THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE

Use of a/an Examples

1. B efore a singular countable noun, I can see a book on the table.
when it is m entioned for the first tim e They live in aflat.
and represents no particular person or He bought an ice-cream.
thing:
2. B efore a singular countable noun A child needs love =
w hich is used as an exam ple o f All children need/Any child needs love.
a class o f things:
3. W ith a noun com plem ent. This Myfriend is a manager.
includes nam es o f professions: She'll be a dancer.
4. W ith certain num bers. a dozen, a hundred, a million (but one dozen,
one hundred, one m illion is also possible).
1-t kilos = one andahalf kilos or
Before half w hen half follows a kilo and a half;
a w hole num ber. a half-holiday, a half-portion,
But j k g = h a lf a kilo, though a half-share;
a + half+ noun is som etim es
possible. a third, a quarter etc., but one is alsopossible.
W ith j , etc a is usual:
5. In expressions o f price, speed, ratio5p a kilo, sixty kilometres an hour, four times a
etc.: day; (Here a/an = per)
6. Before a singular countable noun Such a long queue! Such long queues!
after the w ord what in Whatapretty girl! W hat pretty girls! *
exclam atory sentences and after the She is still quite a child.
words such, quite, rather: It is rather a difficultproblem.
7. W ith the nouns in the function o f The report was made by Petrenko,
apposition. a student ofour University.
But w hen the apposition refers to a Jack London, the great American novelist, was
well-know n person the is used: born inSan Francisco.
8. In a number of set expressions: a lot of, a great many, a great deal of,
agood deal of, a great number of agood many, a couple, a little, afew, at a
speed of, at a time when, at a time, in time, ona large (small) scale, all ofa sudden,
by bus (train), to be in a hurry, to be in aposition, to be_____ at a loss, it’s apity, for a
short (long) time, as a result of, as a matter
offact, tohave a good time, to have a mind, ina loud (low) voice, tohave
a look, tohave a headache, totake a sit, tohave a cold, togofor a walk.

Ihdi !s (iMi)a /Ye ; s ( w ) a TUre arelwen M Hhe

7
 T H E D E F IN IT E A R T IC L E
Use o f «th e»
1. Before a noun which has become
definite as a result of being
mentioned:
2. Before a noun made definite by
the addition of a phrase or clause:
3. When the object or group of
objects is unique:
4. Before a noun which by reason of
locality can represent only one
particular thing:
5. Before superlatives and first,
second etc. used as adjectives or
pronouns, and only.
6. Before a noun that represents
a class of animals or things:
But man, used to represent
the human race, has no article.
7? The + adjective represents a class of
people:
8. Before certain proper names of
oceans, rivers, seas, gulfs, groups of
islands, chains of mountains, plural
names of countries, deserts, and
before certain other names:
9. Before the adjectives east/west etc.
+ noun in certain names:
10.Before other proper names
consisting of adjective + noun or
noun + o f + noun:
11 .Before names of newspapers,
ships, orchesras, pop groups etc.
12.the + plural surname can be used to
mean «the ... family»:
13.the + a singular countable noun (type
of machine, invention, musical
instruments).
o,, I
^ 1.. V S' ~ c
/
E x a m p le s
I sawa newfilm on T V yesterday.
T h e f i l m wasn't very interesting.
thegirl in blue; the boy that I met;
theplace where I met him.
the earth, the sea, thesky, the moon, the
sun, the world.
Ann is in th e g a r de n . ICh-mpetK*
(the garden of this house), fo ^ ,
Please open th e w in do w .
thefirst week; the best day; the only way.
Myu V
H.
is a domestic animal.
T h e c ow
is an evergreen tree.
The p in e
If oil supplies run outpman have
tofall backon the horse.
th e o ld = old people in general.
th e rich = rich people in general.
TheAtlantic, the Thames, theAlps,
the BlackSea, the Crimea, the City,
the UnitedStates ofAmerica,
the Sahara, the Persian Gulf.
the East/WestEnd, the East/WestIndies, the
North/South Pole.
TheNational Gallery, the Tower ofLondon.
the Times, the Great Britain,
the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Beatles.
the Smiths = Mr andMrs Smith
(and children).
T h e b ic y c le is an excellent means of transport.
When was th e te le p h o n e invented? T h e p ia n o
is myfavourite instrument.
o
 NO ARTICLE
Uses Examples
1. Before plural nouns: Myfriends are students.
2. Before abstract nouns except when Menfear death.
J they are used in a particular sense: but: The death of thePrime Minister left his
party without a leader.
— I : After a noun in the possessive case, or a the boy's uncle = the uncle of the boyJ j u J k
It is my (blue) book = The (blue) book is mine.
y
possessive adjective:
-j 4. Before names of meals: The Scots haveporridgefor breakfast
but: The wedding breakfast was held in her
father's house.
-j 5. Before names of games: Heplays golf.
6. Before parts of the body and Raiseyour right hand.
articles of clothing, as these He tookoffhis coat.
i normally prefer a possessive
| adjective:
When home is used alone, i.e. is not He is at home. He went home.
preceded or followed by I arrived home after dark.
a descriptive word or phrase: I sent himhome.
8. Before the nouns: bed, church, We go: to bed to sleep; to church to pray; to
court, hospital, prison, courtas litigants; to hospital as patients; to
school/college/university, when these y .?. s.prison as prisoners;
places are visited or used for their toschool/college/university to study;
primary purpose. similarly we can be: in bed, sleeping ‘or
We can be/get back from resting; at church as worshippers;
school/college/university. in hospital as patients; at school as
1 We can leave school, leave students.
hospital, be released fromprison.
£ .it: When these places are visited or used Sometimes he goes to theprison
for other reasons the is necessary: togive lectures.
9. work = place of work. He is at work.
He's on his way to work.
10. We go tosea as sailors. To be at sea = to be on a voyage
(as passengers or crew). But to go to or be at the sea = to go to or
be at the seaside. We can also live by/near the sea.
A C H X tH ;

tCC? iU & 'P .