UNIVERSIDAD DEL ITSMO

FACULTY OF PSYCHOLOG

DEFINITED AND INDEFINITED ARTICLES.

Name

Joanelis Barria 3-754-1764

Code

2022-3-11-3-1815-1-V-A

Teacher

Sonia Zelaya

Subject

English

Deadline:

Tuesday, November 7.

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 Index

Introduction…………………………………………………………………3

I. What is a noun?..................................................................................4
II. What are singular nouns and how they
work?.......................................................6
III. What are plural nouns?...................................................................7
IV. Determiners: Definite and Indefinite articles……………………………9

V. Countable and Uncountable Nouns…………………………………….10

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….15

Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………15

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 Introduction

In the following investigation we will learn more about the use and correct definitions of
the different types of nouns and the investigation of the definite and indefinite articles
will also be carried out.

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Definite and Indefinite articles.

What is a noun?

Nouns are words that references are fixed entity classes, not factual states or
grammatical relations. The personal pronouns in each context have a referent but this
changes from context to context, for example: "I" does not have a fixed referent but
depends on who is speaking.

Types of nouns.

abstract nouns.

concrete nouns.

Countable nouns.

Uncountable nouns.

Collective nouns.

individual nouns.

Common nouns.

Propper nouns.

Propper Nouns vs. Common Nouns

In this case nouns can be classified as common or proper. Common noun is the specific
name of an element in a class or group. A proper noun names a noun exactly. The
differentiation between common and proper nouns is not complicated to do, but at
certain times it can be difficult to decipher.

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Types of common nouns

Common nouns are those that designate beings, objects, concepts, feelings and places
in a general way, that is, without differentiating them from others. For example: blanket,
table, person.

concrete noun

A concrete noun, or concrete name, is a noun that designates an object perceptible by

the senses, as opposed to abstract nouns, which designate objects only perceptible by
thought. Thus, hand, cloud, cat, stone and iron are nouns concrete.

abstract nouns

It is a word that we cannot detect through our five senses. In other words, they are
nouns that cannot be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or touched. Happiness, intention,
and shock are abstract nouns while, for example, the pen, the bed, and the pants are
not.

Collective nouns

These are used to title a group of objects, people, or animals. Some examples are herd
(group of sheep) Pack (group of dogs) library (group of books).

What are singular nouns and how do they work?

A singular noun is a naming word that refers to only one thing. For example, the word
"cow" only refers to a single cow, not several. The plural form of a noun is usually made
by adding the letter "s" to the end of the singular noun, but the rules are different
depending on the specific word.

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Rules of singular nouns.

Singular nouns are used in sentences to refer to the subject and the object of a peculiar
sentence, such as the glass was on the table, this makes use of the nouns glass and
table. In the same way, verbs and adjectives are two models of other types of words
that could be used with a singular noun in a sentence.

mass nouns

Mass nouns are nouns that, by their very nature, are plural. These are also called
uncountable nouns or uncountable nouns. Examples: She went to get glasses of water
for everyone.

Collective nouns

Collective noun is the one that suggests a group of people, animals or things. Collective
nouns are unusually not treated as plurals, even though they refer to a group of
something.

What are plural nouns?

A noun becomes an oral when it is representing two or more people, places, or things.
You can recognize the vast majority of plural nouns as they end in s or es. Although
there are many distinctions. In particular, irregular plural nouns tend to each have their
own different special plural forms.

Plural Noun Rules- Spelling Rules

There are endless rules for plural nouns, because we use nouns very often when
writing, it is very important to know each one, the correct spelling of plurals
precisely depends on the letter with which the noun ends singular.

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1. In order to make regular plural nouns, we must always add an S to the end.
Cat-cats

House-houses

2. If for some reason the noun ends in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x or -z, add this to make it
plural.

Bus–Buses

truss–trusses

swamp-marshes

Lunch-Lunches

Taxes-taxes

blitz-blitzes

3. in most cases singular nouns ending in -s or -z require that you double -s or -z before
adding -es for pluralization.

class-classes

Fez–Fezzes

4. in case the noun ends in -f or -fe, the fo -fe is usually changed to -ve before adding
the -s in order to form the plural version.

wife-wives

wolf-wolves

Exceptions:

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ceilings-ceilings

beliefs-beliefs

Chefs-Chefs

bosses-bosses

5.If a singular noun ends in -y and the letter before the -y is a consonant, change the
ending to -i to make the noun plural.

city-cities

puppy-puppies

6. If the singular noun ends in -y and the letter before the -y is a vowel, just add an s to
make it plural.

lightning-rays

child-children

7. If the singular noun ends in -o, add -s to make it plural.

potatoes-potatoes

tomato-tomatoes

Irregular plural nouns

An irregular plural noun is a noun that becomes plural in a way other than adding -s or -
es to the end. For example, an irregular noun like mouse changes to a plural noun mice.

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Another example is the noun thief which becomes thieves when more than one thief is
involved in a heist.

Plural Noun Exceptions

If the word ends with 'sh', 'ch', 's', 'x' or 'z', we add 'es'. - Some nouns that end with 'o'
have plurals with 'es'. - If the word ends with 'consonant + y', we normally change the 'y'
to an 'i' and add 'es'. - If the word ends with 'vowel + y', we usually add just one 's'.

Plural Noun Rules for Irregular Nouns

Irregular nouns (irregular nouns) are those whose plural is not formed by adding -s or –
es, like the rest of the nouns in English (called regular nouns: apple – apples). Irregular
nouns do not follow a rule for plural formation. For example: woman – woman, foot –
feet.

Determiners: definite and indefinite articles

In English there are 3 articles, these are: a, and the. These are used before nouns or
noun equivalents and are a type of adjective. In the case of the definite article (the) this
is used before a noun to indicate that thereader knows the identity of the noun. On the
other hand, the indefinite article (a, an) is used before a noun that is general or when its
identity is unknown. There are certain situations in which a noun does not carry an
article. For example

Definite article: The (before a singular or plural noun).

Indefinite article: A (before a singular noun beginning with a consonant sound) An

(before a singular noun beginning with a vowel sound).

How articles are used:

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To understand this, it is important to keep in mind that nouns can be countable (they
can be counted) or not counted (undefined in quantity and cannot be counted). Also,
count nouns are singular (one) or plural (more than one). Nouns that don’t count are
always in the singular. For example, a glass of water is spilled on the table, there may
be one drop (singular) or two or more drops (plural) of water on the table. The word
drop in this example is a counting noun because we can count the number of drops.
Therefore, according to the rules that apply to counting nouns, the word drop would use
the articles or the. Three specific rules for the use of definite and indefinite articles.

#1. Use the indefinite article “a” or “an” only with a singular noun not known to the
reader. Use a noun before it begins with a consonant sound and use a noun before it
begins with a vowel sound. For example: - To indicate any non-specified member of a
group or category. - To indicate one in number (as opposed to more than one). - Use
the article a before “a” consonant sound and use “an” before a vowel. - The plural form
of “a” or “an” is some. Use some to indicate an unspecified, limited amount.

#2. Use the definite article “the” with any noun (whether singular or plural, count or
noncount) when the specific identity of the noun is known to the reader. For example: -
When a particular noun has already been mentioned previously.

Articles with countable and uncountable nouns

Countable nouns are those nouns that can be separated into units, that is, they are
entities that can be counted. For example: pencil, bed, glass. Uncountable nouns are
those nouns that designate entities that do not have a unit, or that do not have a plural.

Zero article

'Zero article' is the absence of the article (definite or indefinite), that is, when the noun
does not need to be accompanied by 'a', 'an' or 'the'.

The 'article zero' is used:

1To talk about something in general.

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Computers are useful today.

I like fruit.

2 With the time or days of the week.

At half past three, Monday.

3 When we talk about breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner.

Breakfast is at 8.30.

4 Before the languages.

English is very useful.

I find Chinese to be very difficult.

5 In front of activities, trades and games.

She plays tennis.

He loves to paint.

I like fishing.

6 In front of school, prison, hospital...

With names like "prison", "school", "college", "hospital", "university", "church"... the
definite article is not used when we refer to them performing their own function in those
places .

My daughter goes to school.

My daughter goes to school (to study).

He is in the hospital.

You are in the hospital (admitted).

However, when we refer to the building, the definite article "el" is used.

She went to prison.

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She went to jail (to visit someone).

He is in the hospital.

You are in the hospital (visiting someone).

7 In front of bed, house, work.

Nor will the definite article "the" be used in front of expressions such as:

go to bed/be in bed

Go to work/start work.

Go home/come home/be home.

Countable nouns

Countable nouns are those that can be counted or numbered. These nouns must be
tangible and must be able to be separated or divided into units, form groups, etc.
Therefore, they can be expressed both in the singular and in the plural. T

hey can be used in the plural, for example:

Definite determiners: books, my friends, these cars.

Cardinal numbers: two books, three friends, four cars.

Indefinite: many books, several friends.

Adjectives: short books, good friends.

They accept half and half quantifiers, for example:

Half Pie, Half Pie.

Countable nouns in a sentence.

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Countable nouns have different singular and plural forms. If you have a cookie, it will
come in a singular form. Also, these nouns can be preceded by a number or by the
determiners "a" or "an". They can also be combined with modifiers or quantifiers, such
as "many" or "less". Examples:

She adopted three puppies.

How many plates do you have?

You need more tv in your house.

For positive sentences we can use a / an for singular nouns or some for plurals.

There's a man at the door.

I have some friends in New York.

For negatives we can use a / an for singular nouns or any for plurals.

don't have a dog.

There aren't any seats.

Uncountable nouns

Uncountable nouns designate entities that cannot be divided, separated, or counted into
units. Although they can be measured (fractionated), they cannot be quantified as units
or form groups or sets. Consequently, they are expressed in the singular, and there are
no plurals of uncountable nouns.

Concrete nouns: water, salt, sand, wine.

Abstract nouns: intelligence, courage, patience, effort.

They are constructed in the singular with the following indefinites: much, a little, a
lot, too much, how much, how much.

Examples: very cold, little salt, a lot of patience, too much sand, so much effort, how
much water.

 They support the half quantifier, but not half.

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Examples: half the water, half the value.

 They do not admit cardinal numerals.

Examples: two waters, three loaves.

 The uncountable noun people can appear in the plural.

Examples: People came from all over the world.

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 Conclusion

The present research work lets us see that both Countable and Uncountable Nouns, as
well as Definite and Indefinite Articles, are important in our daily lives, therefore it is of
great importance that we know about them and know how to use them in the correct
way. . In addition, knowing when to use one or the other or even in which cases we
should not use any article.

Bibliography

Tipos de Sustantivos (con ejemplos). (s. f.). https://www.ejemplos.co/tipos-de-

sustantivos/
Uso de sustantivos propios | Springer — International Publisher. (s. f.).
https://www.springer.com/la/authors-editors/tutoriales-de-autores-y-revisores/
writinginenglish/author-academy/12111716
Zero article | Superprof. (2021, 29 mayo). Material Didáctico - Superprof.
https://www.superprof.es/apuntes/idiomas/ingles/gramatica-inglesa/articles/zero-
article.html

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