6 - ] Basic Grammar For Beginners - Definite & Indefinite Articles

6 - ] Basic Grammar For Beginners

8 .The Indifinite Articles A &An

1 . A & an are used with countable nouns . Only singular nouns . “A” is used with words beginning with a consonant . “An” is used with words beginning with a vowel ( a , e , i , o , u ) .

Examples

a hotel- a dog - a manager  

 an apple - an egg - an ice-cream - an orange - an umbrella

2 . Use “a” or “an” before jobs .

a teacher , a doctor , a manager , an artist , an actor , an engineer

He is a teacher .

He works a doctor .

Her job is an engineer .

3 . “A” is used with numbers when it means “every” .

once a week , day / twice a month / three times a year / five times a day

He goes to the club once a week .

They visit their grandfather three times a week .

4 . No article is used with the names of games , meals , materials

Examples

We play football / basketball / handball / tennis etc.

They have lunch / dinner .

Milk is useful for health .

Books are made of paper .

Iron is hard .

The watch is made of gold .

Exercise

Add (a , an or nothing) to complete the following :

1 . -----------------bicycle is made of ----------steel and ------------rubber .

2 . ---------------- shoe is made of --------------leather .

3 . ---------------- corn grows in ----------------field on -------------farm .

4 . --------------table is made of --------------- wood .

5 . -----------------bird flies in the air .

6 . --------------suit is made of ---------------cloth .

7 . ---------------ship sails on the sea .

8 . She live in ------------------ nice big house .

9 . My father is -------------------engineer .

10 . Nicono is ----------------Japanese name .

11 . What’s that ? It’s ----------------- camera .

12 . Miss Salma is ----------------very good teacher .

13 . I waited for --------------hour .

14 . His salary is 3000 pounds --------------monthe .

15 . We see ----------------lion in -------------zoo .

The Definite Article “The”

“The” is used before :

1 . a noun that is the only of its kind .

Examples

the Alps , the Sahara Deserts , the Golden Gate Bridge

2 . A noun that has just been referred to .

Example

She has got two children : a girl and a boy . The boy is fourteen and the girl is eight .

3 . Names of rivers , seas , oceans etc.

Examples

the  Thames ,  the Red Sea ,  the Mediterranean sea , the Pacific , the Bahamas

4 . The names of musical instruments .

the guitar , the violin , the drum , the piano

Example

Can you play the guitar ?

She plays the piano skillfully .

5 . Name of some countries such as ;

The United Arab Emirates , the USA , the Yemen , the Sudan , the United Kingdom

No article is used with :

1 . subjects

Examples

I don’t like history .

My favorite subject is Science .

2 . such words ; school , home , bed , work etc.

I am going home now .

I always go to bed early .

I go to school every day .

We don’t use (the) with these expressions :

by car - by bus - by train - by plane - on foot

Exercise 1

Add (the) in the blank spaces if is needed :

1 . As she was walking in ---------------street she looked at ------------clothes in ----------store windows .

2 . They were sailing along --------------river watching -----------clouds in ------------sky .

3 . She ran into -----------------house and shut ---------------- door .

4 . ---------------Russia is the largest country in Europe .

5 . -----------------United States of America is one of the richest countries in the world .

6 . People in --------------Mexico speak --------------------Spanish .

7. He visits --------------Africa twice a year .

8 . He was educated in ----------------Cairo University .

9 . They live in -----------------21 , Higgaz Street , Heliopolis .

10 . --------------Suez Canal is in -------------Middle East .

11 . Who’s --------------------girl in ----------------car over there with Tom ?

12 . The visitors are staying in --------------Grand Hotel .

13 . ---------------English Channel lies between ----------------England and -------------France .

14 . Today ---------------sun is very hot .

15 . -----------------moon goes round --------------------earth and it goes round -----------sun .

16 . -------------------summer is the ottrest season of the year .

17 . -----------------house where we live is surrounded by a large garden .

18 . When I returned there was nobody at -----------------home .

Exercise 2

Add (a , an , the or nothing) to complete the following :

1 . I met -----------------English boy the other day . He comes from -------------United Kingdom .

2 . What’s ---------------------name of your friend’s father ?

3 . ----------------empty bag is worth nothing .

4 . Can you remember -------------------beginning of ----------------interesting story he told us last night ?

5 . He arrived --------------------hour ago from ---------------United States of America .

6. What is -----------------matter with you ?

7.She bought ------------------largest car in town .

8 . He is -----------------inch taller than I am .

9 . He was ----------------------year old and could not climb ----------------Alps .

10 . She is -----------------very clever student .

11 . We make -----------------butter and -------------------cheese from -------------milk .

12 . There is -----------------garden behind ---------------house .

13 . She always goes to --------------------school on ----------------foot .

14 . I have ------------------idea . “Let’s go by bus,” I suggested .

15 . -------------------------length of the road is ten miles .