1
What is an article in English?
Answer: An article is a word used before a noun.
What articles do we use with singular countable nouns?
Answer: A / An / The
Which article is used before a vowel sound?
Answer: An
Which article is used for specific objects?
Answer: The
When do we use zero article?
Answer: With plural nouns and uncountable nouns in general meaning.
Why is a used in this sentence?
She bought a book.
Answer: Because the noun is mentioned for the first time.
Why is the used in this sentence?
The book is on the table.
Answer: Because the object is already known.
Why is there no article here?
Water is important for life.
Answer: Because water is an uncountable noun in general meaning.
Why do we say an hour, not a hour?
Answer: Because hour starts with a vowel sound.
Why is the used here?
The sun is shining.
Answer: Because the sun is a unique object.
Explain the difference:
He is a doctor. / He is the doctor.
a doctor — one of many
the doctor — a specific, known one
Explain the difference:
She went to school. / She went to the school.
Answer:
to school — as a student
to the school — to the building
Why is zero article used here?
Music makes people happy.
Answer: Because music is an abstract uncountable noun.
Explain the use of the article:
One of the students was late.
Answer: The is used because it refers to a specific group.
Why is the used before superlatives?
She is the best student.
Answer: Because superlatives always take the.
1. Explain the difference:
in hospital / in the hospital
Answer:
in hospital — as a patient
in the hospital — inside a building
Why is no article used here?
We had breakfast at 8 a.m.
Answer: Because names of meals usually take zero article.
Explain the use of the:
The rich should help the poor.
Answer: The is used with adjectives as plural nouns for groups of people.
Why is the used here?
The Internet has changed education.
Answer: Because the Internet is a unique object.
Explain the difference:
at work / at the work
at work — doing your job
at the work — at a specific workplace/building
Explain the difference in meaning:
He has little experience. / He has a little experience.
little — almost no experience (negative)
a little — some experience (positive)
Why is this sentence incorrect?
She is best student in group.
Correct form: She is the best student in the group.
Explain the use of the article:
She is the only person I trust.
Answer: Because only makes the noun specific.
Why is the zero article used here?
Education plays an important role in society.
Answer: Because education is an abstract noun used in a general sense.
Explain the difference:
Man is intelligent. / A man is intelligent.
Answer:
Man — humanity in general
A man — any typical individual man