ARTICLES AND DETERMINERS(unit 16 of your student’s book)ARTICLES AND DETERMINERS(unit 16 of your student’s book)

Ignacio Morales SueroMarta Gimeno

ARTICLESARTICLES

ARTICLESARTICLES

• First the good news:There are only three articles in English: a, an and the.

• There are two types of articles indefinite 'a' and 'an' or definite 'the'. You also need to know when not to use an article.

• The bad news is that their proper use is complex, especially when you get into the advanced use of English. Quite often you have to work it out by what sounds right, which can be frustrating for a learner.

• First the good news:There are only three articles in English: a, an and the.

• There are two types of articles indefinite 'a' and 'an' or definite 'the'. You also need to know when not to use an article.

• The bad news is that their proper use is complex, especially when you get into the advanced use of English. Quite often you have to work it out by what sounds right, which can be frustrating for a learner.

A) Indefinite articles - a and an A) Indefinite articles - a and an

• A and an are used before nouns that introduce something or someone you have not mentioned before:-– For example:

"I saw an elephant this morning." "I ate a banana for lunch.”

• A and an are also used when talking about your profession:– For example:

"I am an English teacher." "I am a builder."

• A and an are used before nouns that introduce something or someone you have not mentioned before:-– For example:

"I saw an elephant this morning." "I ate a banana for lunch.”

• A and an are also used when talking about your profession:– For example:

"I am an English teacher." "I am a builder."

• You use a when the noun you are referring to begins with a consonant – (b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y or z)

For example: "a city", "a factory", and "a hotel".

• You use an when the noun you are referring to begins with a vowel – (a, e, i, o, u)

• Pronunciation changes this rule: – It's the sound that matters, not the spelling.

• You use a when the noun you are referring to begins with a consonant – (b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y or z)

For example: "a city", "a factory", and "a hotel".

• You use an when the noun you are referring to begins with a vowel – (a, e, i, o, u)

• Pronunciation changes this rule: – It's the sound that matters, not the spelling.

NOTE!NOTE!• If the next word begins with a consonant sound when we

say it.– For example:

"university" then we use a. • We say "university" with a "y" sound at the beginning as

though it were spelt "youniversity".So, "a university" IS correct.

• If the next word begins with a vowel sound when we say it.– For example:

•  "hour" then we use an.• We say "hour" with a silent h as though it were spelt "our".

So, "an hour" IS correct.

• If the next word begins with a consonant sound when we say it.– For example:

"university" then we use a. • We say "university" with a "y" sound at the beginning as

though it were spelt "youniversity".So, "a university" IS correct.

• If the next word begins with a vowel sound when we say it.– For example:

•  "hour" then we use an.• We say "hour" with a silent h as though it were spelt "our".

So, "an hour" IS correct.

B) Definite Article - theB) Definite Article - the

• You use the when you know that the listener knows or can work out what particular person/thing you are talking about.– For example:

"The apple you ate was rotten.“"Did you lock the car?“

• You should also use the when you have already mentioned the thing you are talking about.– For example:

"She's got two children; a girl and a boy. The girl's eight and the boy's fourteen.”

• You use the when you know that the listener knows or can work out what particular person/thing you are talking about.– For example:

"The apple you ate was rotten.“"Did you lock the car?“

• You should also use the when you have already mentioned the thing you are talking about.– For example:

"She's got two children; a girl and a boy. The girl's eight and the boy's fourteen.”

• We also use the before certain nouns when we know there is only one of a particular thing.– For example:

the rain, the sun, the wind, the world, the earth, the White House etc..

• However if you want to describe a particular instance of these you should use a/an.– For example:

"I could hear the wind." / "There's a cold wind blowing.""What are your plans for the future?" / "She has a promising future

ahead of her."

• The is also used to say that a particular person or thing being mentioned is the best, most famous, etc. In this use, 'the' is usually given strong pronunciation:– For example:

"Harry's Bar is the place to go.""You don't mean you met the Tony Blair, do you?"

• We also use the before certain nouns when we know there is only one of a particular thing.– For example:

the rain, the sun, the wind, the world, the earth, the White House etc..

• However if you want to describe a particular instance of these you should use a/an.– For example:

"I could hear the wind." / "There's a cold wind blowing.""What are your plans for the future?" / "She has a promising future

ahead of her."

• The is also used to say that a particular person or thing being mentioned is the best, most famous, etc. In this use, 'the' is usually given strong pronunciation:– For example:

"Harry's Bar is the place to go.""You don't mean you met the Tony Blair, do you?"

• The doesn't mean all:-– For example:• "The books are expensive." = (Not all books are

expensive, just the ones I'm talking about.)• "Books are expensive." = (All books are expensive.)

• The doesn't mean all:-– For example:• "The books are expensive." = (Not all books are

expensive, just the ones I'm talking about.)• "Books are expensive." = (All books are expensive.)

NOTE! NOTE!

No articleNo article

• We usually use no article to talk about things in general:– For example:

• Inflation is rising.• People are worried about rising crime. (Note! People

generally, so no article)

• You do not use an article when talking about sports.– For example:

• My son plays football.• Tennis is expensive.

• We usually use no article to talk about things in general:– For example:

• Inflation is rising.• People are worried about rising crime. (Note! People

generally, so no article)

• You do not use an article when talking about sports.– For example:

• My son plays football.• Tennis is expensive.

• You do not use an article before uncountable nouns when talking about them generally.– For example:

• Information is important to any organisation.• Coffee is bad for you.

• You do not use an article before the names of countries except where they indicate multiple areas or contain the words (state(s), kindom, republic, union).

Kingdom, state, republic and union are nouns, so they need an article.

– For example:• No article - Italy, Mexico, Bolivia, England• Use the - the UK (United Kingdom), the USA (United States of

America), the Irish Republic– Multiple areas! the Netherlands, the Philippines, the British Isles

• You do not use an article before uncountable nouns when talking about them generally.– For example:

• Information is important to any organisation.• Coffee is bad for you.

• You do not use an article before the names of countries except where they indicate multiple areas or contain the words (state(s), kindom, republic, union).

Kingdom, state, republic and union are nouns, so they need an article.

– For example:• No article - Italy, Mexico, Bolivia, England• Use the - the UK (United Kingdom), the USA (United States of

America), the Irish Republic– Multiple areas! the Netherlands, the Philippines, the British Isles

DETERMINERSDETERMINERS

DETERMINERSDETERMINERS• Determiners are used in front of nouns to indicate

whether you are referring to something specific or something of a particular type.

• Determiners are different to pronouns in that a determiner is always followed by a noun. Therefore personal pronouns ( I , you , he , etc.) and possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, etc.) cannot be determiners.

• The definite and indefinite articles a/an/the are all determiners.

• Determiners are used in front of nouns to indicate whether you are referring to something specific or something of a particular type.

• Determiners are different to pronouns in that a determiner is always followed by a noun. Therefore personal pronouns ( I , you , he , etc.) and possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, etc.) cannot be determiners.

• The definite and indefinite articles a/an/the are all determiners.

• You use a specific determiner when people know exactly which thing(s) or person/people you are talking about.– The specific determiners are:

– For example:"The dog barked at the boy.“"These apples are rotten.“"Their bus was late."

• You use a specific determiner when people know exactly which thing(s) or person/people you are talking about.– The specific determiners are:

– For example:"The dog barked at the boy.“"These apples are rotten.“"Their bus was late."

Definite article : The

Demonstratives: This, that, these and those

Possessives: My, your, his, her, its, our and their

• You use general determiners to talk about people or things without saying exactly who or what they are.– The general determiners are:

The indefinite articles: an, a

a fewa little all another any

both each either enough every

few fewer less little manymore most much

neither no other several some

- For example:"A man sat under an umbrella.“"Have you got any English books that I could have?""There is enough food to feed everyone."

Either and NeitherEither and Neither

• Either and neither are used in sentences concerning a possible choice between two items.

• Either can mean one or the other (of two) or each of two.– For example:

 I've got tea and coffee, so you can have either. (One or the other)The room has a door at either end. (Both)

• Neither means not the first one and not the second one.– For example:

Neither of the students were listening.

• Either and neither are used in sentences concerning a possible choice between two items.

• Either can mean one or the other (of two) or each of two.– For example:

 I've got tea and coffee, so you can have either. (One or the other)The room has a door at either end. (Both)

• Neither means not the first one and not the second one.– For example:

Neither of the students were listening.

• http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/pronouns/possessive_determiners.htm

• http://www.manythings.org/fq/1/9995.html• http://a4esl.org/q/h/mc001-ck.html• http://a4esl.org/q/h/9901/cw-articles.html