English Articles Presentation

Articles
What is an article?
An article is a word that comes before a noun to show
if it’s specific or general. Specific nouns use the
article “the” and general nouns use the article “a” (or
“an” if the next word starts with a vowel sound). An
article is a special type of adjective that’s used to
indicate if a noun is specific or non-specific. In
English, we have three articles: “the”, “a”, and “an”.
01
Definite and
Indefinite
Article
The Definite Article
The definite article is the word the. It limits the meaning of a noun to one
particular thing. For example, your friend might ask, “Are you going to the
party this weekend?” The definite article tells you that your friend is
referring to a specific party that both of you know about. The definite
article can be used with singular, plural, or uncountable nouns.

The Definite Article
Examples :
-Please give me the hammer.
-Please give me the red hammer; the blue one is too small.
-Please give me the nail.
-Please get the smaller nail, this one is too big

The Indefinite Article
The indefinite article takes two forms. It’s the word “a” when it precedes a word that begins
with a consonant. It’s the word “an” when it precedes a word that begins with a vowel. The
indefinite article indicates that a noun refers to a general idea rather than a particular thing.
For example, you might ask your friend, “Should I bring a gift to the party?” Your friend will
understand that you are not asking about a specific type of gift or a specific item. “I am going
to bring an apple pie,” your friend tells you. Again, the indefinite article indicates that she is
not talking about a specific apple pie. Your friend probably doesn’t even have any pie yet.
The indefinite article only appears with singular nouns.

How to use A & An
“A” and “an” are two different forms of the same word:
the indefinite article a that is used before noun phrases.
Use “a” when the noun or adjective that comes next
begins with a consonant sound. Use “an” when the noun
or adjective that comes next begins with a vowel sound.
"A" and "an" are indefinite articles that precede nouns or
the adjectives modifying nouns. In English grammar, "a"
and "an" are determiners, meaning they specify the
identity or quantity of something, and for both words,
that quantity is "one"—the word from which they're
derived.
The Indefinite Article
Example:
-After a long day, a cup of tea tastes really good.
-An apple a day keeps the doctor away
-Please hand me a book; any book will do just fine.
-Please hand me an autobiography; any autobiography will

do.
More Examples
● He has a son and a daughter. The
daughter is a doctor."
● A man on the street stepped on my
foot
● She didn't get an invitation.
● I always drink a cup of coffee to
start my day
02
Zero Article
Definition
The term zero article refers to noun phrases that
contain no articles, either definite or indefinite. English,
like many other languages, does not require an article in
plural noun phrases with a generic reference, one that is
to a general class of things.
English also uses no article before a mass noun or a

plural noun if the reference is indefinite, which is not
specifically identifiable in context.
Functions
In English, the zero article, rather than the indefinite article, is often used with plurals
and mass nouns although some can function like an indefinite plural article:
➔ Friends have told us that they like our new house.
The definite article is sometimes omitted before some words for specific institutions,
such as prison, school, and (in standard non-American dialects) hospital.
❖ She is in hospital.
❖ The criminal went to prison.
❖ I'm going to school.
Where a particular location is meant, or when describing activities that are not
typical, the definite article is used.
➢ She was dismissed from the hospital.
➢ The plumber went to the prison to fix the pipes.
➢ We were jumping on the bed.
The zero article is used with meals.
★ I have just finished dinner.
★ Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
The zero article is used when describing calendar years.

➔ I was born in 1978.
The zero article is used before titles

➔ The Board appointed him Captain.
The zero article is also used in instructions and manuals. In such cases, all of
the references in the text are definite and so no distinction between definite and
indefinite is needed.
➔ Grasp drumstick. Place knife between thigh and body; cut through skin to
joint. Separate thigh and drumstick at joint.
Kinds and Examples :
● Generic mass noun: Happiness is contagious.
● Generic plural noun: Cars have accelerators.
● Generic plural noun: They want equal rights.
● Indefinite mass noun: I drink coffee.
● Indefinite plural noun: I saw cars.
More Examples
● My mother's name is Rose. I gave her
a rose on Mother's Day.
● Every mile is two in winter.
● This plant grows in sandy soil and on
the edges of swamps.
● Dogs love to run around outside.
● The boy loves to play with toys.
Thank You

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Articles

article can be used with singular, plural, or uncountable nouns.

-Please give me the hammer.

-Please give me the nail.

-Please get the smaller nail, this one is too big

The indefinite article only appears with singular nouns.

-After a long day, a cup of tea tastes really good.

-An apple a day keeps the doctor away

-Please hand me a book; any book will do just fine.

-Please hand me an autobiography; any autobiography will

English also uses no article before a mass noun or a

The zero article is used when describing calendar years.

The zero article is used before titles

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