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    Saurav Nayan
    27 views2 pages
    This document provides rules for using articles ("a" and "the") in English. It explains that countable nouns require an article, while uncountable nouns do not. It also discusses using "the" to refer to specific instances of things, as opposed to general references. Finally, it gives examples of how articles are used with different types of nouns like countries, buildings, jobs, and more.

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    This document provides rules for using articles ("a" and "the") in English. It explains that countable nouns require an article, while uncountable nouns do not. It also discusses using "the" to refer to specific instances of things, as opposed to general references. Finally, it gives examples of how articles are used with different types of nouns like countries, buildings, jobs, and more.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    27 views2 pages

    English Articles

    Uploaded by

    Saurav Nayan
    This document provides rules for using articles ("a" and "the") in English. It explains that countable nouns require an article, while uncountable nouns do not. It also discusses using "the" to refer to specific instances of things, as opposed to general references. Finally, it gives examples of how articles are used with different types of nouns like countries, buildings, jobs, and more.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
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    of 2

    3/9/2016

    EnglishArticles

    EnglishArticles
    InEnglish,knowingwhentouse'a'or'the'can
    bedifficult.Fortunately,therearerulestohelp
    you,butyouneedtoknowwhattypeofnoun
    youareusing.

    Grammarrule1
    Whenyouhaveasingle,countableEnglish
    noun,youmustalwayshaveanarticlebefore
    it.Wecannotsay"pleasepassmepen",we
    mustsay"pleasepassmethepen"or"please
    passmeapen"or"pleasepassmeyourpen".
    NounsinEnglishcanalsobeuncountable.Uncountablenounscanbeconcepts,suchas
    'life','happiness'andsoon,ormaterialsandsubstances,suchas'coffee',or'wood'.

    Grammarrule2
    Uncountablenounsdon'tuse'a'or'an'.Thisisbecauseyoucan'tcountthem.Forexample,
    adviceisanuncountablenoun.Youcan'tsay"hegavemeanadvice",butyoucansay"he
    gavemesomeadvice",or"hegavemeapieceofadvice".
    Somenounscanbebothcountableanduncountable.Forexample,wesay"coffee"meaning
    theproduct,butwesay"acoffee"whenaskingforonecupofcoffee.

    Grammarrule3
    Youcanuse'the'tomakegeneralthingsspecific.Youcanuse'the'withanytypeofnoun
    pluralorsingular,countableoruncountable.
    "Pleasepassmeapen"anypen.
    "Pleasepassmethepen"theonethatwecanbothsee.
    "Childrengrowupquickly"childreningeneral.
    "ThechildrenIknowgrowupquickly"notallchildren,justtheonesIknow.
    "Poetrycanbebeautiful"poetryingeneral.
    "ThepoetryofHopkinsisbeautiful"I'monlytalkingaboutthepoetryHopkinswrote.

    MoreusesofarticlesinEnglish
    Rivers,mountainranges,seas,oceansandgeographicareasalluse'the'.
    Forexample,"TheThames","TheAlps","TheAtlanticOcean","TheMiddleEast".
    Uniquethingshave'the'.
    Forexample,"thesun","themoon".
    http://www.englishathome.com/grammar/articles/

    1/2

    3/9/2016

    EnglishArticles

    Someinstitutionalbuildingsdon'thaveanarticleifyouvisitthemforthereasonthese
    buildingsexist.Butifyougotothebuildingforanotherreason,youmustuse'the'.
    "Herhusbandisinprison."(He'saprisoner.)
    "Shegoestotheprisontoseehimonceamonth."
    "Mysonisinschool."(He'sastudent.)
    "I'mgoingtotheschooltoseetheheadmaster."
    "She'sinhospitalatthemoment."(She'sill.)
    "Herhusbandgoestothehospitaltoseehereveryafternoon."
    Musicalinstrumentsuse'the'.
    "Sheplaysthepiano."
    Sportsdon'thaveanarticle.
    "Heplaysfootball."
    Illnessesdon'thaveanarticle.
    "He'sgotappendicitis."
    Butwesay"acold"and"aheadache".
    Jobsuse'a'.
    "I'mateacher."
    Countries
    Wedon'tuse'a'ifthecountryissingular."HelivesinEngland."Butifthecountry'sname
    hasa"plural"meaning,weuse'the'."ThePeople'sRepublicofChina","TheNetherlands",
    "TheUnitedStatesofAmerica".
    Continents,townsandstreetsdon'thaveanarticle.
    "Africa","NewYork","ChurchStreet".
    Theatres,cinemasandhotelshave'the'.
    "TheOdeon","TheAlmeira","TheHilton".
    Abbreviationsuse'the'.
    "theUN","theUSA","theIMF".
    Weuse'the'beforeclassesofpeople.
    "therich","thepoor","theBritish".

    http://www.englishathome.com/grammar/articles/

    2/2

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