Articles

What Are Articles?

Articles are words that define a noun as specific or unspecific.

Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns.

The indefinite article: 'a' and 'an

• We use the indefinite article, a/an, with singular nouns when the listener/reader does not know exactly which one we are referring to:Police are searching for a 14-year-old girl.

• We also use it to show that the person or thing is She is a pupil at London Road School.

• We do not use an indefinite article with plural nouns or uncount nouns:

Fill in the Blank

Translate into English:

Мен оқушымын.

Я ученик.

Fill in the Blank

Translate into English:

Бұл - алма.

Это - яблоко.

Fill in the Blank

Translate into English:

Джэктің мұрны ұзын .

У Джэка длинный нос.

The definite article: 'the'

• We use the definite article in front of a noun when we believe the listener/reader knows exactly what we are referring to:

  because there is only one: The Pope is visiting Russia.

  The moon is very bright tonight.

• This is why we use the definite article with a superlative adjective:He is the tallest boy in the class.

  It is the oldest building in the town.

• because there is only one in that context: We live in a small house next to the church. (= the church in our village)

  Dad, can I borrow the car? (= the car that belongs to our family)

Fill in the Blank

Tranlsate into English:

Мен сыныпта ең ұзынамын.

Я самый высокий в классе.

The definite article: 'the'

• because we have already mentioned it: A young man got a nasty shock when he tried to rob a jewellery shop in Richmond. The man used a heavy hammer to smash the windows in the shop.

• to say something about all the things referred to by a noun: The wolf is not really a dangerous animal. (= Wolves are not really dangerous animals.)

• We use the definite article in this way to talk about musical instruments: to refer to a system or service:

• We can also use the definite article with adjectives like rich, poor, elderly and unemployed to talk about groups of people: 

Multiple Choice

There's nowhere to cross .... river.There's no bridge.

• A

• The

• An

• Of the

Multiple Choice

I read ... whole book

• An

• A

• The

• Are

More uses of English articles

• Rivers, mountain ranges, seas, oceans and geographic areas all use ‘the‘.

  For example, “The Thames”, “The Alps”, “The Atlantic Ocean”, “The Middle East”.

• Unique things have ‘the’.

  For example, “the sun”, “the moon”.

  
  

Fill in the Blank

............ president is changing every 4 years.

Fill in the Blank

Translate into English:

Күн - жұлдыз.

Солнце это звезда.

More uses of English articles

• Musical instruments use ‘the‘.

  “She plays the piano.”

• Sports don’t have an article.

  “He plays football.”

• Illnesses don’t have an article.

  “He’s got appendicitis.”

  But we say “a cold” and “a headache”.

• Jobs use ‘a’.

  “I’m a teacher.”

More uses of English articles

• Countries

  We don’t use ‘a’ if the country is singular. “He lives in England.” But if the country’s name has a “plural” meaning, we use ‘the’. “The People’s Republic of China”, “The United States of America”.

• Continents, towns and streets don’t have an article.“Africa”, “New York”, “Church Street”.

• Theatres, cinemas and hotels have ‘the’.

  “The Odeon”, “The Almeira”, “The Hilton”.

• Abbreviations use ‘the’.

  “the UN”, “the USA”, “the IMF”.

• 
  

Multiple Choice

I go to ...... cinema twice ........ week.

• a, a

• the, the

• a, the

• the, a

Multiple Choice

I’ll be back in .......... minute.

• a

• an

• the

• x

Multiple Choice

Paris is .......... capital of France.

• a

• an

• the

• x

Fill in the Blank

She is .......... elegant woman.

Fill in the Blank

........... cats should eat fish.

Fill in the Blank

Mister Alan’s grandma was .............. artist.

Fill in the Blank

I saw ......... wonderful picture.

Multiple Choice

My brother, ...... geographic teacher, knows ......... lot about it.

• a, a

• the, the

• a, the

• the, a

• x, x

Multiple Choice

She does not know ......... English, she speaks .......... Spanish.

• a, a

• the, the

• a, the

• the, a

• x, x

Multiple Choice

I’m going to bed. I’ve got .................. headache.

• a

• an

• the

• x

Multiple Select

1. A famous detective and his deputy were walking in __ forest.

• a

• the

• -

Multiple Select

__ forest was dark and a little bit frightening.

• A

• The

• An

• -

Multiple Select

Soon it began to get dark. But luckily they had __ tent with them.

• The

• An

• _

• A

Multiple Select

They decided to stay __ night.

• The

• -

• a

• an

Multiple Select

They put up their tent under __ stars and went to sleep.

• A

• An

• The

• -

Multiple Select

Then, in the middle of the night, there was __ loud noise.

• -

• The

• An

• A

Multiple Select

__ detective woke up.

• An

• The

• -

• A

Multiple Select

He looked up at __ sky.

• An

• _

• a

• The