ADVANCE GRAMMAR

REPORT II
WHAT IS AN ARTICLE?
 Articlesare used before nouns or noun
equivalents and are a type of adjective.
The definite article (the) is used before
a noun to indicate that the identity of the
noun is known to the reader.
The indefinite article (a, an) is used
before a noun that is general or
when its identity is not known.
There are certain situations in
which a noun takes no article.
As a guide, the following definitions and
table summarize the basic use of
articles. 
 Definite article

the (before a singular or plural

noun)
 Indefinite article

a (before a singular noun beginning

with a consonant sound)
an (before a singular noun
beginning with a vowel sound)
Count nouns - refers to items that can
be counted and are either singular or
plural
Non-count nouns - refers to items that
are not counted and are always
singular
 Count Nouns Non-Count
Nouns
Rule #1:
Specific A, an (No article)
Identity not
known
Rule #2:
Specific The The
identity known
Rule #3: All
things or things No article (no article)
in general
 For the purposes of understanding how
articles are used, it is important to know
that nouns can be either count (can be
counted) or noncount (indefinite in
quantity and cannot be counted).
 In addition, count nouns are
either singular (one) or plural (more than
one). Noncount nouns are always
in singular form.
Water spilled on the table
One drop (singular)
Two drops (plural)
Therefore, according to the rules
applying to count nouns, the
word drop would use the
articles a or the.
Count Nouns
o Water generally spilled on the table
o It would be inappropriate to count

one water or two waters.

o Therefore, according to the rules

applying to noncount nouns, the

word water would use no
article or the, but not a.
Non-Count
Nouns
 THREE SPECIFIC RULES
 Rule #1 - Specific identity not known: 
 Use the indefinite article a or an only with
a singular count noun whose specific
identity is not known to the reader. 
 Use a before nouns that begin with a
consonant sound, and use an before nouns
that begin with a vowel sound.
Use the article a or an to indicate any
non-specified member of a group or
category.
1. I think an animal is in the garage
2. That man is a scoundrel.
3. We are looking for an apartment.
Use the article a or an to indicate one
in number (as opposed to more than
one).
1. I own a cat and two dogs.
Use the article a before a consonant
sound, and use an before a vowel
sound.
a boy, an apple
Sometimes an adjective comes
between the article and noun:
an unhappy boy, a red apple
The plural form
of a or an is some. Use some to
indicate an unspecified, limited
amount (but more than one).
an apple, some apples
 Direction: Kindly supply with the following
sentences with appropriate articles.

1. There is ___ cat on the sofa. It’s sleeping.

2. This is ___ interesting book. I think you should
read it.
3. John has ___ horse that he rides on weekends.
4. Could I please have ___ glass of water?
5. It’s raining outside. I need ___ umbrella.
Rule #2 - Specific identity known: 
Use the definite article the with any
noun (whether singular or plural,
count or noncount) when the
specific identity of the noun is
known to the reader, as in the
following situations:
Use the article the when a particular
noun has already been mentioned
previously.
I ate an apple
yesterday. The apple was juicy
and delicious.
Use the article the when an adjective,
phrase, or clause describing the noun
clarifies or restricts its identity.
The boy sitting next to me raised

his hand.
Thank you for the advice you gave

me.
Use the article the when the noun
refers to something or someone that is
unique.
the theory of relativity

the 2003 federal budget

Rule #3 - All things or things in
general: Use no article with plural count
nouns or any noncount nouns used to
mean all or in general.
1. Trees are beautiful in the fall. (All
trees are beautiful in the fall.)
2. He was asking for advice. (He was
asking for advice in general.)
3. I do not like coffee. (I do not like all
coffee in general.)
 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
REGARDING THE USE OF ARTICLES
 When indicating an unspecified, limited amount
of a count or noncount noun, use some.
My cousin was seeking some advice from a
counselor (not advice in general or advice
about everything, but a limited amount of
advice).
I would love some coffee right now (not coffee
in general, but a limited amount of coffee).
We might get rain tomorrow. Some
rain would be good for the crops (a
certain amount of rain, as opposed
to rain in general).
There are some drops of water on
the table (a limited number, but
more than one drop).
Noncount nouns are those which
usually cannot be counted. Following
are some common examples:
Certain food and drink items:
bacon, beef, bread, broccoli, butter,
cabbage, candy, cauliflower, celery,
cereal, cheese, chicken, chocolate,
coffee, corn, cream, fish, flour, fruit,
ice cream, lettuce, meat, milk, oil,
pasta, rice, salt, spinach, sugar, tea,
water, wine, yogurt
Certain nonfood substances: air,
cement, coal, dirt, gasoline, gold, paper,
petroleum, plastic, rain, silver, snow,
soap, steel, wood, wool
Most abstract nouns: advice, anger,
beauty, confidence, courage,
employment, fun, happiness, health,
honesty, information, intelligence,
knowledge, love, poverty, satisfaction,
truth, wealth
Areas of study: history, math, biology,
etc.
Sports: soccer, football, baseball,
hockey, etc.
Languages: Chinese, Spanish, Russian,
English, etc.
Other: clothing, equipment, furniture,
homework, jewelry, luggage, lumber,
machinery, mail, money, news, poetry,
pollution, research, scenery, traffic,
transportation, violence, weather, work
• Geographical names are confusing
because some require the and some do
not.
Use the with: united countries, large

regions, deserts, peninsulas, oceans,

seas, gulfs, canals, rivers, mountain
ranges, groups of islands
the Gobi Desert

the United Arab Emirates

the Sacramento River

the Aleutians
 PRONOUNS
 Most pronouns stand for, refer to, or replaces a
noun or a noun phrase within a text; hence, they
occupy the same position as a noun or noun
phrase does. The word or words that a pronoun
stands for are its ANTECEDENT or
REFERENCE.
My brother holds dual citizenship. He is not
only a Filipino but also a Canadian citizen.  
I and me stand for the speaker or writer.
I am a Filipino, but I am living in Australia
now.
 KINDS OF PRONOUNS
 There are many different kinds of
pronouns: SUBJECT, OBJECT,
POSSESSIVE, REFLEXIVE,
DEMONSTRATIVE and others.
 The forms within each category are
distinguished by number (singular/plural),
person (first/second/third) gender
(masculine/feminine/neuter), and in the
case of demonstratives, by number and
proximity.
Person/ Personal Possessive  
Number Reflexive/
  Subject Object Noun Determiner/ Intensive
Singular Form Form replacement Adjective

+I I me mine my myself
+ II you you yours your yourself
+ III          
Masculine he him his his himself

Feminine she her hers her herself

Neuter it it - its itself

Plural          
+I we us ours our ourselves

+ II you you yours your yourselves

+ III they them theirs their themselves

 THINGS TO REMEMBER
1. Animals closely related to people can be
referred to by he, him, and his or she,
her, and hers.
 The dog loves his/her/its master.
2. Use it and its to refer to inanimate
objects except ships, which are always
referred as she.
3. Countries and schools are sometimes
referred to by she or her.
4. Traditionally, the pronouns he, him, and
his have been used for mixed groups or
groups in which the sex is unknown.
 Many people now object to this use. So,
they use both the masculine and feminine
forms or the plural forms to avoid the
problem.
o Everybody submitted his or her assignment.
(awkward)
o All the students submitted their assignments.
(acceptable)
5. If I, me, my or mine or their plural
counterparts are part of a pair or a
series, put them last.
The teacher confiscated his toy
and mine, too.
Father helped Tony with his
project, and he will help my sister
and me with ours tomorrow.
 REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS
1. Use the reflexive pronoun as the
object of the verb form or
preposition to refer to the subject of
the sentence.
The baby is able to feed itself.

Luis cut himself with a razor

blade.
2. The phrase by + self or its emphatic
form all by + self means alone or
without any help.
I crossed the river (all) by
myself.
 Direction: Supply the correct reflexive pronoun
for each sentence.
1. She looked at ___________ in the mirror.

2. I’m sure that my daughter will enjoy

__________ on her trip.
3. Don’t ask me to help you. You must do it
________.
4. Susan and Maria took photographs of
__________ while they were on holidays.
5. My uncle hurt ________ when he was playing
basketball at school.
 INTENSIVE PRONOUNS
 The intensive form occurs directly after
the word it modifies or at the end of the
clause.
The mayor herself distributed the relief
goods.
The mayor distributed the relief goods
herself.
 Direction: Supply the following sentences with the
correct intensive pronouns.
1. You _________ can win the game.
2. The leader ________believed in his
followers.
3. The kids ___________ were excited about
the field trip.
4. We ________ need to be better prepared.
5. Did you discover it __________?
 DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS
 Demonstrative pronouns occur alone. They
do not precede nouns.
This is my favorite movie.
 Demonstrative pronouns can show distance
or contrast not connected with distance.
(distance) This is mine; thatis yours over
there.
(contrast) Which ones do you prefer,
these or those?
 INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
    none   another
anyone everyone no one someone other
Personal anybody everybody nobody somebody ones
others

anything everything nothing something another

Non- every one none other
Personal ones
others
 DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS
Use singular verbs with compound
pronouns and use singular pronouns to
refer to them in formal writing.
Formal: Nobody brought his book
today.
Informal: Nobody brought their
books today.
THANK YOU!!!!