不定冠词A与An与定冠词the的用法25条.docx

1、不定冠词A与An与定冠词the的用法25条不定冠词A与An与定冠词the的用法25条USE 1The articleAis used before singular,countable nounswhich begin withconsonantsounds.Examples:He isateacher.She doesnt ownacar.I sawabear at the zoo.USE 2The articleANis used before singular,countable nounswhich begin withvowelsounds.Examples:He isanactor

2、.She didnt getaninvitation.I sawaneagle at the zoo.USE 3Remember thatA(AN)means one or a single. You cannot useA(AN)with plural nouns.Examples:I sawabears in Yellowstone National Park.Not CorrectI saw bears in Yellowstone National Park.CorrectUSE 4If there is an adjective or an adverb-adjective comb

3、ination before the noun,A(AN)should agree with the first sound in the adjective or the adverb-adjective combination.Examples:He isanexcellent teacher.I sawareally beautiful eagle at the zoo.USE 5UseAbefore words such as European or university which sound like they start with a consonant even if the

4、first letter is a vowel. Also useAbefore letters and numbers which sound like they begin with a consonant, such as U, J, 1 or 9. Remember, it is the sound not the spelling which is important. For example, 1 is spelled O-N-E; however, it is pronounced won like it starts with a W.Examples:She hasaeuro

5、.Sounds like yu-ro.That number isa1.Sounds like won.USE 6UseANbefore words such as hour which sound like they start with a vowel even if the first letter is a consonant. Also useANbefore letters and numbers which sound like they begin with a vowel, such as F or 8. Remember, it is the sound not the s

6、pelling which is important. For example, F is pronounced eff like it starts with an E.Examples:I only haveanhour for lunch.Sounds like au-er.Does his name begin withanF?Sounds like eff.USE 7Some words such as herb or hospital are more complicated because they are pronounced differently in different

7、English accents. In most American accents, the h in herb is silent, so Americans usually say an herb. In many British accents, the h in herb is pronounced, so many British say a herb. In some British accents, the h in hospital is silent, so some British will say an hospital instead of a hospital.USE

8、 8In English, some nouns are considered uncountable such as: information, air, advice, salt and fun. We do not useA(AN)with these uncountable nouns. (Learn more aboutcountable and uncountable nouns.)Examples:She givesagood advice.Not CorrectShe gives good advice.CorrectUSE 9AandANare called indefini

9、te articles. Indefinite means not specific. UseA(AN)when you are talking about a thing in general, NOT a specific thing.Examples:I needaphone.Not a specific phone, any phoneMark wantsabicycle.Not a particular bicycle, a bicycle in generalDo you haveadrivers license?In generalUseA(AN)when talking abo

10、ut a thing which is new, unknown, or introduced to a listener for the first time. Also useA(AN)when you are asking about the existence of something.Examples:I haveacar.The car is being introduced for the first time.Tom isateacher.This is new information to the listener.Is thereadictionary in your ba

11、ckpack?Asking about the existence of the dictionarySimilarly, useA(AN)to introduce what type of thing we are talking about.Examples:That isanexcellent book.Describing the kind of bookDo you live inabig house?Asking about the kind of houseI ateathick, juicy steak.Describing the kind of steakREMEMBER:

12、 You cannot useA(AN)with plural nouns becauseA(AN)means one or a single.Examples:I sawabears in Yellowstone National Park.Not CorrectI saw bears in Yellowstone National Park.CorrectUSE 10THEis called a definite article. Definite means specific. UseTHEwhen talking about something which is already kno

13、wn to the listener or which has been previously mentioned, introduced, or discussed.Examples:I have a cat.Thecat is black.There is a book in my backpack.Thebook is very heavy.Do you know where I leftthecar keys?The listener knows which specific car keys you are talking about.Do you own a car? Isthec

14、ar blue?You assume they do have a car after asking about it in the first sentence.Nobody lives ontheMoon.The Moon is known to everyone.IMPORTANT: You can useTHEwith both singular nouns and plural nouns.Examples:I sawthebear in Yellowstone National Park.CorrectI sawthebears in Yellowstone National Pa

15、rk.CorrectUSE 12A(AN)can be used like the word per.Examples:Apples currently cost $1.30apound.Cheetahs can run 60 milesanhour.You want $150aperson for the tour?USE 13UseTHEwith nouns modified by ranking or ordering expressions such as the first, the second, the third, the next, the last, the previou

16、s, the following, the penultimate, etc.Examples:This isthefifth day of our conference.Ill paythenext time we have dinner.Dont forgetthefollowing rule.USE 14UseTHEwith superlatives such as the best, the biggest, the most important, the least interesting, etc.Examples:This isthebest day ever.That isth

17、emost expensive hotel room Ive ever heard of in my life.He toldthefunniest joke!Comparative forms, such as bigger, better, more can be used with bothA(AN)andTHEand follow general article usage.Examples:I likethebigger roller coaster.He hasamore expensive car than I do.HOWEVER:THEis often used with c

18、omparative forms (bigger) rather than superlative forms (biggest) when comparing only two things. This is commonly used in phrases such as the bigger of the two.Examples:Jessie and Shauna are both smart. But I think Shauna isthesmarter of the two.Between Jasons son and his daughter, his daughter ist

19、hebetter athlete.USE 15Do not use articles when generalizing aboutuncountable nounsand pluralcountable nouns.Examples:Curiosityis a great trait.UncountableWateris an important resource.UncountableVegetablesare good for you.Plural countableUSE 16English speakers often useTHEplus a singular noun when

20、they talk about or make generalizations about certain topics, including:musical instruments (the piano, the guitar, the flute)plants (the coconut palm, the saguaro, the baobab)animals (the leopard, the elephant, the lowland gorilla)inventions (the steam engine, the plane, the light bulb)currencies (

21、the dollar, the euro, the yen)body parts (the head, the eye, the ear)Examples:I playthepiano.Thesequoia tree is native to California.Thedolphin is a very intelligent animal.The Wright brothers inventedtheairplane.Right now,theeuro is stronger thanthedollar.Cheryl got poked intheeye.In general, Engli

22、sh speakers choose to useTHEin this way to give the noun a more abstract or conceptual sound. We choose to say the piano to make it sound more like an abstract art form. Similarly, the dolphin sounds more like we are referring to the species. Moreover, the plane has a more conceptual sound that conv

23、eys the idea of invention. But remember, you can also make generalizations about these topics using plurals as in USE 15.USE 17The expressions a few and a little mean some and express the idea that you have more than expected.Examples:He always carriesa fewdollars for emergencies.He hada littlediffi

24、culty with his homework.She hasa fewfriends who can help her move.HOWEVER: The expressions few and little (without an article) mean not much and express the idea that you have less than expected.Examples:Unfortunately, I hadlittletime to enjoy New York because I had to work so much.Sadly, he hasfewp

25、eople in his life.They havelittlemoney, so their daughter cannot pay her tuition.BUT REMEMBER: When the words only or just are used, a few and a little also emphasize the meaning not much.Examples:Unfortunately, Ionlyhada littletime to enjoy New York because I had to work so much.Sadly, hejusthasa f

26、ewpeople in his life.Theyonlyhavea littlemoney, so their daughter cannot pay her tuition.USE 18Generally, articles are not used with the names of illnesses or diseases.Examples:Dr. Smith visits schools and universities to educate students onAIDS.Oncologists are doctors who specialize in treatingcanc

27、er.There are several medications that can be used to treatmalaria.HOWEVER: There are some illnesses which requireTHE.the measlesthe fluthe mumpsthe bubonic plagueMOREOVER: There are a few health conditions or illnesses which can be used with bothA(AN)as well asTHEand follow general article use. This

28、 category includes most aches, pains, growths, and attacks.a colda heart attacka strokea wart / tumor / growth / etc.a sore throat / sore back/ sore foot / etc.a headache / toothache / backache / etc.REMEMBER: This last category follows general article use. Study the examples below.Examples:John has

29、acold.Thecold was pretty bad.Nancy hadaheart attack.Theheart attack seriously weakened her heart.Deb hadasore throat.Thesore throat made it hard to talk.USE 19If a direction (north, west, southeast, left, right) directly follows a verb, do not use an article with the direction.Examples:We need to wa

30、lksouth.They drovenorthall day.At the stop sign, turnleftand walk three blocks.HOWEVER: If a direction follows a preposition, you must useTHE.Examples:We need to walk tothesouth.Our house is inthenorth.The grocery store is ontheright.MOREOVER: UseTHEwith compass directions when referring to them as special geographic or cultural regions.Examples:We lovetheSouth.Have you ever visitedtheEast?TheWest has better national parks.USE 20THEcan