What can be cooked from squid: quick and tasty

In this lesson, we will consider the topic "Articles in English language". We will study what articles and basic rules of use in structures exist. The analysis is at a level that is understandable for children and adults.

The use of articles in conjunction with nouns in English is a rather voluminous topic, so you should be patient.

In English, The Article is the main definition of nouns. When a sentence is being built, the first thing to start with is to think about the articles, the speaker defines a definite or indefinite noun and then the articles are put. In other words, we are talking about something specific or generalized. There are no articles in the Russian language, which is why this topic causes certain difficulties for many.

When drawing up a structure in English, the article is used in almost all cases. Distinguish:

• The Definite Article or the definite article to which it refers The;
• The Indefinite Article or the indefinite article to which they refer an and a.

We will study 3 cases of using the article - the use of an indefinite, definite article and cases when the article is not used at all in the construction.

The Definite Article

This part of speech has only one form, the. From the point of view of grammar, it comes from the demonstrative pronoun "that - that".

1. The Definite Article is used in a sentence when it comes to an object that has already been talked about or when the other person understands what the conversation is about.
   For example, Please show me the book. - Show me this book, please.
2. Also, this part of speech is used in a sentence when the interlocutors talk about an object that is one of a kind.
   For example, The sun is in the sky. - The sun is in the sky.
3. applies in all cases when the interlocutors talk about a musical group, newspaper, cinema, restaurant.
   For example, The Beatles are the Beatles.
4. The name of a nationality, when not talking about someone specific, but generalizing all representatives of the genus, is used with the part of speech in question.
   For example, the Americans. - Americans.
5. The definite article is used in some phrases.
   For example, at the cinema / the theater - in the cinema / theater. A stable design was used here.
6. If the proper name contains the words kingdom (kingdom), union (union), republic (republic), this article is used together with them.
   For example, The United Kingdom is the United Kingdom.
7. This part of speech is used in sentences after prepositions of place.
8. If there is a construction "next, last + some time period", we put this article in front of the whole construction.
   For example, the next day is the next day.
   For example, There is a cat in front of the monitor. - There is a cat in front of the screen.
9. If we are talking about the whole family, then the article in question is also placed before the surname.
   For example, The Petrovs are at home. - Petrov's houses.
10. objects are also used in constructions with the part of speech in question.
    For example, the Arctic - Arctic and the Alps - Alps.

    Attention, in the names of countries, streets, airports, islands, the article is not used.

11. If a proper name is expressed by a title and after it there is such a meaning of, the article in question is used.
    For example, The Prince of Wales is the Prince of Wales.
12. In English, as in Russian, there is an adjective used without a noun, but denoting a group of people. This form should also be preceded by this part of speech. .
    For example, The old is old people.
13. If there is a superlative adjective in the construction, articles definite are also used before it.
    For example, the quickest is the fastest.
14. The is used in all cases where there is "of" in front of the noun.
    For example, The Tower of London is the Tower of London.
15. With the cardinal points, this article is always used in the design.
    For example, the Northern part of our country is the north of our country.
16. If the sentence contains the word only (meaning the only one), then here we also use the article in question.
    For example, She was the only beautiful woman in his life. - She was the only one beautiful woman in his life.
17. And the last case of using articles is before the ordinal number.
    Example: We are on the fourth floor. - We're on the fifth floor.

This article in question is used with singular and plural nouns.

Indefinite article

Views: 1 119

Memo number 1 - use when getting acquainted with numbers from 13 to 20, 20 -100 at the initial stage of training. It can be used when fixing or repeating numbers at the initial and secondary stages of training (for example, when working with poorly performing children)

Memo number 2 - used in the middle stage

learning

ARTICLES

1. Determine if this is a "stable" expression or not.

If "yes" write it down correctly, if "no" do

Determine if this word is a proper name.

Do not forget, before proper names the article

not put.

BUT!

Article «the»Is used if it is:

a) the name of the cardinal points

b) the name of the seas, rivers, oceans, channels

c) the name of the mountain ranges

d) the name of the planets, luminaries

e) the name of some countries (federation, states, kingdom, republic, the Netherlands)

f) the name of some historical institutions (the Kremlin, the British Museum, the Tower of London, the Houses of Parliament, the National Gallery)

g) plural surname

If this is not a proper name, follow the next step.

3. Determine if the word is a superlative adjective.

Before adjectives, the article “the»

4. Determine if the word is a numeral.

The ordinal numbers are preceded by the article “the» if not, follow the next step.

5. If there is a pronoun in front of the noun, the articles are not used.

6. Determine if the word is an uncountable noun.

Uncountable noun ("the», « - »)

a) the article "a" / "an" is not used.

b)) Determine if you can put "the" here. If not, put “-”.

If it's a countable noun, follow the next step.

7. If it is a countable noun, determine its number.

Plural. ("the», « - »)

a) The article "a" / "an" is not used.

b) Determine if you can put "the" here. If not, put “-”.

Singular. ("a/ an», « the, « - »)

a) Remember the rule when you put "a" / "an" and "the" and fill in the blanks by putting "a / an", "the" or "-".

Memo number 4 "Comparative constructions with adjectives" is used in the middle and senior stages of education.

Memo number 5 - for students of primary and high school on the topic "Plural of nouns".

Plural

1. Read and translate the word.

2. Remember if this word is an exception.

3. If this word is an exception, write its plural form.

If this word is not an exception, follow step 4.

4. Determine whether this word refers to "countable" or "uncountable" nouns.

5. If it's an uncountable noun, write it unchanged.

If it is a countable noun, follow step 6.

6. Remember the rules for writing words ending in "o, y (after a consonant), f (e), sibilant, sibilant consonants" and write down the word in the plural. If the word does not fit to item 6, follow item 7.

7. Write down the word without changes, adding the ending "s" to it.

Memo number 6 - to work with middle-level students on the topic “Sentence structure. Negative Suggestions ”.

Negative sentences.

If the predicate contains the verbs "to be (am, is, are, was, were), to have (have, has, had), shall, will, would, should, must, can, could, may", write down the sentence, putting a negative particle "not" after these words.

If not, see item 4.

Memo number 7

(ed. under the concept of "independent verb" we mean the verbs "to be (am, is, are, was, were), to have (have, has, had), shall, will, would, should, must, can, could, may ")

"T ag – questions »

Read and try to translate the sentence.

Determine if the sentence is affirmative or negative (if negative, follow clauses 3 and 4, if affirmative, follow clauses 5 - 10)

Negative sentence.

If the sentence is negative, find the verb with the negative particle "not" and write it after the comma without "not".

Affirmative sentence.

Determine if the sentence has an independent verb. (If there is, follow items 6 and 7, if not, go to item 8).

If there is an independent verb in the sentence, write it after a comma with a negative particle "not".

Place a subject pronoun after the verb.

Determine the time in the sentence (present or past).

If the time is present, add “do” or “does” after the comma. If the tense is past, put "did".

Write the negative particle "not".

11. Put a subject pronoun after the verb

Memo number 8 - to work with middle-level students on the topic “Sentence structure. Interrogative sentences ".

That is, the absence of an article. In this article, we will take a look at the indefinite article a \ an in English.

Article a or an?

The indefinite article has two forms: a and an. The rule for their use is very simple.

• Article in the form "A" used before a consonant: a boot, a tie, a lock, a house, a car, a job.
• Article in the form "An" used before vowels: an apple, an iron, an oven, an error.

Even if the word starts with a consonant but starts with a vowel, “an” is used. These cases include:

• Unpronounceable h at the beginning of a word: an hour[ən ˈAʊə], an honor[ən ˈɒnə].
• Some abbreviations that are read by individual letters: an FBI agent[ən ɛf biː aɪ ˈeɪʤənt].

The indefinite article a \ an in English is a basic rule

If you reduce the rules to the main general, it will be like this.

General rule: the indefinite article is used to denote not a specific, but some, some subject (that's why it is called indefinite). In Russian, we would instead say “some”, “some”, “some”, “one”.

By the way, the article a \ an comes from the word one (one) - knowing this, it is easy to understand its meaning and use. Let's look at some examples.

I need a shovel... - I need (some) shovel.

I'd like to buy a ticket... - I would like to buy (one, some) ticket.

Compare, if you replace a \ an with the definite article the, the meaning changes:

I need the shovel... - I need (this, specific) shovel.

I'd like to buy the ticket... - I would like to buy (that specific) ticket.

Rules for the use of the article a (an) in English

Let's consider more specific rules. So, the article a \ an is used when:

1. This means everyone, no matter which representative of the class of objects or persons.

A baby can do that. - The baby (anyone) can do it.

A triangle has three sided. - A triangle (any) has three sides.

The article does not necessarily come directly in front of it; there may be a noun between them.

I need a cheap ball pen... - I need (some) cheap ballpoint pen.

I want to buy a good hockey stick... - I want to buy (some) good hockey stick.

Please note that if you put the definite article the in a similar case, the meaning will change dramatically, for example:

I want to buy the hockey stick... - I want to buy a (specific) club.

2. A noun describes who or what an object or person is.

Most often this is a profession, if we are talking about a person, or the name of an object (class of objects), if about something inanimate. In this case, the article is difficult to “translate” into Russian. You need to understand that a noun denotes an object / person as a whole, not as a separate instance, but as a generalizing concept.

I am a doctor... - I am a doctor.

He is anexperienced graphicdesigner... - He is an experienced graphic designer.

This is a snowboard... - It's a snowboard.

If we use the, we are not talking about the class of objects in general, but about a specific representative:

Hi is the experienced designer... - He is (that) experienced designer.

3. It is about one object or person.

That is, literally about an item in the amount of one piece. Here the article a \ an means almost the same as one.

I'd like a cup of hot chocolate. - I would like (one) cup of hot chocolate.

I need a day to rest. - I need (one) day to rest.

With the article the, the speech will also, in general, be about one subject, but about a specific one. For example, not just about a cup of chocolate, but about that cup that you brewed first, her froth came out prettier:

I'd like the cup of hot chocolate. - I would like (that) cup of hot chocolate.

4. We are talking about an object or person mentioned in the conversation for the first time ...

... and when we speak for the second, third, tenth time, we use the article the.

Here the use of articles is dictated by simple logic. Speaking about a subject for the first time, we usually talk about it as “some”, “some”.

- You know, I watched an interesting movie yesterday. - You know, I watched (some) interesting film yesterday.

Five minutes have passed, we have already discussed the film up and down, and we are not talking about it as a some, but how about quite a certain film:

- Yeah, I think, I'm going to rewatch the movie!- Yes, I think I will review (this) film.

In general, this rule is very easily broken. For example, I decided to intrigue my interlocutor and say right off the bat that I watched not just some movie, but THAT MOST movie:

- You know, I watched the movie yesterday. - You know, I watched THAT movie yesterday.

Or, in this particular conversation, the subject may be mentioned for the first time, but both interlocutors perfectly understand what it is about.

Mary: Honey, where is the mirror? - Darling, where is the mirror?

John: Your mom's present is in the bathroom, as always. - Your mom's present in the bathroom as usual.

5. In a number of stable expressions

Basically, they are related to time and quantity:

• in a day \ week \ month \ year - every other day \ week \ month \ year
• in an hour - in an hour
• in a half an hour - in half an hour
• a few - a few
• a little - a little
• a lot (great deal) of - a lot

The indefinite article a \ an is often used in persistent expressions like to have (to take) + noun, implying some kind of one-time action:

• to have (take) a look - to look
• to have a walk - take a walk
• to have (take) a seat - to sit down
• to take a note - to take a note, write down

Notes:

1. Some expressions in this scheme are used with article zero, for example: to have fun - have fun.
2. With the definite article the, in most cases, the words are used: the future, the past, the present.
3. The seasons are used with the or with the article zero: in (the) winter, in (the) summer, etc.

Indefinite article before adjective and pronoun

Articles (any) can be used before adjectives. In this case, they serve as determinants not to the adjectives, of course, but to the noun, the attribute of which these adjectives denote:

• She is a nice beautiful girl... - She's a sweet, pretty girl.
• I need the red hat... - I need a red hat.

Articles are not used before a noun if it is already defined by a possessive (my, your, his, her, etc.) or a demonstrative pronoun (this, these, that, those). -that ”, this already means that the subject is concrete, definite - this makes the article a \ an impossible, and the article the redundant.

• Not right: I am looking for a (the) my dog.
• Right: I am looking for my dog.

Friends! I am not currently a tutor, but if you need a teacher, I recommend this wonderful site- there are native (and non-native) language teachers for all occasions and for any pocket 🙂 I myself went through more than 50 lessons with the teachers I found there!

The rules for using articles in English are equally important for children and adults who want to communicate correctly. Such a grammatical phenomenon cannot be found in Russian, which complicates the task of learning English.

What articles exist

In English, there are two types of particles that always refer to a noun:

• The indefinite article a / an is used with words in the singular. The speaker mentions an object or person for the first time:

Jack has just received a business letter. “Jack just got a business letter.

I have seen an umbrella in that shop. - I saw an umbrella in that store.

• The definite article the is used in both the singular and the plural if everyone in the conversation knows what in question, or the item is one of a kind:

My mum has found a kitten in the park. The kitten is very nice. - Mom found a kitten in the park. This kitten is very cute.

(The first time the word "kitten" is used with an indefinite article, since the interlocutor has not heard of him before. The second - with a definite one, since they are talking about this particular pet. The word "park" stands with a definite article, since they mean a specific place. )

The Mars goes round the Sun. - Mars revolves around the sun.

(Both celestial bodies are presented in a single copy.)

In English grammar, there is a place for such a phenomenon as the zero article. In this case, the and a / an are not used before the noun. This happens when the place in front of a noun is occupied by a possessive, demonstrative, or other part of speech (except for the adjective).

This is my laptop. - This is my laptop.

Table Rules for the use of articles in English

To systematize all the cases of using the articles, as well as the moments when these particles are not needed, it is necessary to study the table with examples.

TOP-4 articleswho read along with this

If the name of a state includes the words republic (republic), states (states), kingdom (kingdom), union (union), emirates (emirates) or is always in the plural, use the article the before it:

They moved to the Unites States of America 12 years ago. - They moved to the United States 12 years ago.

What have we learned?

In the grammar of the English language, there are 3 variants - the indefinite, the definite and the zero article. The rules for setting these English particles depend on the meaning of the noun.

Test by topic

Article rating

Average rating: 4.3. Total ratings received: 128.