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Article usage - the basic rules: Basically, the rules for using articles in English are quite simple:

* The definite article shows that a noun is being used in a "defined" or restricted context. * When a noun is used in a non-defined or "generalizing" context, in some cases an indefinite article is required, in others no article at all.
I bought a pair of shoes. I saw a movie last night. They are staying at a hotel. I think The man over there is very unfriendly. I do not like X basketball. That is the problem I told you about. The night is quiet. Let's take a walk! The price of gas keeps rising. John traveled to X Mexico. Juan is X Spanish. I read an amazing story yesterday. My brother does not eat X chicken. X love is such a beautiful thing. I live in an apartment. The apartment is new. I would like a piece of cake. I was in a Japanese restaurant. The restaurant served good food. Sara can play the guitar.

1. The Definite Article How simple English is !! There is only one definite article, and that is "the"; the only difficulty is knowing when to use it, and when it is not needed. Use of the definite article depends on the nature or type of noun that is being used. As in other languages, nouns in English can be divided into two distinct categories, called: count nouns and non-count nouns. Count nouns are nouns referring to items that can be counted, for example: One car, two pencils, three people, four guitarists, five hotels etc. These nouns can be used in the singular or the plural In the singular, count nouns must The dog is happy. (or This dog is happy, etc: but not: Dog is happy ) I'm reading the book you gave me. In the plural, they may require a determiner, depending on context. 2. The Indefinite Article

English has two indefinite articles, a and an a is used before nouns starting with a consonant or a semivowel an is used before nouns starting with a phonetic vowel Examples: a dog, a cat, an apple, an orange, an uncle, but a university (because the word university starts with phonetic [ju], which is not a vowel). Indefinite articles can only be used with count nouns. They are used when a count noun in the singular refers to a non-specified or non defined entity. Examples: a) There's a train (= unspecified) coming in 5 minutes. It's the train (= specified) for London. b) Look! I can see an elephant over there ! (= a non-identified elephant) There is no indefinite article in the plural. The word "some" is occasionally said to be a plural indefinite article, but really it is a quantifier (like many, few, etc.) By definition, plural nouns refering to non-specified entities are generalisations, therefore need no article.

Definition : Count nouns - sometimes called "countable nouns" - are nouns that refer to things that can be multiplied or counted, for example: one man, two women, three children, four cars, five shirts, six computers, seven sisters, and so on. Non-count nouns are nouns that refer to generalisations, abstractions, concepts or substances, things that cannot be put in the plural; for example. water, oxygen, eternity, psychology, anger, politics, heat, alcohol.... and so on. So far, so good! That is relatively simple to follow. Concrete objects and items can be counted, concepts and abstractions cannot. But unfortunately, this easy distinction does no take into account all nouns. The Problem: The problem is that there are a lot of nouns that are either count nouns or non-count nouns , depending on the circumstances. In their non-count form or value, they are generalisations, in their count noun form or value their meaning is restricted or slightly different. Look at these

examples: We all like beer, so let's order three beers. Air is vital for life, but the air in this room is very unpleasant. Radiators should produce heat, but the heat from that radiator is minimal ! In the examples above, the first time the noun is use with a non-count generalising value, beer, air, heat; but the second time these nouns are used they have the restricted value of count nouns: for this reason, they must be introduced by a determiner; in the examples, the determiners are a numeral (three), two articles (the) and two demonstrative determiners (this and that). three beers, the air in this room, the heat from that radiator.

The fact that some nouns can have either a non-count value or a count value does not always mean that we can actually count them! Abstractions cannot usually be put in the plural; for example we could never say There are two different airs in these two rooms. It is context that will usually indicate whether a noun is a count noun or a non-countnoun. Usage: When writing or talking English, it is essential to know whether the noun you are going to use is a count noun, or functioning as a count noun, or if it is a non-count noun, or functioning as one. If the noun you want to use can be either a count noun or a non count noun, you must decide which value you wish to give it in a given context, since this may determine how you express your sentence. The reason is simple; count nouns and non-count nouns are not used in the same way. To start with, there are the questions of determiners (articles, etc.) and quantifiers Count nouns must have a determiner of some kind in the singular; but in the plural, they require a determiner if they are used with a restricted value, no determiner if they are used as generalisations. Examples in the singular you can say a table, this table, my table, one table, etc. but never just "table". Examples in the plural

You say "tables" (or "all tables") if you mean all tables in general, but "the tables" or "these tables", etc, if you are referring to just certain tables, but not all tables. Examples in context: Usually, tables have flat surfaces, but the tables in this caf don't. Buses are big vehicles, but the buses in London are enormous.

Non-count nouns do not have a determiner in the singular. Example: Oxygen is essential for life.. They are not used in the plural. In cases where non-count nouns are used with a determiner, this is because they are being used with a restricted or count value. For example: This oxygen is contaminated. Quantifiers with count and non-count nouns: The choice of certain quantifiers such as much/many, few/little, some and any depends on whether a noun is a count noun or a non-count noun. With count nouns in the plural, the quantifiers to use are many, few / a few, and some*. (Obviously, quantifiers cannot be used with count nouns in the singular!) Many people speak English. Few animals escaped from the forest fire. A few animals escaped from the forest fire. (This does not mean the same!) The old man was found by some children. *Some is replaced by any in negative and interrogative contexts. With non-count nouns in the singular, the quantifiers to use are much, little / a little, and any. (And remember, non-count nouns cannot be used in the plural!) There wasn't much water left. There was little food left in the house There was a little food left in the house. (This does not mean the same!) There wasn't any food left in the house.

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