GRAMMAR GRINDArticles

Articles

There are three articles in English

Indefinite Articles: A / An

Definite Article: The

Definite Articles

Usage: When you’re talking/ writing about a specific person or thing.

Examples: 1. Mr. Langan is the best teacher in the known and

unknown universe.

2. Anthem is the book that we’re reading.

Definite ArticlesDo Not Use Before:1. Names of most countries (exceptions the U.S.A, the

Netherlands).2. Names of cities or towns.3. Names of streets4. Names of lakes or bays

(except groups of lakes like the Great Lakes).5. Names of mountains (except ranges like the Green

Mountains, the Rocky mountains).6. Names of specific islands (except island chains such as

the canary islands).

Indefinite Articles

Usage: when describing a non specific thing or member of a group.

Examples:1. I want to have a teacher who knows how to

Grammar Grind.2. I hope we read a book about getting turnt up this

year.3. At the zoo I saw an elephant.

Indefinite ArticlesUsing A vs. An depends on the sound that begins the next word in the sentence.

Examples: A boy, a car, a zoo, a class, a student, a teacher, a school

Use A when the next sound is a consonant.

Use An when the next sound is a vowel.

Examples:An elephant, an apple, an orphan, an owl, an octopus

Indefinite ArticlesIt gets tricky when…

A vowel makes a consonant sound. “U” can sometimes make a “Y” sound.

Examples:A user - sounds like “yoo-zer”A university – sounds like “yoo-ni-ver-si-ty”A unicycle – sounds like “yoo-ni-cy-cle

Indefinite ArticlesIt gets tricky when…

A consonant can make a vowel sound.

Examples:An honor – sounds like “on-er”

An hour – sounds like “our”

Indefinite ArticlesREMEMBER

If the noun you’re describing is described by an adjective, the article must agree with that adjective. ARTICLES AGREE WITH THE NEXT SOUND!

An amazing teacher, an unusual problem, a broken egg

Use indefinite articles when describing membership of a group!

Mr. Langan is an English teacher (Mr. Langan is part of the larger group of English teachers).Mr. Langan is an Irishman (Mr. Langan is part of the larger Irish group).

Let’s Try ItAfter graduating Yhamila wants to go to ___ university.a

Nasiar plays on _______ offensive line at East Side.the

Erica got _____ excellent grade on the quiz.an

Dyheem is ______ outgoing young man.an

Crystal is angry at Mr. Langan because it took her ______ hour to do the homework last night. an