Unit 1: Article ‘a, an, the’

An article is a word used to modify a noun, which is a person, place, object,

or idea. Technically, an article is an adjective, which is any word that modifies
a noun.
I. How to use the Article( a , an, the) + noun
1. ‘a and an’ is used the Countable nouns and Singular noun.

Examples:
a. Would you like a cup of tea?
b. He has a book.
c. This is an old car.
d. Do you need an umbrella?

Remark: ‘a’ we use with the consonant, and ‘an’ we use with the vowel as:
(a, e , i , o , u) as: a book, a table, a desk, an apple, an egg , an ink, an umbrella
etc…, and h we read like vowel as: an honor, hour, an heir etc.

2. Using with general noun

Examples:
a. Wandee sat down on a bench.
b. A strange thing happened to me this morning.

3. Using the Article ‘a/an’ with the job as:

an architect an accountant a soldier

a teacher an engineer a janitor
Example
a. Dr.Wanchai is a researcher.
b. Mr. Anousack is a soldier

4. Using the Article ‘a/an’ with the noun to say the first time.
 Examples
a. Have you had an accident?
b. I am looking for a job.
Remark: when we say that noun again. We have to change ‘a, an’ into ‘the’.

Examples:
a. The accident took place on Silom road.
b. The job that I was looking for is interesting.

5. Using the Article ‘a/an’ with countable noun mean that 1(singular noun)

Examples:
a. An iguana is an animal.
b. Tony is a pessimist.

6. Using Article ‘a/ an’ after verb to be

Examples:
a. That house is for sale. It is a bargain.
b. The house needs painting. It is in a bad condition.

7. Using the Article ‘a/ an’ with sick as: a sore throat, a fever, a toothache, a
headache, a cough.
Examples:
a. I’m not feeling well today. I have a sore throat.

8. Using the Article ‘a/an’ with phrase as:

have a good time have a chat
it’s a pity in a hurry
it’s a shame.
Examples:
 a. We had a chat while we were waiting a flight to London.
b. He has a good time to dinner with you

Complete each sentence with a/an

1. Khamchan was……….actor.
2. Did Jack have………… old type of vase?
3. khonsy is………………policeman like his father.
4. This morning my sister bought……….magazine and……….newspaper.
5. I stay at ……….guesthouse when I was on holiday.
6. My brothers have…………rabbit and ……….cat.
7. You live in…………….old house in the outskirt of Vientiane.
8. Henry saw……….accident this afternoon. A truck crashed
into…………..wall.
9. Is Somphong…………….singer or………….journalist?
10. It was………….beautiful and sunny day.

II. Principle using the Article “the” following as:

1. Using ‘the’ with the particular noun

Examples:
a. This was a terrible journey. The plane was very crowded.
b. There is a garden behind my house. The garden is very beautiful
c. Vientiane is the capital of Laos.
d. My mom gave me a postcard. The postcard she gave me is red

2. Using ‘the’ with noun and adjective as: superlative.

Examples:
a. What is the longest road in Lao
b. He is the tallest student in this class.
3. Using ‘the’ in front of the adjective as:
 the poor the rich the blind
the disabled the dark the wounded
the young the dead
Examples:
a. This is the parking lot for the disabled.
b. The youth campaigned to stop smoking cigarettes.
c. Cats can see in the dark.

4. Using ‘the’ with the nationality as:

the British the Spanish the Dutch

the Japanese the French the Swiss .
Examples:
a. The Chinese and the Japanese are diligent.
b. The Spanish are famous for their spicy food.
Remark: these nationality nouns are ended by s, sh, ch or se, when we put ‘the’ in
front of them to be plural noun. If these noun are not ended by s, sh, ch, se. when
we put ‘the’ we have to add ‘s’ as :

the Russians the Italians

the Arabs the Thais
5. Using ‘the’ with the noun, we already said one time, if we say again we have
to put ‘the’ in front of them.
Examples:
a. She owns a dog and a cat in the house. The dog is white, and the cat is
black
b. I live in a house. The house is quite old and has four bedrooms

6. Using ‘the’ with the nouns as Countries

there are name of some countries as : republic, kingdom, states and ended by
‘s’ as :
the German Federal Republic the Republic of Ireland
the United Kingdom the United Arab Emirates
the Netherlands the Philippines .
The name of the islands are plural as:
the Bahamas the British Isles
the Canaries.
The name of the mountains are plural as:
the Andes, the Alps,
the Rockies.
Using with name of the river, sea, ocean, channel as:
the Amazon The Atlantic
the Bering Strait the British Strait the Chao Phraya (River),
the Cape of Good Hope the Caribbean Sea
the Nile (River) the Mississippi (River)
the Pacific Ocean the Mekong River
Using with name of the hotel, hospital, school, museum as:
the Oriental Hotel the Hilton Hotel
the National Theater the Central Library
the British Museum the Vientiane school
Using with name of the building ,place as:
the Vientiane Centre the House of Parliament
the Tower of London the Great Wall of China
Using with name of the newspaper as:
The Vientiane Times the Bangkok Post the Nation
The Bangkok Post the Times the New York Tribune
Using with the noun has only one thing as:
the sun the moon the world
the earth the sea the sky
the universe the ground the environment
Using with the noun of the musical instruments as:
the piano the guitar the violin
the drum the khene the trumpet
Using with the comparative
Examples:
a. The more we read, the more we know.
b. The more you eat, the fatter you will get.
c. The more you love, the more you are torture.

Using with the ordinal number counting as:

the first the second the third
the fourth the fifth the twentieth
the twenty-first

Using with the time expression as:

at noon at night the day after
tomorrow in the morning in the afternoon
in the evening
 Exercises

I. Complete each sentences

Put in ‘the’ or nothing
1. They want to sell ……………most expensive car.
2. Dara wrote her name at…………..top of the page.
3.……………earth revolves around ………..sun.
4. Jack is …………….only person I met at the conference
5.………….sun shines brightly in …………sky.
6. The bodies of………………..dead were taken to the cemetery.
7. My father plays…………………piano very well.
8.………….cheetah is…………..fastest of all animals.
9.…………….French like to drink tea.
10. Lao is ………….country in Southeast Asia and ………………capital is
Vientiane.

Remark: We cannot put ‘article’ proceed of uncountable Nouns as:

Silk tea pepper
blood money hair
experience sugar
1. But we can use ‘some, any, much, this’…
Examples:
a. Jonsan wanted to buy some gold.
b. We bought some paper.
 We sometime use Article : ‘a,an’ but they have a different meaning as:
a. a paper # some paper
b. She bought a paper. # She bought some paper.
c. a hair # hair
 d. There was a hair in my porridge. # Jinny has beautiful hair.
2. We cannot put ‘the’ in front of the general nouns are plural.
Examples:
a. Children learn from playing and observing.
b. Students should obey teachers and their parents.
c. Parents always love their children.
 But we can put ‘the’ in front of plural nouns are particular as:
a. The children in this community can speak English and Chinese fluently.
b. The students in my class like playing tennis.
 We cannot use ‘the’ with place that where we are concerned as:
hospital prison school
college university
If we use “the” in front of them to mean that we are not concerned.
Examples:
a. John goes to church every Sunday.
b. Somphan goes to the church to see her friends.
c. Kham goes to hospital today, because he is ill.
d. Dam goes to the hospital to meet Kham.
II. No using ‘the’ with words as:

go to be in bed go to work be at work

start work finish work
go home get home
stay at home be at home
go to sea
Examples:
a. I am sleepy, I’m going to bed.
b. My boss will be at work around 9 o’clock.
Remark: we cannot use ‘the’ with the words as: breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner
But we can use ‘a’ with ‘meal’
Examples:
a. Michael invited me to have dinner.
b. I had a wonderful meal in a restaurant.
c. I have breakfast with her today.
4. No using Article with the noun is ended by ‘s’ as:
Mr. Somchai's house my brother’s room
the city’s new theater The world’s population
a good night’s sleep a week’s holiday
5. No using ‘the’ in front of the possessive noun as:
(my, your, our, her, his, its, their) (this, that, these, those)and
(some, any, few, a few, most )
Examples:
a. This room is dirty.
b. Could you find any students in the meeting room?
c. He loves his girlfriend very much
b. We often go to our school.
6. Complete each sentences Put ‘a, an, the’
1. Did he see the football match on ………………..television?
2. Bounsou got……………..big feet.
3. Soupan and Sopin have……………..lovely child.
4. Do you enjoy going to………………… Japanese concert?
5. My best friend is looking for…………………work.
6. Would you like to be ……………….doctor?
7. What ……………beautiful lady I have never seen before.
9. I want to buy………………new hat.
10. It is……………..insect, I can’t touch it.
 Unit 2: Preposition
A preposition is a word as: in, from, to, at, on, etc. which is used before a
noun or pronoun to show place, position, time or method
I. Preposition of time as: ‘in’ is used with
Centuries Seasons Years
Months Parts of day
Examples:

a. The event happened in the 20th century.

b. She was the only writer born in the 19th century.
c. I’m going to France in the winter.
d. He likes going to the beach in the summer.
e. He was born in 1990.
f. This house was built in 2000
g. We’ll take the test in June.
h. They are going to get married in December.
i. He usually has a snack in the afternoon.
j. I get up at 6 am in the morning

II.Preposition of time as ‘on, at ’ is used with

Days Dates Particular days
Clock time Short and precise time
Examples:

a. My mom always goes shopping on Mondays.

b. He doesn’t go to school on Sundays.
c. My mom always goes shopping on Mondays.
d. He doesn’t go to school on Sundays.
e. I wish to get a doll on my birthday.
f. Jim gave his girlfriend a rose on Valentine’s day
g. My grandfather goes to bed at 9 pm.
h. My wife starts working at 8am.
i. Don’t stay up late at night.
j. See you at lunchtime
Remark: at night, at noon, at lunchtime, at sunset

3. Preposition of place as: ‘in, on’ is used with

Room town country
Car taxi Streets
Islands Surfaces table
Floor wall
Examples:
a. The baby has gone. She isn’t in the room.
b. He’s working in New York now.
c. There’s a doll in the car.
d. I’m in the taxi now. I’ll get there in 5 minutes.
e. Which is the longest river in the world?
f. My house is on Jackson street.
g. He lives on this island.
h. My teacher put the books on the table.
i. Please put your shoes on the floor.
j. Max is the tall boy standing on the right.
k. Human heart is on the left side
l. We’re on the bus.
m. Please switch your phone into airplane mode if you’re on a plane
n. I saw her yesterday on television.
o. There have been lots of advertisements on radio these days

Exercise

Put ‘on or in’ in the sentences

a. Nina is an American. She was born ……………. America.

b. Have a look at 3 best countries …………….. the world. What do you think
c. The kids are playing …………….. the street.
d. There are not many people living ……………. that island
e. The picture ……………. the wall is fantastic
 Preposition of place as: ‘at, behind, in front of, under, above, across’ is used
with car work building
tree For events at night
at noon at lunchtime at sunset
Examples:
a. My grandfather goes to bed at 9 pm.
b. Don’t stay up late at night.
c. I am at school, while my parents are at work.
d. Can you see the street behind the building?
e. The rabbit is in front of the tree.
f. The ball is under the tree.
g. The plane is flying above the tree.
h. The duck is swimming across the lake.
i. Throw the trash into the dustbin please.
I can’t go into the water since it’s too cold.

Exercises
Put: Behind, at, under, in, across, at, in front of, above, in the blank.
a. My wife starts working ………… 8am.
b. See you ………….. lunchtime
c. Jim is watching movie ……………the cinema
d. There is a big box ……………… the car.
e. The girl is standing …………… the mirror
f. There are some flowers ……………… the chair.
g. Please turn on the projector …………….your head.
h. The boy helped his grandma walk ……………… the crowded street.
 Unit 3: Adjective
I. Adjective with noun
1. We use Adjective to explain the nouns or tell the gesture of the person,
animal and thing as: shape, size, color and age etc…
When we use with the Article, we have to put in line as following:
a conference hall a brick building a cold night
a beautiful woman a black dog
Examples:
a. She is an intelligent student
b. He is a good actor.

2. We use Adjective to explain the subject, It has to be ended by verb to be :

is, am, are, was, were, been or Linking verb as:
Look seem appear grow
Prove show become keep
Remain sound feel turn
Get make smell taste
Examples:
a. Somsak is very generous. Somsak looks generous.
b. He is good at mathematics.
c. That policeman is so calm. That policeman remains so calm.

3. We cannot put ‘Adjective’ in front of the subject pronoun as:

I, you, we, they, he, she, it, except one and ones, But after these words as:
someone somebody everyone
everybody anyone anybody
no one nobody something
everything anything nothing
Examples:
a. There are many sorts of books; the most interesting ones have been
sold out already.
b. The party today may have something special for the guests.

II. Comparative Degree and Superlative Degree

 Adjective has only one syllable when It becomes comparative : we add ‘er’
If it becomes superlative we add ‘est’
Examples:
Positive Comparative Superlative
Short shorter shortest
Large larger largest
Old older oldest

 If the short pronounce, we have to add one consonant again and

add ‘er’ or ‘est’, If adjective ended by E. we only add ‘R’ in the
comparative and ‘st’ in the superlative.
Big bigger biggest
Hot hotter hottest
 Adjective has two syllable, we add ‘er’ and ‘est’ in the
comparative and superlative and the adjective end by ‘ y’ and
in front of the ‘y’ is the consonant .we have to change to I and
add ‘er’ and ‘est’ in the comparative and superlative as:
Positive Comparative Superlative
simple simpler simplest
clever cleverer cleverest
narrow narrower narrowest
happy happier happiest
 merry merrier merriest
friendly friendlier friendliest
 Adjective has more than three syllables, we have to add ‘more and most’ in
the comparative and superlative and we don’t add ‘er’ and ‘est’ again.
Positive Comparative Superlative
Useful more useful most useful
Beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
Expensive more expensive most expensive
Dangerous more dangerous most dangerous
Important more important most important
Diligent more diligent most diligent
Severe more severe most severe
 These adjective. We don’t add ‘ er ,est’ in the comparative
And superlative .but they will be changed to other word as:
Positive Comparative Superlative
good / well better best
bad worse worst
many/ much more most
little less least
far farther / further farthest / furthest
old older / elder oldest / eldest
 These adjective will not be compared. because they have absolute Meaning
as:
perfect final correct
right dead true
empty chief full
unique infinite circular
wrong permanent extreme
 supreme single preferable
universal square

Exercise
Put these words in to the sentences.
Sad, difficult, easy, beautiful, correct
e. Everybody makes that mistakes .but question is very …………………..

f. She is the most …………………lady, so men love her very much.

g. These questions are very ……………………so we can’t do them.

h. His exercise is not ……………….so I don’t take with him.

i. She is ………….. Because her boyfriend stops love her.