A determiner

A word that is used with a noun, and which

Definition refers to something definite or indefinite

• Definite article (THE)

• Indefinite article (A/AN, zero)

• the sun
Something which is A moon ?
• the moon
considered there is only - In her picture, there is a
• the seaside
one in existence moon. (trường hợp ngoại lệ)
• the UN
THE + nouns that are (unique) The earth = Earth
• the government
always singular

He’s the best

Superlatives
accountant in town.

Uncountable and plural

countable nouns with a Cars and buses are a
general sense major source of
(to refer to general pollution in cities.
Nouns with ZERO ideas and categories)

Special cases Abstract uncountable

Laughter is good for you.
“Intelligence is something you are born
THE or Zero? nouns
with, not something you learn.”

Zero + plural
= a/an + simgular (as S)
= the + singular (as S)
=> nouns of animals and
plants with a general
meaning

Used with singular

countable nouns only Indefinite Article Seagulls are found close
Plural nouns with zero to the coast. (generally)
– A/ AN article => nói chung loài chim
assumed the mòng biển
listener/ reader doesn’t
Ex: A car drove
know which specific
fast. A seagull is a large white and grey bird. (all seagulls) => loài chim mòng
thing
Referring to a biển
Singular nouns with A/
group AN
I’ve been studying a seagull. (one particular seagull) => 1 con chim mòng
biển
I’ve been studying seagulls. (seagulls as a group) => loài chim mòng biển

• singular countable nouns

A man is coming to fix Singular nouns with
• plural countable nouns The blackbird has a lovely song. (Loài chim sáo)
the television. THE
• uncountable nouns

The cars were parked

Used to talk about a
specific example of
Definite
Article THE
ARTICLES Classifying
Parts of the body
• When the noun is related to
the OBJECT of the sentence (or
I looked at him straight in the eye. (chung chung)
He’s a pain in the neck.
something which (we The bird was shot in the wing.
illegally in the city SUBJECT in passive) ➔ THE
think) is known to both He gave the child a pat on the back.
center.
ourselves and the
listener/ reader.
That seagull had hurt
When the noun is related to the
its wing.
SUBJECT of the sentence ➔
He’s had a lot of trouble
• uncountable nouns POSSESSIVES
with his heart.
• plural countable nouns

Zero Special
About instruments The horn is one of the most difficult orchestral
Used to talk about
Article Groups generically instruments to play.
Money doesn’t necessarily bring happiness. things generally, not an
Students never like tests. individual item or
Musical instruments
example
About bands,
I used to play trumpet in my school orchestra.
orchestras, recordings,
Does that recording have Clapton on guitar?
etc.

It would be difficult to imagine life without the telephone.

Scientific inventions
It would be very difficult these days to live life without video/ email.

• The unemployed are calling for more government spending.

THE + adjective ➔ • The wounded were taken to the nearest hospital.
personal noun • The British are said to be very unfriendly.
THE + • The accused is a young man with two previous convictions for robbery.

adjective/
• Out with the old, bring in the new.
verb • This is the ultimate in the chocolate cake.
THE + adjective ➔
• The unknown is often very frightening.
abstract noun
• into the open, for the common good, out of the ordinary, in the
extreme, on the loose, to the full

I met her at college.

I’ll meet you at the college. (I’ll meet you at college.)
Jane’s in hospital.
THE or Zero with places
I left my coat in the hospital when I visited Jane.
=> Đến nơi với mục đích chính của nơi đó: Zero
Không đúng mục đích chính: The

the coat that belongs to

A noun used AFTER A GENITIVE is accompanied by ZERO John = John’s coat
article (NOT John’s the coat or
the John’s coat)

the wife of the boss =

The genitive noun itself may have an article
the boss’s wife

the ... OF + a Lying by the side of the road we saw the wheel of a car.

Noun modifiers: the article of the guitar lessons = lessons in how to play the
Special first noun is dropped guitar

Uses
• We met on a wet Tuesday five years ago.
• She died on the Wednesday after the accident.
• There’s a Jane working at the reception.
A/ AN or THE with
• That’s not the Adam Smith I went to school with.
proper nouns
• The late Michael Jackson was very famous for his songs of peace.
• The artist Joseph Turner was a romantic landscape painter.
• The Robinsons are away this weekend.

• She’s an architect.
• Queen Elizabeth had dinner with President Kennedy.
Jobs and positions • The Queen had dinner with the President.
• He was elected (the) President in 1879.
• I want to see the President.

• I think I’ve got (the)

measles.
Illnesses • I’m getting toothache. • EXCEPTION: a cold, a headache
(American English: a
toothache)