Indefinite Articles for Uncountable Nouns

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Indefinite Articles for Uncountable Nouns : Articles :


Articles

1. Indefinite Articles
2. Definite Articles

Articles are Demonstrative Adjectives.

1. Indefinite Articles

Indefinite Articles for Singular Nouns

A is used before a word beginning with a consonant sound (for singular nouns only).

a bird
a boy
a city
a flower
a girl
a house
a happy
a film
a minute
a school
a watch



AN is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound or a voiceless or weak H.

Vowels : a, e, i, o, u + h (silent)

an angry woman
an apple
an egg
an actor
an ice-cream
an ink-pot
an orange
an umbrella
an hour



Some words start with a vowel but yet the first sound is a consonant sound and thus A must be used instead of AN.

A University
A One-Eyed Person
A Useful Thing



Indefinite Articles for Plural Nouns

No Article is used with indefinite plural nouns.

Singular…….Plural
an actor….actors
a boy…..boys
a cat……cats
a hotel……hotels
an apple….. apples
a bird….. birds
a dog….. dogs
an hour…. Hours



Indefinite Articles for Uncountable Nouns

No Article is used with uncountable nouns.

water
snow
beauty
luggage
information
milk
love
knowledge
furniture
steel
cleverness
hair
news

I like music.
Everyone admires beauty.



But we can use article with uncountables in certain phrases.

Isn’t she a beauty!
A bit of advice.
. There isn’t any news.
Ali needs some new furniture.
Omar took a lot of luggage with him.
Shehata has a good knowledge of English.
He found a hair in the soup.
There are three brown hairs on his shirt.



Articles for The Material Nouns

Use MANY, SOME, A LOT OF and A PIECE OF before the material nouns.

Would you like some coffee?
Put some more wood on the fire.
I want a piece of paper.
My father bought a pound of tea.
There was a lot of gold in the shop.



Articles for The Abstract Nouns

Don’t use articles with the Abstract nouns.

Many people were burnt to death in the fire.
Fear overcame him.
He was a good friend to me…both in joy and in sorrow.
Life without hope is impossible.



But you can use articles with them in certain meaning.

There were many deaths from drought in Africa.
A sudden fear came over him.
Life has its joys and sorrows.
They held out a hope of victory.



Don’t use articles with meals unless they are preceded by adjective.

I have breakfast at eight.
She gave us a good breakfast.



Use article with a meal if it was for a special ceremony.

We were invited to dinner at their house.
We were invited to a dinner given to welcome the new judge.



2. Definite Articles

Definite Article and The Singular Nouns

Definite Article and The Plual Nouns

The definite article is used with both countable and uncountable in the singular and plural.

Singular…….Plural
The boy….The boys
The girl…..The girls

Close the door, please.
Show me the way to the station.
Can you bring the milk from the kitchen.



Use THE with these singular nouns.

the Moon
the Earth
the Sea
the Sun
the North pole
the Sky
the Weather
Many is fond of sitting in the Sun.
The Moon goes round the Earth and the Earth goes round the Sun.



These words need THE.

the same
the last
the only
the following
the next
the previous

They were both born on the same day in the same town.
The very thought of going to the headmaster frightens me.
He is the only pupil in the classroom. Other pupils are absent. We will take the next bus.



Don’t use THE with these expressions.

last month
last Saturday
next month
next Sunday
last year
last summer
next year
next winter

When did you go to bed last night?
Will you come here next Sunday?



Definite Article and Proper Nouns

Don’t use THE with proper nouns.

Great Britain
South America
Tahrir Square



But use THE with these proper nouns.

The Soviet Union
The Kremlin
The British Museum
The Egyptian Museum
The United States of America



See how THE changes the meaning.

The man is sitting in the front of the car.
The man is sitting in front of the car.



Don’t use an article with these word combination.

To take place
to take part in
to take notice of
to take interest in
to take care of
to take hold of
to make use of
to give permission
to get permission
to take to heart
to lose heart
to pay attention to
to be in debt
at work
at home
on deck
by air
by sea
by bus
by chance
by name.
A dozen of eggs

Sixty kilo meters an hour.
I know only a few of these people.
What a great scientist!
I meet a Mr. Shehata.
I met Mr. Shehata.

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