The Distance Learning School-TDLS: English Grammar

Better Education for Better Life

English Grammar Course

For School, College and University Students

Module-2 Articles Lesson-2

(Parts of Speech)

9-Articlesحروف تنکیر-

Additional Information Regarding the Use of Articles

When indicating an unspecified, limited amount of a count or non count noun, use some.

a. My cousin was seeking some advice from a counselor (not advice in general or advice about everything, but a limited amount of advice).

b. I would love some coffee right now (not coffee in general, but a limited amount of coffee).

c. We might get rain tomorrow. Some rain would be good for the crops (a certain amount of rain, as opposed to rain in general).

d. There are some drops of water on the table (a limited number, but more than one drop).

Non count nouns are those which usually cannot be counted.

Following are some common examples:

Certain food and drink items: bacon, beef, bread, broccoli, butter, cabbage, candy, cauliflower, celery, cereal, cheese, chicken, chocolate, coffee, corn, cream, fish, flour, fruit, ice cream, lettuce, meat, milk, oil, pasta, rice, salt, spinach, sugar, tea, water, wine, yogurt

Certain nonfood substances: air, cement, coal, dirt, gasoline, gold, paper, petroleum, plastic, rain, silver, snow, soap, steel, wood, wool

Most abstract nouns: advice, anger, beauty, confidence, courage, employment, fun, happiness, health, honesty, information, intelligence, knowledge, love, poverty, satisfaction, truth, wealth

Areas of study: history, math, biology, etc.

Sports: soccer, football, baseball, hockey, Kabaddi, etc.

Languages: Chinese, Spanish, Russian, English, Pashtu, etc.

Other: clothing, equipment, furniture, homework, jewelry, luggage, lumber(بھد بھد کرکے چلنے والا), machinery, mail, money, news, poetry, pollution, research, scenery, traffic, transportation, violence, weather, work

Geographical names are confusing because some require ‘the’ and some do not.

Use ‘the’ with:

United countries, large regions, deserts, peninsulas, oceans, seas, gulfs, canals, rivers, mountain ranges, groups of islands۔

the Gobi Desert (Don’t say without the)

the United Arab Emirates (Don’t say without the)

the Kabul River (Don’t say without the)

the Pashtuns (the Pathans) (Don’t say without the)

Do not use ‘the’ with:

Streets, parks, cities, states, counties, most countries, continents, bays, single lakes, single mountains, islands etc.

Like:

The Japan (say without The)

The Peshawar (say without The)

The Mt. Everest, K.2 (say without The)

The Bengal Bay (say without The)

Examples of the Use of Articles:

a. I do not want a gun in my house (any gun).

b. The gun is in his closet (نجی کمرہ) (implies there is a specific gun).

c. I am afraid of guns (all guns in general).

d. She sent me a postcard from Italy (an unspecific postcard - not a letter, not an e-mail).

e. It's the postcard that I have in my office (one specific postcard).
Getting postcards makes me want to travel (any postcard in general).

f. I have a dog (one dog).

g. The dog is very friendly (the dog that I have already mentioned).

h. Dogs make great pets (dogs in general).

i. Maria needs furniture in her apartment (furniture is a non count noun).

j. She is going to select the furniture that she needs (the specific furniture that she needs).

k. She hopes to find some furniture this weekend (an unspecified, limited amount of furniture).

l. We are going to see the Tomb of Rehman Baba this weekend (the only Tomb of Rehman Baba).

Prepared by Saiful Islam Khan for

The Distance Learning School

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Module-2 Parts of Speech: Articles Lesson-1			Module-3 Gerund Versus Participle Lesson-1

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Better Education for Better Life

English Grammar Course

For School, College and University Students

Module-2 Articles Lesson-1

(Parts of Speech)

9-Articlesحروف تنکیر-

9. Articles:

Definition:

An Article is a word used to modify a noun, which is a person, place object or idea. Technically an article is an adjective which is any word that modifies a noun. Usually adjectives modify nouns through description, but articles are used instead to point to point out or refer to nouns.

There are two different types of articles that we use in writing and conversations to point out or to refer to a noun or group of nouns.

a. Definite Articles and

b. Indefinite Articles

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)

Count nouns - refers to items that can be counted and are either singular or plural

Non-count nouns - refers to items that are not counted and are always singular

Rule	IDENTITY	COUNT NOUNS	NON-COUNT NOUNS
#1	Specific identity not known	a, an	(no article)
#2	Specific identity known	the	the
#3	All things or things in general	(no article)	(no article)

For the purposes of understanding how articles are used, it is important to know that nouns can be either count (can be counted) or non count (indefinite in quantity and cannot be counted). In addition, count nouns are either singular (one) or plural (more than one). Non count nouns are always in singular form.

For example, if we are speaking of water that has been spilled on the table, there can be one drop (singular) or two or more drops (plural) of water on the table. The word drop in this example is a count noun because we can count the number of drops. Therefore, according to the rules applying to count nouns, the word drop would use the articles ‘a’ or ‘the’.

However, if we are speaking of water in general spilled on the table, it would not be appropriated to count one water or two waters -- there would simply be water on the table. Water is a non count noun. Therefore, according to the rules applying to non count nouns, the word water would use no article or ‘the’, but not ‘a’.

Following are the three specific rules which explain the use of definite and indefinite articles.

Rule #1 - Specific identity not known:

Use the indefinite article ‘a’ or ‘an’ only with a singular count noun whose specific identity is not known to the reader. Use ‘a’ before nouns that begin with a consonant sound, and use ‘an’ before nouns that begin with a vowel sound.

Use the article a or an to indicate any non-specified member of a group or category.

a. I think an animal is in the garage.

b. That man is a player.

c. We are looking for an apartment.

Use the article a or an to indicate one in number (as opposed to more than one).

a. I own a cat and two dogs.

Use the article a before a consonant sound, and use an before a vowel sound.

a boy, an apple

Sometimes an adjective comes between the article and noun:

an unhappy boy, a red apple

The plural form of a or an is some. Use some to indicate an unspecified, limited amount (but more than one).

an apple, some apples

Rule #2 - Specific identity known:

Use the definite article ‘the’ with any noun (whether singular or plural, count or non count) when the specific identity of the noun is known to the reader, as in the following situations:

Use the article the when a particular noun has already been mentioned previously.

I ate an apple yesterday. The apple was juicy and delicious.

Use the article the when an adjective, phrase, or clause describing the noun clarifies or restricts its identity.

a. The boy sitting next to me raised his hand.

b. Thank you for the advice you gave me.

Use the article the when the noun refers to something or someone that is unique.

a. the theory of relativity.

b. the 2003 federal budget

Rule #3 - All things or things in general:

Use no article with plural count nouns or any non count nouns used to mean all or in general.

a. Trees are beautiful in the fall. (All trees are beautiful in the fall.)

b. He was asking for advice. (He was asking for advice in general.)