welcome

1. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Definite and indefinite
Definite and indefinite
articles
articles
A, an and the
A, an and the

2. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
What do they do?
What do they do?
 they come at the beginning of a noun
they come at the beginning of a noun
phrase
phrase
 they show if the information is new or
they show if the information is new or
known already
known already

3. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
What do they look like?
What do they look like?
 Indefinite article ‘a’ and ‘an’
Indefinite article ‘a’ and ‘an’
a house a job an appointment
a house a job an appointment
an example
an example
 Definite article ‘the’
Definite article ‘the’
the hospital the station
the hospital the station

4. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Where do they come in sentences?
Where do they come in sentences?
 At the beginning of a noun phrase:
At the beginning of a noun phrase:
I saw
I saw a house
a house.
.
 Immediately before a noun or an adjective (a) or
Immediately before a noun or an adjective (a) or
before an adverb + adjective + noun (b):
before an adverb + adjective + noun (b):
(a) I saw
(a) I saw an ugly house
an ugly house.
.
(b) I saw
(b) I saw a really ugly house
a really ugly house last night
last night.
.

5. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
How do we choose articles?
How do we choose articles?
The noun that follows the article tells us
The noun that follows the article tells us
which article to choose.
which article to choose.
There are
There are NO
NO articles before
articles before
 Plural nouns
Plural nouns
 Uncountable nouns
Uncountable nouns

6. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
How do we choose articles?
How do we choose articles?
 You can only leave out an article before a
You can only leave out an article before a
single noun if another determiner is used:
single noun if another determiner is used:
Possessive adjective
Possessive adjective -
- her brother
her brother
Demonstrative adjective -
Demonstrative adjective - that book
that book
Many quantifiers
Many quantifiers -
- each day/
each day/
any occasion
any occasion

7. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Rules for using a/an
Rules for using a/an
 A/an is used with singular nouns to
A/an is used with singular nouns to
introduce something new that the listener
introduce something new that the listener
or reader does not know about.
or reader does not know about.
I saw an accident. I have a new bag.
I saw an accident. I have a new bag.
I have an older sister.
I have an older sister.
 A/an is used in expressions of time and
A/an is used in expressions of time and
quantity.
quantity.
Forty times an hour Thirty pence a kilo.
Forty times an hour Thirty pence a kilo.

8. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Rules for using the
Rules for using the
The is used when the listener or reader knows or will soon know what
The is used when the listener or reader knows or will soon know what
we are talking about. It tells the listener or reader to think about things
we are talking about. It tells the listener or reader to think about things
they have already or seen.
they have already or seen.
The is used with a noun to show:
The is used with a noun to show:
1.The noun refers to
1.The noun refers to
something that has been
something that has been
said or written.
said or written.
2.Or is going to be said or
2.Or is going to be said or
written.
written.
1.When I was shopping I
1.When I was shopping I
bought a new jumper, it
bought a new jumper, it
was
was the
the warmest one I
warmest one I
could find.
could find.
2.
2. I will collect him from
I will collect him from the
the
airpor
airport on Friday.
t on Friday.

9. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Rules for using the continued:
Rules for using the continued:
3. It is also used to refer to
3. It is also used to refer to
shared experience.
shared experience.
4. Or general knowledge.
4. Or general knowledge.
3.
3. We could go to
We could go to the
the
library tomorrow.
library tomorrow.
4. There are twenty-six
4. There are twenty-six
letters in
letters in the
the alphabet.
alphabet.

10. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
The is also used with some topic
The is also used with some topic
groups:
groups:
 Entertainment:
Entertainment:
I went to
I went to the
the cinema.
cinema.
I went to
I went to the
the pub.
pub.
I went to
I went to the
the shops.
shops.
 Transport
Transport
I arrived at
I arrived at the
the airport.
airport.
I arrived at
I arrived at the
the bus stop.
bus stop.
 Musical instruments
Musical instruments
I play
I play the
the piano. I play
piano. I play the
the guitar.
guitar.

11. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
The is also used with names of things in the
The is also used with names of things in the
following groups:
following groups:
1. Rivers, mountain ranges, oceans and seas,
1. Rivers, mountain ranges, oceans and seas,
deserts, groups of islands.
deserts, groups of islands.
The
The Thames,
Thames, the
the Andes,
Andes, the
the Atlantic,
Atlantic, the
the
Sahara,
Sahara, the
the West Indies.
West Indies.
2. Hotels, cinemas, political bodies, newspapers.
2. Hotels, cinemas, political bodies, newspapers.
The
The Hilton,
Hilton, the
the Odeon,
Odeon, the
the Labour Party,
Labour Party, the
the
Sun.
Sun.

12. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
3. Countries whose names include political
3. Countries whose names include political
terms or plural nouns.
terms or plural nouns.
The
The United Kingdom,
United Kingdom, the
the Czech Republic,
Czech Republic,
the
the Phillipines,
Phillipines, the
the Congo.
Congo.

13. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
No articles
No articles
 Leave out articles before plural and uncountable
Leave out articles before plural and uncountable
nouns when talking about something general.
nouns when talking about something general.
I usually have the sandwiches for lunch.
I usually have the sandwiches for lunch.
 Do not use articles before the name of
Do not use articles before the name of
institutions (hospital, church, school, prison,
institutions (hospital, church, school, prison,
college, university).
college, university).
He works at the Mayday Hospital.
He works at the Mayday Hospital.
She is studying at the Croydon College.
She is studying at the Croydon College.

14. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
No articles
No articles
 No articles used with the names of
No articles used with the names of
meals.
meals.
She came to the lunch.
She came to the lunch.
 No articles with expressions of time.
No articles with expressions of time.
Next the week last the year
Next the week last the year
on the Sunday
on the Sunday

15. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
No articles
No articles
 No articles in the names of people.
No articles in the names of people.
 No articles in the names of places such as
No articles in the names of places such as
towns, villages, cities, parks, streets,
towns, villages, cities, parks, streets,
woods and forests.
woods and forests.

16. Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Ann Matsunaga Articles 01/2010
Taken from Grammar for English Language
Taken from Grammar for English Language
Teachers by Martin Parrott
Teachers by Martin Parrott