4. Indefinite Article ‘a’ or ‘an’ is
used before singular count nouns
to mean one. It is not used before
noncount nouns. They are used
when the noun is describing
something in general terms.
5. When do we use an Indefinite Article?
1. An is used a word that begins with a vowel sound (a, e,
i, o, u), ex: an hour, an honor
2. To introduce a subject that has not been mentioned
before, ex: I saw a snake, An apple is given to me.
3. With certain numerical expressions, ex: a dozen, a half,
a hundred, a great deal of, a couple]
4. With names of professions, ex: He is an engineer, She is
a biologist
6. Definite Article ‘the’ is used when the
noun we are talking about is
describing something specific that we
know about. The article can be used
before any singular, plural, count,
and noun-count noun.
7. When do we use a Definite Article?
1. When there is only one of the thing mentioned, ex: The sun,
the earth, the moon.
2. Before superlative adjectives, ex: the biggest island, the most
beautiful girl.
3. Before decades and centuries, ex: the 1800s, the 20th century.
4. Before names of countries, states, cities, universities, schools
that contain the preposition ‘of’, ex: The state of Florida, the
University of Philadelphia, the United States of America
5. Before names of oceans, rivers, seas, gulfs, and plural names
of mountains, islands, and lakes, ex: the Pacific Ocean, the
Black Sea, the Hawaian Island.
6. Before a noun mentioned for the second time, ex:
A bird flew into the classroom. The bird sat on my desk.
8. Quiz Time
Fill in the blank space by the correct article
1. That book is about _____ life of Shakespeare.
2. In Indonesia is ____ huge lizard, ____ Komodo
Dragons, that eats deer and attacks people.
3. John Roebling is ____ name of ____ engineer who
designed the Brooklyn Bridge. He died in 1869 from
____ infection. He died before _____ bridge was
completed.
4. The dodo, ____ giant bird now extinct, lived on ____
island of Mauritius, in ____ Indian Ocean.
9. • Grammar 1 Module, Iis Kurnia, M.Hum
• Fundamentals of English Grammar; Azar, Betty
Schrampfer
• http://languagearts.pppst.com
