Lesson 22 - Articles - WeVersity Free Online Courses with Certicates in Pakistan

Learn English to Earn – Adults

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The Indefinite ArticlesA and An (#1)

The indefinite articles a and an are very common in
English.

They’re used to refer generally to singular
countable nouns. (That is, a or an will probably be
used when it isn’t important to know which particular
noun is being referred to.)

The article a is used before singular countable nouns
that begin with a consonant sound:

a boy / a block / a brick
a cat / a cracker / a clasp
a chair / a chronometer
a fox / a flower / a friend
a gorilla / a glance / a grape / a group
a ham / a horse / a house
a jewel / a job / a joke
a kid / a kiss / a knife / a knight
a lamp / a lady / a lock
a man / a movie / a mule
a nap / a night / a nod
a person / a phone / a phrase
a plant / a prayer / a psychologist
a rope / a rhinoceros / a rhyme / a rhythm
a salad / a shoe / a shrimp
a splinter / a spring / a stove / a string
a turtle / a trap / a theme / a threat
a wig / a weed / a wheel / a wrestler
a xylophone / a xerox
a yam / a yard / a year
a zebra / a zero / a zipper / a zoo

The article an is used before singular countable nouns
that begin with a vowel sound:

an alley / an answer / an apple
an eagle / an effect / an effort
an icicle / an image / an island / an itch
an onion / an opportunity / an oven
an uncle / an urn

Notice that some nouns begin with a consonant letter
but have a vowel sound (because the consonant letter
is silent (written, but not pronounced):

an honor / an hour

Notice also that when nouns begin with the vowel
letters eu, these letters are pronounced yoo ( [ iú ] ),
so the noun actually begins with a consonant sound,
not a vowel sound.

For this reason, such words use
a, not an:

a eulogy / a ewe / a European

In a few words that begin with u, the u is pronounced
yoo ( [ iú ] ), and, for this reason, the proper article
is also a, not an:

a ukulele / a union / a university
a use / a Ute

Use the correct indefinite Articles

_________ whale is _____ mammal.

_________ artichoke is _____ vegetable.

_________ clarinet is _______ woodwind instrument.

_________ awl is __________ tool used to punch holes.

_________ yard is __________ measure of length.

_________ orange is ________ citrus fruit.

The Definite Article The (#2)

The definite article the is used in several different ways
in English.

One use is with nouns (singular or plural, countable
or uncountable) that are specifically identified because
the listener or reader knows (or can assume) that only
one specific noun is being talked or written about.

Another use of the happens when a non-specific noun
is mentioned more than one time: the first time
the noun is mentioned, a or an is used (because at that
point the noun is non-specific). After the noun has been
mentioned the first time, however, the is used (because
at that point it’s clear which noun is being referred to,
so it’s specific).

Examples:

Tony bought a computer yesterday. He paid for
the computer with money he earned by working
after school.

Special Note:

The indefinite articles a and an can be used only with
countable nouns; uncountable nouns use some or
a quantifier (for example, a lot of / a carton of /
a quart of / a bottle of).

The definite article the can be used with both countable
and uncountable nouns, however.

Gap fill

He’s from _________ Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Where is _________ Grand Duchy of Luxembourg?

_________ Principality of Monaco is near
both France and Italy.

I’ve never visited __________ Sultanate of Oman.

He’s a citizen of ___________ U.S. (the United States
of America).

In general, do not use articles before names
of people:

not this:

but this:

*The Mary Seurat was
a well-known painter.

Mary Seurat was a
well-known painter.

In general, do not use articles before a title
and a name:

not this:

but this:

*The Professor Schulte
will lecture at 11:00 AM.

Professor Schulte
will lecture at 11:00 AM.

In general, do not use articles before
one-word names of countries):

not this:

but this:

*The Oman is a Gulf state.

Oman is a Gulf state.

Use the correct form of Articles (a, an, the )

There’s ________strange man knocking on ____________door.
Did you see __________butterfly? It had blue wings and ___________ orange body.
I love ________ice cream. Could I have ________scoop of ________ chocolate chip, please?
Where is__________ toilet, please? I’m in___________ hurry.
I saw___________ film last night; it got__________ good reviews but I thought it was________ worst film I have ever seen.
My sister recommended__________ art teacher to me. Unfortunately, __________ teacher is busy all________ year.
_________moon is very bright tonight and is shining on _________ surface of__________ sea.

Insert Articles where necessary.

(1) Bird in hand is worth two in bush.

(2) Poor woman has not rupee.

(3) Umbrella is of no use against thunder storm.

(4) The brave soldier lost his arm in battle.

(5) Only best quality rice is sold here.

Correct the following sentences:

(1) In a few years she became the great singer.

(2) The mankind should love the nature.

(3) Whole Pakistan mourned the death of Benajir Bhutto.

(4) The bigger boy held the smaller one by arm.

(5) This is a news to my mother.