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8/14/2019 THE ARTICLE.doc

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THE ARTICLE

1. The Definite Article

1.1 The form of the definite articleThe English definite article is the

the boy the song

the eagle the hair

The uniform

The window

The year

1.2 Uses of a definite article

a)with nouns already mentioned or known to the speaker:

I saw a computer on the table. The girl was working hard.

Have you called theclient?

b) with nouns followed by a prepositional phrase, a relative clause or an apposition:

The business letter from London arrived today at our company. This isthe man who gave me

the computer.Mr. mith!the delivery man, is an Englishman.

c ) with adjectives in the superlative degree:This the oldestsuccessful business of our company

d)with proper nouns in the plural, denoting a family:

The Whites are nice people.

e) with proper nouns denoting countries, if they are in the plural, or if they represent the a union:

theUnited tates! theUnited "ingdom! the#etherland

f) with proper nouns denoting geographical nouns such as: mountains, deserts, oceans, seas,

rivers, etc:

the$lps! theahara! the%acific &cean! the#orth ea! the'anube! etc.

g) with proper nouns denoting hotels, shops, institutions:

theHilton!the(ritish Museum, the ity (ank*

h) with proper nouns denoting ships, trains, planes:

theTitanic! the&rient +,press! the-ufthansa*

i) with proper nouns denoting newspapers and magazines:

TheIndependent! The&bserver*

j) in phrases:

to play thefool! to tell thetime! by theway! on thewhole*

2. THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE


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./ The forms of the indefinite article

The English indefinite article is a,before a word beginning with a consonant or semi-vowel, and

an,before a word beginning with a vowel:

amanager, acontract, anendorsement, apayment

$ uniform! a +uropean citi0en! a useful thing

! year, a window

!n apple, an orange, an egg, an umbrella

!n E" citizen

!n #$% agent

. Uses of the indefinite article

a) with nouns representing a single item of a class:

&ive me a pen, please'

b) instead of the numeral one:

I1ve bought a computer and four chairs.

c) with singular noun used in a general sense:

A babyre2uires special care.

d) with nouns denoting a profession, religion, class:

he is an accountant.He is a hristian. They called him a fool.

e) in certain e(pressions of measurement:

I have 3rench lessons two times a week.&ranges are 45p. a pound

f) with proper nouns denoting an unknown person, a member of a family, or a person with certaincharacteristics:

The letter is from a Mr. ohnson. He is a !ord.He is a "on uan.

g ) in phrases

to be in ahurry! to have aheadache! all of asudden! as amatter of fact! to take aninterest in.

3. The Zero Article

3.1 Uses of the 0ero article

a) with uncountable nouns or plural nouns used in a general sense:

&il is lighter than water. #ooksare his best friends.

b) with proper nouns denoting persons:

6ichard! 7ennifer! 8eneral mith! %rofessor $tkins

c) with proper nouns denoting continents, countries, regions, towns:

$frica! 3rance! -ancashire! %aris

d) with proper nouns denoting peaks, lakes, capes:

Mount +verest! -ake (aikal! ape od

e) with proper nouns denoting buildings, streets, bridges:

ovent 8arden! Marseilles treet! $le,ander (ridge


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f) with nouns likeschool! church! hospital! prison! where we imply the use made of the building:

6ichard goes to school 9to learn)

g)with nouns denoting meals and seasons:

I have dinnerat eight. Winteris coming.

h) with nouns denoting languages:

he speaks !rench.i)with nouns denoting a profession or an office held at one time by one person only

They appointed himE$ecutive Manager.

j) in phrases:

day by day! in case of! by sea! at sunset! to be in trouble! by mistake! in silence.

Fill in the blanks with an/ a, the or (no article):

1.Where is the file that I gave you yesterday?

2. Thetourists were enchanted by the folk art in Romania.

3.The girl was a bookkeeer and nobody knew that.

!. "e works for the#oca$#ola in Romania.

%. &&'ont (lanc is the tallest eak of the )ls.

*.+he is &&& "R 'anager.

7The(lack +ea is imortant for the countries which surround it.

,. The -nited +tates has themost imortant economy in theworld.

. &&./uroe is a medium si0ed continent

1.I need to go abroad on &&business tris about five times a year.

11The (ritish 'useum is one of the most imortant in the world.

12. The +miths told their friends about their voyage on theacific cean.

13. The +ahara is a desert in thenorth of .......)frica.

1!. Two years ago they made a cruise on a shi which was called&..4ueen 'ary.

1%. "e5s not motivated by erks6fringe benefits.

1*. The River Thames reaches &7ondon in the +outh of the -nited 8ingdom.

19.:ou5ll find the information you need on theInternet.

1,. The;incent family works with.7< #omany.


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1. The manager controls his comany with &&success

2./verybody makes &&. mistakes.

21. In thefuture=ust remembertheTimes can be bought inthemorning

22.The mistakes he had made cost us too much money.

23. I5d like to take u an '() in &&>ew :ork.

2!."ave you ever been in a resort on the 'editerranean shore?

2%.I want to buy a lato. #ould you hel me choose one?

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