Definite/Indefinite

Articles
By Chairo
 Articles

Words used before a noun

Noun: A person, a place or thing 🐘🌍🌊🍙⛄

N.B. There can be exceptions when articles are not used

 Indefinite Articles: a/ an

Uses:

—Talk about something in a general form (replaceable by
any)

—Mention something or someone for the first time

—Show that something or someone is one of a group
(belongs)

—Used to indicate someones profession/job
Eg. Talk about something in a general way

A cat is the best pet in the world
Mention something for the first time:

I saw a doctor yesterday.
Show that x belongs to a group

He is a very talented dancer (one among all
talented dancers)

Use to indicate someones job

He is a…..
 When not to use it

With un countable nouns:


e.g. Rice, milk, information, water

Use instead: some, or nothing at all

I bought some rice/ I bought Rice

With plural nouns


I ate cherries

I ate some cherries
A vs. An

A is used before consonants

An is used before vowels

Countable vs. Uncountable

I went to the grocery this morning and I bought some

chocolate, some sugar, three pieces of ginger, 300g. of
curcuma, some apple juice and a liter of milk
 Countable Nouns

Things you can count/ pick up separately


e.g. chair, table, shop, saree, shirts, kurta

Can be expressed both in singular and plural forms:


e.g. cat/cats 🐈 / 🐈+🐈+🐈
 Uncountable nouns
Things you cannot count

They are used without articles or with: some, any, few, much

There is some milk in the fridge

They can be treated as countable when referred with

measuring units:

A kilo of sugar

The liter of milk I bought yesterday

Give me a pound of corn
Articles used
countable BOTH Uncountable

a the much

many some little

few any a little bit

of
a few a lot of

enough

plenty of
 The
Uses

—When referring to something specific

—After you already mentioned something or someone for the first time

—If the context tells the listener which object or person you are talking
about

e.g. In yesterdays performance, the dancer moved wonderfully. The
Padam felt very long, but the Varnam went flying

Used for uncountable and plural nouns:


The rice was delicious

The cherries were tasty
When there is only one of something or something

The queen of England is

going to die soon



The school’s principal looks like Jenny Rivera
With superlative
adjectives:

Paty is the best
Bharatanayam
teacher in Mexico









To talk about groups of people:

The young

The rich

The elderly

The poor
 Exercises

Charo has …a.. very old car.

I have …some.. news for you!

I think the… Principal is angry with me.

This is a… united dance group.

Is there a/any..cat living here?

She works as a secretary.

There are …… birds in those threes.

Would you like …some milk in your tea?

These are the.. oranges you bought yesterday.