Thanks a million!

Dr Julia Miller
School of Education
University of Adelaide

Copyright © 2012 The University of

Adelaide
Thanks a
million!
 Choosing the right article

Singular, countable noun Plural or uncountable noun

Is it definite? Is it definite?

Yes No Yes No

the a the 0

The above chart is based on information in: Master, P 1986, Science, medicine and technology:
English grammar and technical writing, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey.
 Use the when the speaker and the
hearer share knowledge about a noun
• Ordinals and superlatives – the most famous lady
detective of the twenty-first century
• Some countries – the United Kingdom, the Philippines
• Decades – the 1960s
• A unique place – the northern hemisphere, the equator
• Instruments people play – she plays the violin
• Unique adjectives – the only, the same
• Emphasis – the Sherlock Holmes (not another one)
• Shared knowledge – the famous detective (whose name
is recognised by many people)
• Relative clauses – The people who contact Ms Parrot, the cases she
has solved
• Specific and followed by ‘of’ – The case of
• A noun associated with a previous noun – an owl/The bird
• Adjectives used as nouns – the poor, the common good
• Plural nouns preceded by ‘of’ – some of the cases
• Many organisations – the Grammar Survival Fund
• Representative of a class – the detective should use their skills
Use a/an for singular, countable nouns
• First mention of many singular, countable nouns –
a parrot, an owl
• Rates – five times a day, $1000 an hour
• Jobs – she has been a detective for 30 years
• Part of a whole – a piece of cake
• Positive few or little – a few
• Exclamations – what a strange problem!
• Such a – such a fee
 a or an?
• Use a before a consonant sound – a European, a strange
problem, a detective
• Use an before a vowel sound – an Australian, an egg, an hour,
an owl
 Don’t use an article for:
• Languages – English, French, Portuguese
• Plural nouns preceded by many, some etc. – many people,
some unusual problems
• Indefinite plural nouns – detectives generally, games,
mysteries
• Indefinite uncountable nouns – fun, attention, modesty
• Negative little or few – little information
• Plural nouns preceded by numbers – thirty years
Thanks a
million!
 $100
Is this correct? I read a book. Book was exciting.

a) Yes – I read a book. Book b) No – I read a book. The

was exciting. book was exciting.

c) No – I read book. Book d) No – I read a book. A

was exciting. book was exciting.

Correct answer: b –
I read a book. The book was exciting.
 $500
Complete this sentence: earth is planet.

a) The earth is planet. b) The earth is a planet.

c) earth is a planet. d) An earth is the planet.

Correct answer: b –
The earth is a planet.
 $1,000
Are the articles in this sentence correct?
The cake I bought today was the only chocolate cake there.

a) Yes – The cake I bought b) No – Cake I bought today

today was the only chocolate was an only chocolate cake
cake there. there.

c) No – The cake I bought d) No – Cakes I bought today

today was a only chocolate was the only chocolate cake
cake there. there.

Correct answer: a –
The cake I bought today was the only chocolate
cake there.
 $4,000
Is this sentence correct? She plays violin for the homeless.

a) Yes – It’s correct. b) No – She plays the

violin for the homeless.

c) No – She plays violins d) No – She plays violin

for homeless. for homeless.

Correct answer: b –
She plays the violin for the homeless.
 $8,000
What two words are missing in this sentence?
Australian dollar is currently stronger than Euro.

a) the/a b) a/a

c) an/an d) the/the

Correct answer: d –
The Australian dollar is currently stronger
than the Euro.
 $16,000
What two words are missing in this sentence?
I went to bakery. Cakes were delicious.

a) a/0 b) a/A

c) an/The d) a/The

Correct answer: d –
I went to a bakery. The cakes were delicious.
 $32,000
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
They earn $80 the hour.

a) No – They earn b) No – They earn

$80 hour. $80 an hour.

c) No – They earn d) Yes – They earn

$80 a hour. $80 the hour.

Correct answer: b –
They earn $80 an hour.
 $64,000
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
Would you like piece of cake?

a) No – Would you like b) Yes – Would you like

piece of a cake? piece of cake?

c) No – Would you like a d) No – Would you like a

piece of cake? pieces of cake?

Correct answer: c –
Would you like a piece of cake?
 $100,000
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
An university is the interesting place to study.

a) No – An university is a b) No – A university is an
interesting place to study. interesting place to study.

c) Yes – An university is the d) No – A university is the

interesting place to study. interesting place to study.

Correct answer: b –
A university is an interesting place to study.
 $132,000
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
1970s were the best years of the twentieth century.

a) No – 1970s were the b) No – The 1970s were

best years of twentieth the best years of the
century twentieth century

c) Yes – 1970s were the d) No – The 1970s were

best years of the twentieth the best years of twentieth
century century

Correct answer: b –
The 1970s were the best years of the twentieth century.
 $250,000
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
Some of people (in this room) don’t like quiz shows!

a) No – It can only be b) No – It can only be

Some of the people Some people

c) Yes – Some of people d) No – Some people or

Some of the people

Correct answer: d –
Either Some people or
Some of the people (in this room)
 $500,000
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
France, the United Kingdom, Portugal and the Netherlands are all
in Europe.

a) No – The France, the b) No – France, United

United Kingdom, the
Portugal, the Netherlands,
the Europe
c) Yes – It’s correct.
Kingdom, Portugal,
Netherlands, Europe
d) No – France, the United
Kingdom, Portugal,
Netherlands, the Europe

Correct answer: c – It’s correct.

 $1,000,000
Correct this sentence as necessary: A/The library is a place
where you find books.

a) Both are possible: b) Only ‘the’ is possible:

A/The library is a place The library is the place
where you find books. where you find books.

c) Only ‘a’ is possible: d) Neither is possible:

A library is a place where Libraries are places where
you find books. you find books.

Correct answer: a – Both are possible.

A/The library is a place where you find books.
Thanks a
million!
 Choosing the right article

Singular, countable noun Plural or uncountable noun

Is it definite? Is it definite?

Yes No Yes No

the a the 0

The above chart is based on information in: Master, P 1986, Science, medicine and technology:
English grammar and technical writing, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey.
Support for this resource was provided by the Australian
Government Office for Learning and Teaching. The views
expressed in this resource do not necessarily reflect the
views of the Australian Government Office for Learning and
Teaching.

Dr Julia Miller
School of Education
University of Adelaide

Copyright © 2012 The University of

Adelaide