent me.
9. Hari is planning to buy ____ new car.
10. He has been waiting for ___ hour.
11. I am crazy about ___ reading history books
12. She is ___ nice girl
 Let's Practice!
13. Do you want to go to ___ restaurant where we first met?
14. He is ___ engineer
15. He thinks that __ love is what will save us all
16. Do you have ___ different table available?
17. He was searching for ____ right word to describe the situation.
18. This is ___ last time I will remind you to do your chores.
19. Braxten brought ___ apricot, ___ sandwich, and ____ cookie for lunch.
20. My mom demanded ____ explanation.
 Let's Practice!
I recently discovered that _____(the / a-an / _) money doesn't
buy as much as it used to. I'd been living in _____(the / a-an / _)
dormitory for two years and hadn't had to buy my own food for _____(the / a-an / _)
whole time.

Then, I moved into _____(the / a-an / _) apartment where I needed to buy _____ (the
/ a-an / _) food for myself. The first day I wanted to get _____(the / a-an / _) juice,
_____(the / a-an / _) meat, _____(the / a-an / _) bread and the _____(the / a-an / _) butter.
 Let's Practice!
I went to _____(the / a-an / _) grocery store and put
everything into _____(the / a-an / _) cart. When I went to pay,
I found that _____(the / a-an / _) juice I had chosen cost $1.50, _____(the / a-an / _) meat
$7.80, _____(the / a-an / _) bread $1.25, and _____(the / a-an / _) butter $2.00.

_____(The / A-An / _) money I had brought with me was not enough, and I had to
replace _____(the / a-an / _) butter on _____(the / a-an / _) shelf where I got it. Now,
when I go shopping, I take more money.
Let's Practice!
Worksheet 1 - Add the articles to the paragraph

Quiz 1 - Articles: A, An, The, No Article